Updated Property Tax Information Now Available for Texas Property Owners

New and updated property tax information has just been compiled by Gregg County Appraisal District and is available now to assist taxpayers. This property tax information is current and covers a wide range of topics, such as taxpayer remedies, exemptions and appraisals, and has information for select groups, such as disabled
veterans and persons age 65 or older.

“Whether you are a homeowner, business owner, disabled veteran or taxpayer, it’s important you know your rights concerning property tax laws”, said Mark A. Cormier, Chief Appraiser of the Gregg County Appraisal District. “You can contact us about any property tax issues with full confidence that we will
provide the most complete, accurate and up-to-date information available to assist
you.”

This includes information about the following programs.

• Property Tax Exemptions for Disabled Veterans – The law provides partial
  exemptions for any property owned by disabled veterans or surviving spouses
  and surviving children of deceased disabled veterans. Another partial exemption
  is for homesteads donated to disabled veterans by charitable organizations at no
  cost or not more than 50 percent of the good faith estimate of the homestead’s
  market value to disabled veterans and their surviving spouses. The exemption
  amount is determined according to percentage of service-connected disability.
  The law also provides a 100 percent homestead exemption for 100 percent
  disabled veterans and their surviving spouses and surviving spouses of U.S.
  armed service members killed or fatally injured in the line of duty.
• Property Tax Exemptions – Non-profit organizations that meet statutory
  requirements may seek property tax exemptions and must apply to their local
  appraisal district by a specific date. Child-care facilities; medical or biomedical
  property; businesses that receive tax abatements granted by taxing units; ship
  inventory out of Texas that may be eligible for the freeport exemption; store
  certain goods in transit in warehouses that are moved within 175 days;
  construct, install or acquire pollution control property; own and operate energy
  storage systems; convert landfill-generated gas; or store offshore drilling
  equipment while not in use may also be eligible for statutory exemptions.
• Rendering Taxable Property – If a business owns tangible personal property that
  is used to produce income, the business must file a rendition with its local
  appraisal district by a specified date. Personal property includes inventory and
  equipment used by a business. Owners do not have to render exempt property
  such as church property or an agriculture producer’s equipment used for farming.
• Appraisal Notices – Normally, taxpayers receive a notice of appraised value from
  the appropriate local appraisal district. The city, county, school districts and other
  local taxing units use the appraisal district’s value to set property taxes for the
  coming year.
• Taxpayer Assistance Pamphlet – This Comptroller publication explains in detail
  the functions of a taxpayer liaison officer, how to protest a property appraisal,
  what issues the county appraisal review board (ARB) can consider and what to
  expect during a protest hearing. The publication also discusses the option to
  request limited binding arbitration to compel the ARB or chief appraiser to comply
  with a procedural requirement and the options of taking a taxpayer’s case to
  district court, the State Office of Administrative Hearings or regular binding
  arbitration if the taxpayer is dissatisfied with the outcome of the ARB hearing.
• Homestead Exemptions – A homestead is generally defined as the home and
  land used as the owner’s principal residence on Jan. 1 of the tax year. A person
  who acquires property after Jan. 1 may receive the residence homestead
  exemption for the applicable portion of that tax year immediately on qualification
  for the exemption if the preceding owner did not receive the same exemption for
  that tax year. A homestead exemption reduces the home’s appraised value and,
  as a result, lowers property taxes. Applications are submitted to the appropriate
  local appraisal district.
• Productivity Appraisal – Property owners who use land for timberland
  production, agricultural purposes or wildlife management can be granted property
  tax relief on their land. They may apply to their local appraisal district for an
  agricultural special appraisal which may result in a lower appraisal of the land
  based on production, versus market value.
• Residence Homestead Tax Deferral – Texas homeowners may postpone paying
  the currently delinquent property taxes due on the appreciating value of their
  homes by filing a tax deferral affidavit at their local appraisal district. This tax relief
  allows homeowners to pay the property taxes on 105 percent of the preceding
  year’s appraised value of their homestead, plus the taxes on any new
  improvements to the homestead. The deferral postpones the remaining taxes,
  with interest accruing at 8 percent per year but does not cancel them.
• Property Tax Deferral for Persons Age 65 or Older or Disabled or Disabled
  Veteran Homeowners – Texans who are age 65 or older or disabled, as defined
  by law, or who qualify for a disabled veteran exemption may postpone paying
  current and delinquent property taxes on their homes by signing a tax deferral
  affidavit. Once the affidavit is on file, taxes are deferred, but not cancelled, as long
  as the owner continues to own and live in the home. Interest continues to
  accrue at 5 percent per year on the unpaid taxes. You may obtain a deferral
  affidavit at the appraisal district.
• Protesting Property Appraisal Values – Property owners who disagree with
  the appraisal district’s appraisal of their property for local taxes or for any other
  action that adversely affects them may protest their property value to their
  county’s ARB.
• Informal Meetings – Property owners can request an informal meeting with
  appraisal district staff to try and resolve their disputes prior to attending ARB
  hearings.

For more information about these programs, contact Gregg County Appraisal District at 903-238-8823. Information is also available on the Comptroller’s Property Tax Assistance Division’s website at comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/property-tax/.