Home Stead Exemptions in Texas

Closing on a home in Texas today in Greater Austin or even in Texas has a lot of unexpected implications. First of all, it probably means you are going to start getting a lot of mail and door hanger advertisements. While some aspects of your home purchase are not public information in Texas, the fact that you bought a home and its location is information that can be easily discovered by businesses. So, the solicitation begins.

Some of the adverts you receive may be really helpful for you. Lawn care specialists. Window Treatment sales. Area restaurants. But one solicitation that you will probably get in Texas that you may consider to be a scam is the solicitation to file your Texas Homestead Exemption paper work. Upon reading, you may think that you have to stand in line somewhere or file complicated legal paperwork to file your homestead exemption. Well, you don't. This letter that most new home owners receive looks very "official", and if you don't read it carefully, you may believe that it is from the State of Texas. It may even have a large seal on the letterhead that you mistakenly believe it an official Texas State office seal--further convincing you at a glance that it is an official mailing. The letter briefly explains that if you fill out the attached form and then mail it back to the address with a check for $29 or $39 or some specified amount of money, they will file your Homestead Exemption for you. Well, some might say "This is a service and they should be paid for the service." Yes, that is true; it is a service or some sort for some people. However, you did most of the work for them by filling out the form that will later be sent to the County taxing authority. The only real service that most of these companies seem to provide seems to be in holding your information until the filing date of January 1st in the new year, and than file your Homestead Exemption. And that may well be worth $29 to you. But the price you pay to the State of Texas or County for filing your Texas Homestead is the cost of mailing the form. There is no state/county charge for filing. No lines to stand in. No classes required to fill out the form.
 
The benefit? Well, besides potential tax benefits, there are very often other benefits to home owners for letting the county/state know that this is your Texas Homestead--your one primary residence. I don't claim to be an expert on taxes or Homestead Exemptions, but I can tell you that as a long-term resident of Texas, I have benefited greatly from my Homestead exemptions and related benefits of my primary Texas residence.

For more information on your Austin area Homestead Exemptions, go to your county's appraisal district. Find their online FAQ information. Call their office. And go visit them. If you are looking for the forms, here are the links that I have pulled from our two largest counties appraisal district web site:


Travis County Appraisal District

Williamson County Appraisal District

Please note: I am a Realtor®. I am not a CPA or a tax expert. If you have questions about filing your Homestead Exemption, its benefits, or how to best take advantage of your Texas Homestead Exemption--you should consult your CPA, tax professional or your local taxing authorities.