A Tax Deferral Postpones the Bill — It Doesn't Erase It

A deferral is not an exemption in disguise. For a Lubbock homeowner who is 65 or older or disabled, it can postpone collection of property taxes on the residence homestead while the owner still owns and lives in the home. The bill is delayed, not erased.

Lubbock CAD gives the hard clock: past taxes, penalty, and interest become due 181 days after the property no longer qualifies as the residence homestead. The state Form 50-126 ties the affidavit to Tax Code Section 33.06 and keeps the tax lien on the property, with 5 percent annual interest during the deferral period.

That can be real breathing room on a fixed income, but it leaves a ledger behind. For a 2026 filing, the affidavit goes to Lubbock CAD, not the Comptroller. The choice should be clear to anyone who may handle the house later.