Partial Property Tax Deferral Available for Some Harris County Residents

If you live in Harris County Texas and you’re worried that you won’t be able to pay the total amount due on your property taxes, a deferral is an option to postpone paying part of them.

It’s a deferral of taxes on increases in the value of your primary residence and it allows you to postpone paying taxes on a portion of the appreciating value of your home. You must file a tax deferral affidavit to take advantage of this option, which can be done for free at the Harris County Appraisal District’s (HCAD) office.

How Does It Work?

According to HCAD, this residence homeowner tax deferral allows eligible homeowners to pay property taxes on 105% of the preceding year’s appraised value of their home, plus the taxes on new improvements, and postpone paying the remainder for as long as they own and live in the house. The remainder of the taxes must be paid on time every year and interest on the deferred amount will accrue at 8% a year.

Should You Seek a Property Tax Deferral?

Mortgage companies often require that property tax payments are up-to-date. Before you apply for the residence homeowner tax deferral, check with your mortgage company to make sure that deferring payment does not violate the terms of your mortgage. The Harris County Appraisal District recommends that homeowners check with their mortgage company and the local tax office to determine whether a tax deferral is a viable option.

How to Save Money on Property Taxes

While deferring payment on a portion of your property taxes provides you with some relief, the best way to reduce your property tax bill is to file a property tax protest, which includes presenting evidence at a hearing. This is the only way you can be certain that you aren’t paying too much.

At Kensington, we have a success rate of over 90% when it comes to property tax consulting. Let our tax advocates walk you through the process so you don’t have to spend your time figuring out how to make the strongest case in front of the appraisal review board.

Contact Us

Harris County homeowners have trusted us to assist them with property tax-related matters since 2010. Our clients receive concierge-level service and prompt answers to all of their property tax questions.

Fill out this form by April 15 so we can coordinate your protest by the May 15 deadline.

How Kensington Property Tax Protests Work

• Fill out the form below and we’ll contact you to discuss your protest options: May 15 is the deadline for the year, so contact us as soon as possible to find out how we can help you
• We arrange for your protest to be filed: we prepare the paperwork and make sure your protest is filed on time
• Your case is presented at a hearing: we arrange for local representation on your behalf at the hearing(s) to negotiate for the highest possible property tax reduction allowable by law
• If you win the protest, you save money: and your property tax reduction can reach thousands of dollars each year over several years while you pay only a percentage of the first year’s savings if your protest is successful – our clients win more than 90% of the time and pay no court costs, appraisals, or legal fees

Your property tax reduction will be applied to your next property tax bill – it is not a refund on this year’s bill.

Ready to start saving? Click the link below to get started on your Harris County protest.

Contact us to get started