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Information On School Taxes For Citizens Age 65 and Above
07/03/2003
NEWS
Clear Creek Independent School District
2425 East Main Street
League City, Texas 77573
(281) 338-5803
Contact: Elaine Stoermer
Director of Public Information
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PR-1326
Information On School Taxes For Citizens Age 65 and Above
Senior citizens are often unaware of a valuable school tax savings available through an over-65 homestead exemption. Citizens living in the Clear Creek Independent School District who are 65 years of age or older are eligible for an over-65 homestead exemption. Once homeowners receive an over-65 homestead exemption there is a tax ceiling on school taxes. The school taxes on the home cannot increase as long as the taxpayer who received the exemption owns and lives in that home. The tax ceiling is the dollar amount paid in the year that the homeowner qualifies for the over-65 homeowner exemption. The school taxes on the home may go below the ceiling, but the school taxes will not be more than the amount of the ceiling.
However, the tax ceiling can go up if improvements are made on the home (other than normal repairs or maintenance). For example, if a garage or a game room is added to the home, the tax ceiling could go up. Also the tax ceiling will change if the homeowner moves to a new home.
When a homeowner who has been receiving the tax ceiling on school taxes dies, the ceiling transfers to the surviving spouse if the survivor is 55 or older and has ownership in the home. The survivor should apply to the appraisal district for the tax ceiling to transfer. The ceiling remains in effect for as long as the spouse lives in the home. (Source: Taxpayers’ Rights, Remedies & Responsibilities, January 2002, page 2)
Regardless of whether the citizen lives in Harris or Galveston County, application for the exemption must be made through the Galveston Central Appraisal District to receive the Clear Creek Independent School District over-65 exemption. It is not automatic.
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07/03/03
jhorton
