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Homestead Exemptions
Regular Homestead Exemption
County/School Tax Exemption - Age 62
Qualified Disabled Veteran Exemption
Preferential Assessment
Conservation Use Assessment
Freeport Exemption
The Homestead Tax Relief Grant
Additional Exemption Requirements
Contact Information
HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS
Several types of Homestead Exemptions have been enacted to reduce the burden of ad valorem taxation for Georgia homeowners. The exemptions apply to homestead property owned by the taxpayer and occupied as his or her legal residence(some exemptions apply to this rule and your tax commissioner can explain them to you.)
To receive the benefit of the homestead exemption, the taxpayer must file an initial application. In Twiggs County, the application is filed with the Board of Assessors. The application can be filed during the year of the property becoming the primary residence up to and including April 1 of the following year. Once granted, the homestead exemption is automatically renewed each year unless the taxpayer seeks to qualify for a different kind of exemption.
Under authority of the State Constitution, several different types of homestead exemptions are provided. In addition, local governments are authorized to provide for increased exemption amounts and Twiggs County has done so. The Tax Commissioner's office and the Assessors' office in your county can answer questions regarding the standard exemptions as well as any local exemptions that are in place.
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REGULAR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION
a. Requirements: (1) Own your home and reside in it during the year in which you apply for the exemption. There are no age or income requirements.
b. Amount of exemption: Up to $2,000 of assessed value of the property for the State purposes and $6,000 and above of assessed value of the property for County & School purposes.
c. Time for applying: The year of the property becoming the primary residence up to and including April 1 of the following year.
d. Where to apply: Twiggs County Assessor's Office.
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COUNTY/SCHOOL ELDERLY TAX EXEMPTION - AGE 62
a. Requirements: (1) Own your home and reside in it during the year in which you apply for the exemption. (2) Owner must be at least 62 years old on January 1 of the year of application. (3) Federal adjusted income of both spouses in the residence cannot exceed $15,000 from all sources, excluding social security and pensions.
b. Amount of exemption: $25,000 of the assessed value of your homestead residence/homestead.
c. Time for applying: The year of the property becoming the primary residence up to and including April 1 of the following year.
d. Where to apply: Twiggs County Assessor's Office.
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QUALIFIED DISABLED VETERAN EXEMPTION
a. Requirements: (1) Own your home and reside in it during the year in which you apply for the exemption. (2) Be a disabled wartime veteran who was discharged under honorable conditions and who has been adjudicated by the Veterans' Administration of the United States as being totally and permanently disabled and entitled to receive service connected benefits so long as you are 100 percent disabled. You must be receiving or entitled to receive benefits for 100 percent service connected disability. There are no age or income requirements.
b. Amount of exemption: Up to $64,960 of assessed value of property for State, School and County purposes.
c. Time for applying: The year of the property becoming the primary residence up to and including April 1 of the following year.
d. Where to apply: Twiggs County Assessor's Office.
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PREFERENTIAL ASSESSMENT
a. Requirements: Tangible real property of 2,000 acres or less that is devoted to "Bona Fide Agricultural Purposes" may receive a preferential assessment. The owner has to sign a 10 year covenant dedicating the property for agricultural use for the ten years.
b. Amount of exemption: The assessed value of the dedicated property will be reduced by 25%.
c. Time for applying: The year of the property becoming the primary residence up to and including April 1 of the following year.
d. Where to apply: Twiggs County Assessor's Office.
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CONSERVATION USE ASSESSMENT
a. Requirements: Tangible real property of 2,000 acres or less that is devoted to "Bona Fide Conservation Use Property " or tangible real property of 10 acres or less that is "Bona Fide Residential Transitional Property" may receive a conservation use assessment. The owner has to sign a 10 year covenant dedicating the property for conservation use or residential use for the ten years.
b. Amount of exemption: For conservation use property, the exemption is the difference between the conservation use value determined by the State and the market value determined by the Board of Assessors. For residential transitional property, the property retains its residential value as determined by the Board of Assessors.
c. Time for applying: The year of the property becoming the primary residence up to and including April 1 of the following year.
d. Where to apply: Twiggs County Assessor's Office.
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FREEPORT EXEMPTION
a. Requirements: Inventories of goods in the process of manufacture, finished goods in the hands of the producer for 12 months, finished goods stored that are destined to be shipped out of Georgia within 12 months are eligible for this exemption.
b. Amount of exemption: 100% exemption for the value of the designated property.
c. Time for applying: The year of the property becoming the primary residence up to and including April 1 of the following year.
d. Where to apply: Twiggs County Assessor's Office.
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THE HOMESTEAD TAX RELIEF GRANT
This tax relief, authorized for the first time by the Governor and General Assembly in 1999, provides a credit in an amount appropriated by the General Assemby to be applied against the assessed value for all homeowners who are receiving one of the normal homestead exemptions. This tax relief credit is expected to increase until it reaches the equivalent of a $20,000 homestead exemption. This relief is shown on the property tax bill for state, county, county school and city school purposes as a credit against the taxes that otherwise would have been due.
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ADDITIONAL EXEMPTION REQUIREMENTS
In the year of application for exemptions with income requirements, income to be reported is from the previous year. Income reported will have to be verified with Federal Income Tax returns, Georgia Income Tax returns, Social Security statements, Pension statements, Interest statements or any other income statements you may have. All such applications require the signing of an affidavit, under oath in the presence of a notary public UNDER PENALTY OF LAW.
In the year of application for the Veteran's exemption, applicants must present a letter from the Veterans' Administration defining their condition.
With respect to all of the homestead exemptions, the Board of Assessors makes the final determination as to eligibility; however, if the application is denied the taxpayer must be notified of an appeal procedure that is available for the taxpayer.
If you have any questions concerning these exemptions, please contact the Twiggs County Tax Assessor's Office at (478) 945-3663.
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