Florida Realtors Remind Residents to File for Homestead Exemption
Did you buy a home in Florida during 2004?
Then you'll want to apply for a $25,000 homestead exemption before March 1, 2005.
The Florida Association of Realtors(R) (FAR), which represents more than 120,000 Realtors statewide, says that any Florida property owner with legal title to a home and who uses it as his or her permanent, primary residence by Jan. 1 is eligible for the exemption.
The homestead exemption is generally a $25,000 deduction from a home's assessed value (as determined by the county property appraiser). Take the home's assessed value, subtract $25,000, and apply the local millage rate to calculate the property taxes due.
Homeowners making their first claim at this time must go to their respective county property appraiser's office, bringing along the deed to their property or a property tax bill -- something to show they own the home. Also, buyers claiming the exemption for the first time need to provide their Social Security number, and if they're married, the Social Security number of their spouse. According to officials, those applying should also bring their driver's license and a Florida registration tag number. If the property owner lives in a mobile home, then he or she should bring the deed, Social Security number and a title or vehicle registration for the home.
Once a homeowner has applied for and received a homestead exemption, it will be automatically renewed for that property each year on Jan. 1. Renewal notices are mailed out identifying the property, and if the owners still live in the home and qualify for the homestead exemption, then it's taken care of automatically.
Property appraisers' offices will accept applications for homestead exemption until the March 1 deadline. Some offices offer residents the ability to file for their homestead exemption online; call your local county property appraiser's office for more information.
The Homestead Exemption will be automatically renewed annually until he property is sold or until the property is no longer the primary residence. If you purchase a residence after January 1st, you typically inherit the previous owner's homestead exemption if they were entitled to it. You will be required to file a new application for homestead exemption in the subsequent year. Your homestead exemption does not transfer from your previous property to your new property. Failure to apply by March 1 of the tax year constitutes a waiver of the exemption privilege for that year. The Property Appraiser has the option of accepting applications after March 1, but they will be held for use the following year.
Property Owner's Responsibility: Florida Law prescribes that it is the duty of the owner of any property to notify the Property Appraiser promptly, whenever the use of the property or the status or condition of the owner changes, so as to change the exempt status of the property.
If any owner fails to so notify the Property Appraiser and the Property Appraiser determines that for any year within the prior ten years the owner was not entitled to receive such exemption, the property shall be subject to the taxes exempted as a result of such failure, plus 15 percent interest per annum, and a penalty of 50 percent of the taxes exempted. Reference Sec.196.131 and 196.161, F.S.
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Other Exemptions:
The Homestead Exemption will be automatically renewed annually until the property is sold or until the property is no longer the primary residence. If you purchase a residence after January 1st, you typically inherit the previous owner's homestead exemption if they were entitled to it. You will be required to file a new application for homestead exemption in the subsequent year. Your homestead exemption does not transfer from your previous property to your new property. Failure to apply by March 1 of the tax year constitutes a waiver of the exemption privilege for that year. The Property Appraiser has the option of accepting applications after March 1, but they will be held for use the following year.
Where to file:You may apply for your Exemption(s) by mail, the form may be downloadedhere. Where to file in person:Sites
Property Owner's Responsibility: Florida Law prescribes that it is the duty of the owner of any property to notify the Property Appraiser promptly, whenever the use of the property or the status or condition of the owner changes, so as to change the exempt status of the property.
If any owner fails to so notify the Property Appraiser and the Property Appraiser determines that for any year within the prior ten years the owner was not entitled to receive such exemption, the property shall be subject to the taxes exempted as a result of such failure, plus 15 percent interest per annum, and a penalty of 50 percent of the taxes exempted. Reference Sec.196.131 and 196.161, F.S.
Social Security Number Now Required For Homestead Exemption Application:
For the 2000 tax year and subsequent tax rolls a Social Security Number will be required to file, and to maintain your current Homestead Exemption.
The Florida Legislature has changed Florida Statutes to now require Property Appraisers statewide to obtain and maintain social security numbers for all residing property owners who receive a homestead exemption.
This law (reference Chapter 196.011, Florida Statutes), provides that social security numbers are required for all homestead exemptions for the year 2000 assessment roll and thereafter and must be submitted to the Department of Revenue as part of the tax roll approval process.
Important: your social security number will be kept confidential by the property appraiser's office.
Social security numbers are confidential and exempt from state public records laws. Unauthorized disclosure of this information is subject to civil and criminal penalties. Copies of any documents containing the numbers which are provided for public inspection must exclude the social security numbers.
The purpose of this law is to provide a means to ensure that the homestead exemption is fairly and equitably applied to all Florida citizens. The large number of vacation homes and visitors in Florida makes it difficult to determine whether an application meets statutory requirements. The use of the social security number will help ensure that only those citizens entitled to the exemption will receive it.
REAL ESTATE TAXES check the links below or scroll down
Real Estate Taxes are collected on an annual basis by the Tax Collector's Office. The tax year runs from January through December.
Tax notices are mailed on or before November 1 of each year with the following discounts for
4% if paid in November
3% if paid in December
2% if paid in January
1% if paid in February
Gross tax if paid in March, no discount applies
Real Estate Taxes become delinquent on April 1 of the following year in which they were assessed. As of April 1, a three percent (3%) penalty is added to the gross tax amount due. Discounts do not apply to delinquent payments.
PURSUANT TO FLORIDA STATUTE 197.122, ALL PROPERTY OWNERS ARE HELD TO KNOW THAT TAXES ARE DUE AND PAYABLE ANNUALLY. THEY ARE CHARGED WITH THE DUTY OF ASCERTAINING THE AMOUNT OF CURRENT AND DELINQUENT TAXES DUE.
If a taxpayer does not receive a tax notice in November, it is the taxpayer's responsibility to contact the tax collector's office to request a duplicate bill.
Homestead Exemption:
Fla.: Homestead Exemption Increase Off Ballot
(August 25, 2004) -- A proposed amendment that could have doubled Florida's homestead exemption from $25,000 to $50,000 has been disallowed by the state's Supreme Court. The high court ruled that the language of the proposed amendment was misleading and that it should be stricken from the ballot.
Groups opposing the amendment included the Florida Association of REALTORS, the Florida Home Builders Association, the Florida Apartment Association, and the Florida Chamber of Commerce.
Helping to lead the charge against the proposed increase was Anthony Cutaia, chairman for Boca Raton-based Floridians for Responsible Tax Reform. If implemented, Cutaia says, the proposal would have removed $2 billion from the state government's budgets, forcing municipalities to cut back on services and/or raise millage rates.
He says the issue is now put to rest for at least two years, as preparing another ballot initiative would require new signatures and approval of new proposal language before it could be added to the 2006 ballot.
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