Texas Seniors Can Freeze School Property Taxes for Life; Moving Transfers Tax Ceiling as Percentage
In Texas, homeowners who turn 65 can freeze the school district portion of their property taxes at a fixed amount for life. However, if they move to a new home, this tax ceiling is transferred not as a set dollar value but rather as a percentage based on what it represented in relation to the previous home's full-rate school taxes. For example, if an individual had a $1,000 frozen ceiling out of a potential $4,000 bill (25%), and moves into a new property with a $6,000 estimated tax rate, their new ceiling becomes 25% of that amount—$1,500. This can lead to unexpected increases in the actual savings for retirees who downsize or move. To maintain this benefit after moving, seniors must manually request and file specific paperwork with both appraisal districts involved—the old one where they originally qualified and the new district at their current residence. Failure to complete these steps results in losing the tax freeze entirely.
Topics: homestead exemption property tax retirement benefits Texas law