Governor and put in law bill 3613 exempting from real property taxes at varying tax rates all property disabled vet owners, bill says effective 2010, Governor back dated to2009. Appraisall districts mailed forms required to be filed 7/23/2009. Law Attached
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Yes. This has been discussed at length in several other posts. It is only in the state of Texas.
Essentially, you have to have a letter from your VARO stating that you are 100% P&T. I used the letter from the Waco VARO that I used for my commisary & exchange privileges.
Take the letter from the VARO to your local property tax appraisal district offices and they will take care of it for you.
It is effective as of the first of the year - 2009

If you do not have the required "letter", then call the #800 (800-827-1000 I believe it is) and they will send you out your letter. Tell them it is for the Texas tax break on property taxes.....they'll know what you need.

Thanks LarryJ. As a fellow Texan, I filled out the form and sent it in with my VA info letter, I am pleased to report that I just checked my county appraisal district's web site and pulled up my account #, the new exemption has been posted. I think I will withdraw my real estate valuation tax protest I filed in March.... I never thought I would see the day.

[quote name='LarryJ' date='Jul 24 2009, 11:50 AM' post='156496']
Yes. This has been discussed at length in several other posts. It is only in the state of Texas.
Essentially, you have to have a letter from your VARO stating that you are 100% P&T. I used the letter from the Waco VARO that I used for my commisary & exchange privileges.

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Here too in Minnesota == the same -but the varo letter arrived before I could request it. Except I still have to pay the $66.00 county recyling FEE-- But it still saves me over $12.00 dollars===ILL TAKE IT---STEVE & PAT

CORRECTION+++++++++++++++++++

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I MEAN $1200.00 SAVED
STEVE & PAT

Congratulations Steve&Pat, and to the disabled vets in Minnesota. That's a hundred a month. Outstanding.

As a recent Veteran who had my property taxes waived in Texas I cannot express what a great feeling I got and an appreciation for the folks in Texas who gave it to me.

I even appreciate the politicians and our Governor more than I did before.

I went to a mortgage burning party tonight and thought even with the mortgage paid off the poor guy is still paying 700 a month in property taxes.

He said when he lit the match that his property taxes cost more than his original mortgage with principal and interest and the property taxes and insurance.

good info, being a new resident of texas (inbetween california and texas now just waiting on my claims to be finished) this is something i need to be looking into

If you own a home in Texas you can also get some good exemptions with what you have. There is a form that you can use that grants the same exemptions that Seniors get and all you need is a Doc to fill it out. You get the form at the County Appraisal District or you can download it from the State Property Tax Board for Texas.
Until I got my taxes waived last month this saved me about half of what I would have to pay and don't forget to apply for regular homeowners exemption and show your 80% that is some more off the tax bill.

Welcome to Texas

TEXAS VETS: a reminder to vet homeowners rated 100% or IU, to fill out Texas state form 11.131, "Application for Residential Homestead Exemption for Disabled Veteran with 100 percent Disability." Attach a VA benefits letter, and your real estate taxes are 100% exempt, retro to January 2009. State offices of veterans' affairs are available at http://www.va.gov/stateva.htm. You can ask for the VA benefits letter for real estate tax purposes from the VA by calling 1-800-827-1000.

Well stated and a good reminder

Thanks

Time to move to Texas. I love Virginia, but the only thing you can get here with 100% is a lifetime fishing license. How freaking sad is that. Oh and some relief on personal property now depending on the locality, which is essentially a break on the car tax.

In Texas, the veterans had to work hard to get and then to keep the state benefits. Texas DV, Purple heart, POW and other specialty veteran auto tags cost around $3.00 a year. City parking for disabled vets is free in most city owned parking meters and lots, I especially appreciate the free Airport parking at many city owned airport parking lots. I don't know if this is state wide. Over the years, every so often, the law makers try to take away some of the gains. Texas vets have had to stay vigilant and patient to retain some of the state benefits.. TX disabled vets recent real estate tax relief came in the form of a state constitutional amendment. Florida has a very good disabled veterans tax code, also... Other vets from less appreciative states, should approach your local state law makers, with copies of FLA. & Texas disabled vets real estate laws. Move them to pass similar laws in you states. Now, during a time of war, is the window open for such successes. When the fighting is over, we will be put on the back burner, once again.

