While you are at home trying to staying warm, consider if you need to apply for the Homestead Exemption. If you bought a new home in 2024, if you added or removed a spouse for estate planning purposes, or if the owners changed for other reasons, you should apply for your Homestead Exemption. Most Georgia counties allow you to apply online at either the Tax Commissioner or Tax Assessor’s website. The application window runs now to April.
If you transferred ownership to a trust, you need to call your county tax commissioner to determine if your county requires you to file a new homestead exemption application, or if they instead require a trust affidavit that states that you still live in the residence and/or a copy of your trust document.
In addition to the Homestead Exemption, there are senior and disabled owner exemptions that may allow you to avoid a portion of your local school or fire department taxes. Check with your county to see if you qualify.
Below are links to several Metro Atlanta counties’ property tax exemption websites.
https://dekalbtax.org/file-homestead-exemption
https://fultonassessor.org/exemptions/
https://gwinnetttaxcommissioner.publicaccessnow.com/HomesteadExemptionApplication.aspx
https://www.cobbtax.org/property/exemptions.php
https://www.hallcounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/10584/How-to-electronically-file-for-Homestead-Exemption
https://www.cherokeega.com/tax-assessors-office/homestead-exemptions/
https://www.forsythco.com/Departments-Offices/Board-of-Assessors/Homestead-Exemption
https://www.rockdalecountyga.gov/homestead-exemption/