Property owners, take heed. If you recently bought your home or have never applied for a homestead exemption, the deadline to do so is fast approaching. The April 1st deadline applies to all 159 counties and corresponding cities in Georgia.
According to Habersham County Tax Assessors Office Deputy Chief Appraiser Amy Garmon, the applicant must own the property and occupy the home as their primary residence to qualify for a homestead exemption. The applicant can not have a homestead-exempted property at any other location. Also, the applicant’s driver’s license address must match the property address of the homestead property they are applying for.
In addition to the statewide homestead exemption. Habersham County offers a valuation freeze for homestead properties that must be applied for separately. The freeze exemption applies to those properties that qualify for a homestead exemption up to five acres.
65 and older exemptions
Habersham County also offers two homestead exemptions for those 65 and older.
The first is age-based: You must turn 65 on or before January 1 for the year you are applying for the exemption. This is not income-based and, according to Garmon, can save the property owner around $300.
The second exemption for property owners 65 and older is income-based. The property owner must turn 65 on or before January 1 for the year they are applying for the exemption and have an income of less than $12,000 per year, excluding social security and self-contributed retirement income.
Applicants must bring their prior year’s income tax returns when applying for this exemption. Those who no longer file income tax returns must sign and file an income affidavit.
According to Garmon, this exemption generally cuts the property tax bill in half because it pays all the school taxes on the home and all the land. However, it does not pay school taxes on storage buildings, sheds, etc.
To apply for a homestead exemption in Habersham County, you can go to the Habersham County Tax Assessor’s Office in the Administration Building at 130 Jacob’s Way in Clarkesville. You can access the homestead exemption form at habershamga.com.
For those property owners not in Habersham County, check with your local county Tax Assessor’s Office for more details on applying for homestead exemption.
Cities
Cities also offer similar homestead exemptions for those property owners inside city limits that are separate and apart from county exemptions. Exemption amounts vary from city to city.
In order to receive the city’s homestead exemption, property owners must apply at their local city hall. The city’s application deadline is also April 1.
