1. Ambassadors for Aging Well
July 10, 2017
Ron Wright, PCC
Tarrant County Tax-Assessor

2. TARRANT COUNTY TAX OFFICE 199 Employees in eight offices;
Number one in the State of Texas for the number of property tax accounts;
Third only to Harris and Dallas Counties in the number of
motor vehicle transactions;
Collect more than $3 billion each year for 70 taxing entities in the county;
Process over 2 million vehicle registrations and titles each year.

5. Frequently Asked Questions
Property Values
How are property values determined?
The Appraisal District for the county where the property is located determines the values. There are two primary principles that the appraisal district must follow:
The value is the market value of the property, i.e. the value for which the property will sell.
The value must be uniform (consistent) with the values of the other properties in the area.

6. What if I believe the appraisal district has my property valued too high?
You can file a protest within 30 days after the Appraisal District sends you a Notice of Appraised Value in April. The protest will be heard by the Appraisal Review Board during its hearings in June and July. The Appraisal Review Board will determine the property value after hearing the evidence submitted to it during the hearing. Values can be protested online.

7. Exemptions What is a Homestead Exemption?
A Homestead Exemption is a reduction in taxable value of a person’s residence. All school districts grant homestead exemptions of $25,000. Counties, cities, and other taxing entities may grant homestead exemptions; those exemptions are a percentage of the property value, with a maximum of 20% with a minimum exemption of $5,000.

8. What is a Disabled or Over-65 Homestead Exemption?
These are exemptions in addition to the Homestead Exemption. The Disabled Homestead Exemption is available to a person who is entitled to disability insurance benefits under Federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance. The Over-65 Homestead Exemption is available to persons 65 years of age or better. All school districts grant disabled or over-65 homestead exemptions of $10,000. Counties, cities, and other taxing entities may grant disabled and over-65 homestead exemptions; those exemptions are $3,000 or a larger amount if specified by the governing body of the taxing unit.

9. Can I receive all 3 types of Homestead Exemption?
A person who is both disabled and over the age of 65 can receive a Homestead Exemption and either a Disabled Homestead Exemption or an Over-65 Homestead Exemption, but not all three types.
What is a Tax Freeze?
A “Tax Freeze” is a ceiling on the amount of tax levied by a taxing unit on a property that has a Disabled Homestead Exemption or an Over-65 Homestead Exemption. The tax levy on frozen properties can increase only if the property is improved by the homeowner. The Freeze is granted by every school district and is an option for other taxing units.

10. How do I get my Homestead Exemption and Freeze?
The Appraisal District administers all exemptions. Complete and file a Homestead Exemption Application with the Appraisal District to receive the Homestead Exemption. You will have to provide a copy of your driver’s license. When you reach 65, you will automatically receive the Over-65 Homestead Exemption and Freeze. It you are disabled, you must provide documentation to receive the Disabled Homestead Exemption.

11. Tax Rates How are tax rates determined?
Each taxing entity must perform mandated calculations to determine two benchmark tax rates:
Effective Tax Rate – a tax rate that will raise the same amount of levy as last year based on accounts that were on the roll in both years.
Rollback Tax Rate – the highest rate a taxing unit may adopt without triggering a possible rollback election. It is a limiting rate.
The taxing entity then publishes the rates, holds hearings, and formally adopts the tax rate. If the adopted rate exceeds the Rollback Tax Rate, the rate is subject to voter approval or rejection.

12. Deferral of Taxes
Texans who are age 65 or older or who are disabled as defined by law may postpone paying current and delinquent property taxes on their homes by signing a tax deferral affidavit at the (TAD) Tarrant Appraisal District office.
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. Currently, taxes accumulate with 8 percent interest per year. This will change to 5% January 1, The law extends the tax deferral to the surviving spouse of the person who deferred taxes on the homestead if the surviving spouse was at least 55 years old when the deceased spouse died.
A filed tax deferral affidavit keeps homeowners from losing their homesteads because of delinquent property taxes. A pending sale to foreclose on the homestead’s tax lien will also cease as a result of filing a tax deferral affidavit. In addition, no taxing unit can start or continue a lawsuit to collect delinquent taxes once an affidavit is filed. There are no penalties on delinquent taxes during the deferral period; however, a tax deferral does not cancel penalties that were already due.
All deferred taxes and interest become due when the homeowner or surviving spouse no longer own and live in the home. If the tax debt remains unpaid at that time, penalties may be imposed and taxing units may take legal action to collect the past due amount.

16. City of Arlington 2016 Tax Roll Summary
Market Value: 28,942,557,603
Net Taxable Value: 21,057,991,633
City of Arlington 2017 Estimates
Appraised Value: 31,387,699,508
Net Taxable Value: 24,086,682,939
Estimated Net Taxable Value: 24,176,579,950

17. Arlington ISD 2016 Tax Roll Summary Arlington ISD 2017 Estimates
Market Value: 29,885,556,527
Net Taxable Value: 23,600,437,184
Arlington ISD 2017 Estimates
Appraised Value: 32,314,723,356
Net Taxable Value: 26,797,799,830
Estimated Net Taxable Value: 26,874,838,679

18. Value is known BEFORE
tax rates are adopted.

19. Property Taxes never go up automatically
Property Taxes never go up automatically. In the State of Texas, Property Taxes go up only after action has been taken by an elected body.

20. Whether it goes up, goes down, or stays the same, when adoption of a tax rate results in an increase in levy, it’s a tax increase.

21. Tell us how we are doing!
All of our offices have comment cards ready for you to complete upon your visit to a sub courthouse or the downtown location.

22. Information from Ron Wright, Tax Assessor Collector, department Directors and Chief Deputy.
History
Staff promotions/new employees
Current & relative information and updates for the public and the employees
The Tax Office Newsletter is available each month. Visit