Texas has always been a Vet friendly State. When the Amendment came up 91% of the Texans voted yes. Carlie posts a link of all the States and I think I saw today that SC offers no property taxes for Homestead Veterans.

Good Luck there is a lot to be said for the friends and relationships that you have where you are.

Yes Pete53, Texas is a vet friendly state. My comments regarding veterans vigilance comes from many years of dealing with local and state government. I am remembering in the 1990's when the State took away the parking privileges for DV vets. We, the veterans and other friends had to pressure the law makers in Austin to reestablish the DV parking laws. I could go on and on about dealing with a mostly civilian gov. body. I was active in the 1970's 80's and half of the 90's. Maybe things have really changed since I faded away. So many changes have happened in the last ten years. Changes that were only a dream for many of us old soldiers. I am grateful for the changes, though many were decades in the making. Like this new real estate law. Even with an overwhelming vote of yes on the ballot, some in Austin were trying to stall the bill because of the wording of the amendment..

I have 2 friends who got registered letters from their Texas appraisal district last week to notify them that because they were not 100% all year, they are not eligible for the new 100% Texas property tax exemption on 2009 taxes. One made it to 100% in January 2009 and the other in August. Both are scrambling to find the money to pay now, before they get hit with penalties. Is that the way the partial exemptions work? You have to be at a percentage for all year to get the exemption for that percentage?

That's BS.
Get your letter from the VA stating that you are 100%, and the date.
The Texas legislature made it retroactive TO JAN 1st, 2009.
I know, I had the same problem. Finally told the gal at the appraisal office that I wasn't leaving until I got to speak with her boss.
Instead of calling her boss, she got on the 'phone to the security/sheriff dude and he showed up gettin ready to throw me out.............until I showed him my paperwork........................nice to have a Marine as sheriff dude.

Semper Fi!

Larry is correct all you had to be was 100% on the date the Law made it affective last summer. I know that the January guy is home free. If I were to give advice it would be to get someone to help your Veteran.

The January 1 thing is the so called assessment date bt there are plenty of exceptions.

Some little cretin at the tax office is mad and trying to screw these Veterans

I'll call the local county VSO and if they can't help straighten it out then I'll try the Comptroller Office in Austin. I read the bill and the Tax Code and can't find anything that says you have to be 100% ALL YEAR. You do have to own the house Jan 1 2009 and both those guys did.

You do not have to be 100 percent to get some property tax relief. Sure yopu have to be 100 percent to get the entire amount waived, but I do know here in Bexar County, you can get a very nice deduction based upon the percentage of your disablity. Anything helps. Commander Bob is correct, now is the time for Veterans in other states to push for similiar help.

Papa

For 100% veterans Florida has full tax exemption which is nice. A 200k house here will run you 6 - 7k in taxes every year. It's no wonder real estate don't sell like it should here. Yes, it's cheaper real estate, but it's offset from the estate taxation.

The Comptollers Office referred me to: "Texas Tax Code Sec. 11.42. EXEMPTION QUALIFICATION DATE. (a) Except as provided by Subsections ( and © and by Sections 11.421, 11.422, 11.434, 11.435, and 11.436, eligibility for and amount of an exemption authorized by this chapter for any tax year are determined by a claimant's qualifications on January 1. A person who does not qualify for an exemption on January 1 of any year may not receive the exemption that year."

Looks like they are stuck with paying 2009 taxes.

OK JT let me explain it another way.

If the Veteran owned the home on January 1st of 2009 than they are entitled to the Tax Break. I got one and so did Larry. If they did not own it than there is or was one last chance up to January 31st to appeal and get it.

So if the Veteran paid the taxes they still might have a tiny crack at asking for a refund of their taxes based on the fact that they qualifed for the break in the first place.

I got my taxes waived for 2009.

I told both guys to pay up to avoid any penalties but to appeal with the appraisal district asap. Thanks for the input.