What Is Property Tax Help?
Property tax help is any form of assistance you get to pay off your property tax bills. It can come from a variety of sources, whether it be your taxing authority itself or a third party. Tax relief is almost always something you have to seek out and apply for — it is not granted to you automatically, and no reputable source will provide aid if you haven’t gone through the proper channels to receive it.
Who Needs Property Tax Help and Why?
The most straightforward answer is that anyone can need property tax help. Even if you’ve never had an issue before, the unfortunate reality is that life can always take unexpected turns that may impact your ability to pay your taxes. As such, anyone could be facing property tax delinquency or might already be delinquent if they missed the filing date. And, to keep the pressure of debt from further overwhelming you, it’s important to settle your delinquent property taxes as soon as possible.
When Do You Know You Need Property Tax Help?
The point at which you determine you need property tax help will differ for each individual’s situation. However, there are a few guidelines you can use to see if you’re on track to pay your tax bills.
- First, examine your finances, including all recent or expected gains and losses. In doing this, some people like to see whether they’ll get a federal income tax refund or not to help cover costs, but that comes with its own set of caveats.
- Next, figure out how much you’ll owe. Property taxes are calculated by your county assessor’s office, and their tax assessment is determined by the value of your residential or commercial property. You could receive your tax bill starting October 1st of the current year, but it may not arrive until January of the following year. However, the property tax rate usually doesn’t change much between years, so if your situation hasn’t changed drastically, you could look at your bill from the previous year for an estimate.
- Finally, see if you can get enough money together from all possible sources to pay your bill by the due date, which is always January 31st in Texas.
If you go through these steps and realize you’ll be coming up short, then it’s an excellent time to seek out property tax help.
What Options Do You Have For Property Tax Help?
If there’s no question that you can’t make your payment — or if you’ve already missed it — it is not time to start asking how long you can go without paying property taxes in Texas. Rather, there are several forms of property tax help you can seek out.
- Payment Plan: Depending on your circumstances, the Texas Tax Code may allow you to get on a quarterly payment schedule.
- Tax Exemption: There are different types of property tax exemptions in Texas that you could take advantage of, dependent on factors like age, disability, organizational status, homestead and veteran service.
- Tax Relief through the Taxing Authority: Meeting with officials in the county assessor’s office to discuss your financial hardship can lead to the establishment of a payment plan, but this may come with some strings attached.
- Appeal: If you feel that your tax bill was excessively high or otherwise incorrect, you can file an appeal. However, it is difficult to appeal your property tax delinquency successfully and often requires legal counsel.
- Property Tax Loan: For both residential and commercial properties, property tax loans can cover all of your expenses at once.
While none of these options for property tax assistanceare guaranteed fixes, a loan is the surest way to get fast, effective relief.
What Does Property Tax Help Fund If You’re Approved for a Loan?
Property tax help through a loan can take care of all your delinquent property taxes if that’s what you and the loan officer decide. Additionally, you can decide on a payment plan that suits your budget.
Where Can You Get Property Tax Help in Texas?
That’s easy — TAX EASE.
Get All The Property Tax Help You Need with Tax Ease
Here at Tax Ease, we have the experience necessary to provide you with the most effective and affordable property tax help in Texas. When you fill out an application, you’re starting a simple process that will give you an incredible amount of relief. We want to help you — reach out today!