Property Owners may postpone paying current and delinquent property
taxes on their homes by signing a tax deferral affidavit at the Shelby
County Appraisal District office if they are:

 

age 65 or older;

 

disabled as defined by law;

 

qualified disabled veterans, their unmarried surviving spouses, or
their unmarried children under age 18, if no surviving spouse; or

 

unmarried surviving spouses of U.S. armed service members killed
on active duty and their unmarried children under age 18.

Once the affidavit is on file, taxes are deferred -- but not cancelled -- as
long as the owner continues to own and live in the home. Taxes
accumulate with 5 percent interest per year. The law extends the tax
deferral to the surviving spouse of the person who deferred taxes on the
homestead if the surviving spouse was at least 55 years old when the
deceased spouse died.

A filed tax deferral affidavit keeps homeowners from losing their
homesteads because of delinquent property taxes. A pending sale to
foreclose on the homestead’s tax lien will also cease as a result of filing a
tax deferral affidavit. In addition, no taxing unit can start or continue a
lawsuit to collect delinquent taxes once an affidavit is filed. There are no
penalties on delinquent taxes during the deferral period; however, a tax
deferral does not cancel penalties that were already due.

All deferred taxes and interest become due when the homeowner or
surviving spouse no longer own and live in the home. If the tax debt
remains unpaid at that time, penalties may be imposed, and taxing units
may take legal action to collect the past due amount.

For further details about property tax deferral, contact the Shelby County
Appraisal District at (936) 598-6171.