Do-it-yourself filing saves time and money
DECATUR, Ga. – Each year during property tax season, unsuspecting homeowners potentially lose money to businesses offering tax saving programs. Property owners in DeKalb County have two options to reduce property taxes at no additional cost or resources: file an assessment appeal and/or apply for a homestead exemption directly. These do-it-yourself filings save homeowners time and money.
“During property tax season, my office receives calls from concerned homeowners regarding information from businesses offering to file an assessment appeal or a homestead exemption for a fee,” said Tax Commissioner Irvin J. Johnson. “Property owners should be aware of schemes targeting seniors and unsuspecting homeowners, potentially costing them their hard-earned money for services that can be performed themselves at no cost. Here at the tax office, homestead exemptions can be filed online at DeKalbTax.org.”
DeKalb property owners who recently received their annual notice of assessment are encouraged to carefully review their notice as soon as possible. Instructions for filing an appeal by the July 10 deadline are included on the notice; the appeal process is also available on the county’s Property Appraisal & Assessment Department website. While the assessment notices serve as an estimate, the actual tax bill may be higher or lower and are mailed from the Tax Commissioner’s Office annually around mid-August.
For questions and concerns regarding annual assessment notices and the appeal process, please call the Property Appraisal office at 404-371-0841 or visit https://www.dekalbcountyga.gov/property-appraisal/contact-us.
Questions regarding homestead exemptions and exemption status may be directed to the Tax Commissioner’s Office by phone at 404-298-4000 or email proptax@dekalbcountyga.gov. The deadline to file for an exemption was April 1.
About the DeKalb County Tax Commissioner’s Office
DeKalb County Tax Commissioner Irvin J. Johnson, an elected constitutional officer, is responsible for billing, collecting, and disbursing $1.6 billion in personal and real property taxes, and administering homestead exemptions for the nearly 260,000 property owners. Also serving as an agent for the State of Georgia, the tax commissioner handles all aspects of motor vehicle registrations, including managing the collection of motor vehicle taxes, issuing vehicle tags and titles, and processing vehicle registration renewals for citizens and businesses located in DeKalb County, Georgia.
For more information about the Tax Commissioner’s office, please visit www.dekalbtax.org. For updates about the tax office, follow @dekalbtaxga on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.