State property tax guides

Texas runs the most homeowner-friendly appeal process in the country — protests are easy to file, informal review is offered to almost every protester, and the appraisal review board (ARB) is required to weigh equity in addition to market value. Most cases settle in informal review within 4 weeks.

The trick in Texas is the 10% homestead cap. Even if your market value rises 25%, your taxable value can only rise 10% per year on a homesteaded property. This means an appeal that lowers market value below your capped value saves you nothing this year — but it lowers next year's starting line.

We see strong reductions on Travis, Williamson, Hays, Bexar, Tarrant, Dallas, Collin, and Harris county properties. Equity arguments are particularly powerful in master-planned communities where neighboring homes are often valued inconsistently.

Available exemptions: Homestead, Over-65, Disabled, Veteran 10–100% disability, Surviving Spouse, Agricultural.

California's Prop 13 caps annual assessment increases at 2% on properties you've owned for years, so most California homeowners don't need a market-value appeal. The exception is when market value drops below your factored base-year value — then a Prop 8 decline-in-value appeal can deliver a temporary reduction.

The Prop 8 deadline is mid-September in most counties. The county assessor will usually grant decline-in-value reductions informally if you submit recent comparable sales by the deadline. If they decline, you can file a formal Assessment Appeals Board petition.

Disabled veterans receive substantial additional exemptions ($150,000+ off assessed value, more for low income). We surface these automatically when you create your account.

Available exemptions: Prop 13 base year, Disabled Veterans, Senior, Welfare, Church.

Florida's Save Our Homes (SOH) cap is the homeowner's secret weapon — it locks annual assessment increases on a homesteaded primary residence to 3% (or CPI, whichever is lower). Even with the cap, you can appeal market value, since the lower of capped or market value is what the millage applies to.

Portability lets you carry up to $500,000 of accumulated SOH benefit to your next Florida homestead within three tax years. Filing the portability paperwork after a move is the most-skipped step we see.

Appeals are filed via the Value Adjustment Board (VAB). Wise Property Tax prepares the petition, the evidence packet, and represents you at the special-magistrate hearing if you upgrade to Pro.

Available exemptions: Homestead, Save Our Homes 3% cap, Senior, Disability, Veteran, Widow/Widower.

New York's appeal calendar is municipality-specific. Most towns hold Grievance Day on the fourth Tuesday in May; New York City uses a different process via the Tax Commission with deadlines in early March (Class 1) and March 24 (Class 2-4).

STAR (School Tax Relief) is automatic for most homeowners but requires a separate registration; Enhanced STAR for seniors needs an annual renewal.

If your municipal grievance fails, you can file a Small Claims Assessment Review (SCAR) petition for residential property — a fast, low-cost path that resolves most cases.

Available exemptions: STAR (Basic & Enhanced), Veterans (Alt./Cold War/Eligible Funds), Senior, Disability, Clergy.

Cook County is the country's most over-assessed major market and our highest-savings region. The triennial reassessment cycle creates predictable opportunities; we file thousands of appeals during each township's window.

The Senior Freeze (Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption) freezes the equalized assessed value for qualifying seniors with household income under the cap. We auto-check eligibility.

Returning veterans get a one-year $5,000 EAV reduction; disabled veterans get tiered reductions up to a full exemption.

Available exemptions: Homestead, Senior, Senior Freeze, Returning Vet, Disabled Vet, Long-time Occupant.

Ohio's Board of Revision (BOR) is county-administered. The deadline is firm at March 31 each year. Wise Property Tax tracks every Ohio county's preferred evidence format.

Disabled veterans rated 100% by the VA receive a full property tax exemption on their homestead.

The 2.5% owner-occupancy credit is automatic in most counties but should be verified annually.

Available exemptions: Homestead, Senior, Disabled, Disabled Vet (full exemption), Owner Occupancy 2.5%.

