Georgia House Bill 92 modifying homestead exemptions and appeal processes

Good news for Kimbrough Law clients (and any older adults) hoping to take advantage of Georgia's homestead exemptions. A few weeks ago, Georgia Governor Kemp signed House Bill 92, which makes several changes to the homestead exemptions and appeal processes.

One of the most important changes has to do with the amount of time homeowners have to claim their exemption. Taxpayers can now apply for the homestead exemption beyond the historic deadline of April 1st; they may apply up to the end of their 45-day window to appeal their notice of assessment.

Historically, there has been a strict deadline of April 1, which means that by the time a homeowner receives their assessment and realizes that the exemption has not been given to them, it is too late for them to do anything about it for the current year. So this is a significant change.

If you haven't heard of Georgia's Homestead Exemption, it is a legal provision that reduces the amount of property taxes a homeowner must pay on their primary residence. Georgia offers several types of homestead exemptions, including:

• Basic Homestead Exemption: Provides a $2,000 reduction in assessed value for eligible homeowners.

• Senior Citizens Exemption: Available for homeowners aged 65 and older, potentially offering additional reductions based on income.

• Disabled Veterans Exemption: Provides significant property tax reductions for veterans with a 100% service-connected disability.

• School Tax Exemption: Some counties offer exemptions for homeowners over 62, reducing or eliminating school taxes.

• Local Homestead Exemptions: Counties and municipalities may offer their own exemptions with varying eligibility requirements.

• Valuation Freeze Exemptions: Some counties may freeze the property's valuation for qualifying homeowners. 

Get more detail about the changes here and here.