Georgia homestead laws allow creditors to exempt up to $10,000 worth of their home under certain conditions. For example, if your house is worth $100,000 and you owe $90,000 on your mortgage, you have $10,000 of equity in your home, and that equity cannot be taken by creditors.
A homestead exemption is a legal provision that helps to reduce the amount of property taxes on owner-occupied homes. The home must be your primary residence. Applications can be filed year round, but must be submitted on or before April 1st in order to apply for the current tax year.
The standard homestead exemption in Georgia is $2,000. This $2,000 is deducted from the 40% assessed value of the homestead.
Gather What You'll Need Homeowner's name. Property address. Property's parcel ID. Proof of residency, such as a copy of valid Georgia driver's license and a copy of vehicle registration. Recorded deed for new owners, if county records have not been updated. Trust document and affidavit, if the property is in a trust.
Exemption Requirements You must provide legal evidence of residency and United States citizenship, such as a Georgia driver's license or Georgia ID card. Exemptions are not automatic and each exemption must be applied for individually.
You must be 65 years old or older. You must be living in the home to which the exemption applies on January 1 of the year for which the exemption applies. Your net income, or the combined net income of you and your spouse must not be greater than $10,000 for the preceding year.
Gather What You'll Need Homeowner's name. Property address. Property's parcel ID. Proof of residency, such as a copy of valid Georgia driver's license and a copy of vehicle registration. Recorded deed for new owners, if county records have not been updated. Trust document and affidavit, if the property is in a trust.
When applying, you must provide proof of Georgia residency. This is an exemption from all taxes in the school general and school bond tax categories. In order to qualify, you must be 62 years of age on or before January 1 of the current tax year.
The homestead application is normally filed at the same time the initial tax return for the homestead property is filed. Once granted, the homestead exemption is automatically renewed each year. Under the authority of the State Constitution, several different types of homestead exemptions are provided.