Homestead Exemption Cuts Your School Tax Bill

If you own and live in your home as your main residence, you can file for the general residence homestead exemption. State law requires school districts to knock $140,000 off your home's appraised value before calculating school taxes. On a $220,000 home, that means school taxes are based on only $80,000. Other local taxing units may offer their own optional exemptions on top of that.

You file Form 50-114 with the Chambers County Appraisal District (Chambers CAD) at 1222 S. Ross Sterling Ave., Anahuac. The CAD also handles over-65, disabled person, and ag-use valuation applications. Check the CAD website or call before the yearly deadline. Those deadlines are set by state law and can shift.

Once approved, the exemption renews automatically as long as you still own and live in the home. If you move to a new home in Texas, you must file again. The Texas Comptroller site has the current Form 50-114 and explains every exemption type.