TCAD will soon be verifying property owners’ homestead exemptions

If you’re a property owner in Travis County who claims a homestead exemption on your property to reduce your tax bill, keep an eye on your mailbox for a notice requesting that you verify your eligibility to receive those benefits. State law requires such an eligibility check twice per decade, so the Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD) is contacting folks who began claiming exemptions between 1970 and 2009 – starting with a phased approach over the next five years. To verify eligibility, property owners will fill out a verification form and provide a copy of their Texas driver’s license or ID with an address that matches their property. “Verifying your eligibility is easy and can be completed online in just a few minutes,” said Chief Appraiser Leana Mann. “Our goal is to make this process as easy as possible and avoid any disruption in a property owner’s benefits. If a verification letter gets lost in the mail or a property owner misses a deadline, contact our office and we’ll be happy to help.” Deadlines will vary, depending on the exemptions on the property. If you think your exemptions have been removed in error, contact the TCAD homestead exemption helpline at 512-873-1560. Find more information on the verification process at traviscad.org/verify.