The senior / disabled tax ceiling (also known as a tax freeze) ensures that a senior or disabled person will not have a city tax bill any higher than what was paid in city taxes in the year the homeowner turns 65 or becomes disabled, even if there are increases to their property value or the tax rate.
The amount a senior or disabled homeowner pays in city taxes can decrease if changes to the appraised value and tax rate equal an amount lower than their frozen amount. However, if in subsequent years the value increases and/or the tax rate increases, the homeowner can pay more in property taxes but not more than the amount previously frozen. The cap does not reset.
If improvements are made to the home (such as an addition, not general maintenance type improvements), then the tax bill can go up by the amount of taxes related to the improvement. This amount added to the previously frozen amount would then become the new ceiling on the amount of taxes a homeowner would pay.
If a homeowner benefits from the freeze, sells their home and buys a new home of higher value, the freeze will apply to the new home at the same proportion as the freeze applied to the home they sold.
The tax freeze may be passed on to a surviving spouse if the surviving spouse is 55 years of age or older at the time of the eligible homeowner’s death and continues to reside in the residence.
A senior / disabled tax ceiling is in place for 1 out of 4 homeowners in North Richland Hills. This number continues to grow each year. To verify that you have the senior / disabled tax ceiling in place, contact the Tarrant Appraisal District at 817-284-0024.