Thousands of California homeowners can cut their property tax bill. Here’s how

With property tax payments as excessive as they’re in Southern California, you’d assume that householders would join each break they might get.

You’d be unsuitable.

Since 1974, the state of California has provided to scale back the assessed worth of any owner-occupied dwelling by $7,000. That, in flip, reduces the house’s annual tax invoice. You simply have to use as soon as, and the “householders exemption” might be utilized mechanically to your evaluation till you progress out or promote.

In keeping with Los Angeles County Assessor Jeff Prang, nevertheless, practically one-third of county householders don’t join the exemption. That interprets to $30 million in additional tax funds by roughly 435,000 households.

Granted, that’s not an enormous amount of cash per family; with property tax charges usually set at 1% of assessed worth, the $7,000 exemption saves $70 per 12 months. However after just a few years, that may be sufficient for a much bigger TV set in your lounge.

And signing up for the exemption is very necessary for householders hoping to benefit from 2020’s Proposition 19, Prang’s workplace mentioned in a press launch Wednesday. The poll measure permits folks to switch their properties to a number of of their youngsters with out it being reassessed for property tax functions, probably shielding their offspring from an unlimited improve in taxes. However to qualify for this profit, the recipient of the home should apply for a house owner’s exemption or disabled veteran’s exemption inside one 12 months of the switch.

When you lived in your present abode as of Jan. 1 however haven’t claimed a householders exemption, you might have till Feb. 15 to use to obtain the total $7,000 discount. After that, the discount might be prorated, Prang’s workplace mentioned.

To assert the exemption, obtain a type from https://assessor.lacounty.gov/householders/homeowner-exemption. Then fill it out with details about your self, any co-owner and your property, and return it to the assessor’s workplace.

Varieties can be found in English and Spanish. For extra data, go to the assessor’s web site or name (213) 974-3211.