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.
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.
Georgia exempts a property owner from paying property tax on: Items of personal property used in the home if not held for sale, rental, or other commercial use. All tools and implements of trade of manual laborers in an amount not to exceed $2,500 in actual value.
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.
The standard homestead exemption in Georgia is $2,000. This $2,000 is deducted from the 40% assessed value of the homestead.
Homestead tax exemptions usually offer a fixed discount on taxes, such as exempting the first $50,000 of the assessed value with the remainder taxed at the normal rate. With a $50,000 homestead exemption, a home valued at $150,000 would be taxed on only $100,000 of assessed value.
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.
DECATUR, Ga. Johnson reminds homeowners to check their homestead exemption status before the April 1 application deadline. To avoid delays, homeowners can check online at DeKalbTax or call 404-298-4000 for assistance.
The standard homestead exemption in Georgia is $2,000. This $2,000 is deducted from the 40% assessed value of the homestead.