Pennsylvania's appeal calendar is county-by-county. Allegheny County (Pittsburgh) deadlines are earlier than the rest of the state at April 1.

Pennsylvania uses a Common Level Ratio (CLR) to convert assessed value to market value. Appeals must argue against the CLR-adjusted value, not the raw assessment.

Disabled veterans rated 100% receive a full real estate tax exemption (income limits apply).

Available exemptions: Homestead/Farmstead, Disabled Veteran, Senior (income-based).

Georgia tax notices are mailed in spring. You have 45 days to file an appeal. The Board of Equalization (BOE) hears most cases.

Georgia counties use a 40% assessment ratio — your taxable value is 40% of fair market value. Always argue fair market value, not the 40% number.

Senior homestead exemptions vary widely between counties (Cobb, Gwinnett, and Fulton are particularly generous). Wise Property Tax lists the local options in your dashboard.

Available exemptions: Standard Homestead, S1 Senior, S3 Senior, Disabled Vet, Floating Inflation-Proof.

North Carolina reassesses every 4 to 8 years (county-dependent). Reassessment years are when most appeals are filed.

The Disabled Veteran homestead exclusion exempts the first $45,000 of assessed value for 100%-rated veterans.

Circuit Breaker tax deferral is available for low-income elderly and disabled homeowners — capping property tax at a percentage of income.

Available exemptions: Elderly/Disabled Homestead, Disabled Veteran, Circuit Breaker.

Arizona's Senior Valuation Protection (the Senior Freeze) freezes the limited property value of qualifying seniors. Renewable every 3 years.

Maricopa County (Phoenix) and Pima County (Tucson) are our largest Arizona markets. Both counties have rigorous appeal processes that strongly favor well-prepared filings.

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Available exemptions: Senior Property Valuation Protection (Sr Freeze), Disabled, Widow/Widower, Disabled Vet.

Colorado reassesses biennially in odd years. The notice goes out May 1 and the appeal deadline is June 1 — a tight 30-day window.

The senior and disabled-vet exemptions are generous — half of the first $200,000 of actual value is exempt — but they require an application that many seniors miss.

Denver, Boulder, El Paso, Jefferson, and Arapahoe counties are our largest Colorado markets.

Available exemptions: Senior (50% of first $200K), Disabled Vet (50% of first $200K).

Washington has no state income tax, so property tax assessments are politically charged and reassessed annually. King, Pierce, Snohomish, Spokane are our top markets.

Senior/Disabled exemptions are income-tested: under ~$58K income gets significant relief, under ~$45K gets more. Wise Property Tax's dashboard runs the calculator.

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Available exemptions: Senior/Disabled Tax Exemption (income-based), Veteran Disability (income-based).

Massachusetts assessments are based on Jan 1 valuations of the prior year. Appeals must be filed by Feb 1 with the local Board of Assessors.

Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, and a few other cities offer a Residential Exemption that reduces taxable value for owner-occupied homes — apply via the city assessor.

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Available exemptions: Residential Exemption (some cities), Senior, Disabled Vet, Surviving Spouse.

New Jersey runs the highest-dollar property tax bills in the country — meaning even small percentage reductions translate to large savings.

100% disabled veterans (and surviving spouses) get a full property tax exemption. The $250 standard veteran deduction is widely under-claimed.

Appeals are filed with the County Board of Taxation; high-value properties can also file directly with the Tax Court.

Available exemptions: Senior Freeze (PTR), Veteran $250 deduction, 100% Disabled Vet (full exemption), Surviving Spouse.

Virginia property tax is administered locally. Each county and independent city sets its own appeal deadline — Wise Property Tax tracks all of them.

100%-disabled veterans receive a full real estate tax exemption on their primary residence; surviving spouses of service members killed in action qualify too.

Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, Arlington, Henrico, and Virginia Beach are our largest Virginia markets.

Available exemptions: Real Estate Tax Relief for Elderly/Disabled, Disabled Vet (full exemption), Surviving Spouse of KIA.