ABC-7 Listens: Vets’ Homestead Exemption Extended To Widows

El Paso County property taxes are due at the end of January, prompting a question about a new law that provides some new property tax exemptions. An ABC-7 viewer named Ofelia wondered about a new property tax exemption for the surviving spouses of certain veterans. Ofelia wanted to know when a new law goes into effect exempting the widows of veterans from property taxes in Texas The new Texas law Ofelia refers to took effect Jan. 1, but it doesn’t apply to every widow of every veteran. The exemption is actually an extension of a 2009 law that granted a full homestead property tax exemption to veterans who have a 100 percent service related disability. When those veterans die, their surviving spouses are now entitled to continue receiving the exemption, which only applies to primary residence. It does not apply to any investment or vacation property you might own. The exemption continues as long as a surviving spouse does not remarry, for as long as he or she continues to live in the qualifying veteran’s former homestead. If the surviving spouse should move after the death of the disabled veteran, he or she can apply for an exemption at his or her new home, however, the value of that exemption is capped at the value of the previous home. The law is not being interpreted retroactively in El Paso County, meaning it will only apply to the surviving spouses of veterans who were still alive on Dec. 31, 2011. Dinah Kilgore, the Executive Director of the El Paso Central Appraisal District told ABC-7 that her office has requested a ruling from Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, clarifying the law’s interpretation. Kilgore said the district is keeping track of everyone who inquires about the exemption, and will contact those people if Abbott’s office advises her to grant exemptions to spouses of veterans who died before 2012. Anyone who believes they qualify for the exemption needs to file an application with the El Paso Central Appraisal District by April 30, 2012. You can use this link to access a printable form:

http://www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/taxforms/50-114.pdf