Clear Creek Independent School District

CCISD Tax Office: Tax Basics     

   

  

SECTION 1 : APPRAISED VALUE

SECTION 2 : EXEMPTIONS

SECTION 3:TAX DEFERRAL (for Over 65 or Disabled Persons)

SECTION 4 : CALCULATING TAXES

SECTION 5 : OWNERSHIP & MAILING ADDRESS

SECTION 6 : TAXPAYERS RESPONSIBILITY (correcting errors)

SECTION 7 : TAX BILLS & DUE DATES

SECTION 8 : TAXES PAID BY MORTGAGE OR AGENT

Properties will only be appraised by the county appraisal district of the property.  Harris County property owners will contact Harris County Appraisal District (713) 957-7800 and Galveston County property owners will contact Galveston Central Appraisal District. 1 (866) 277-4725.

The appraised value of a property is determined by a certified appraiser from the property’s county appraisal district, not the tax office. The appraised value is used to determine the tax on a property. Any disputes in value, square footage, property description must be directed to the county appraisal office.

Exemptions help the taxpayers by reducing the taxable value of the property. All exemptions (Homestead, Over 65, Disability, Veterans, etc) are granted by the county appraisal district of the property. Most exemptions apply only to your primary residence and are not valid on second homes or land. Once an exemption has been approved, the appraisal district will notify all tax offices under its jurisdiction. Individual tax offices have no authority to grant or deny exemptions.

To qualify for a homestead exemption the taxpayer must own and live in the home on January 1 of that tax year.  If you move in any time after January 1, you will not qualify until the following year. The Clear Creek ISD HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION has two parts: The CCISD portion of the exemption is valued at 5% or $5000 (whichever is greater) and the State Mandated portion of the exemption has a value of $15,000, regardless of value. (5%+$15,000.00) See calculation examples below.

The OVER 65 or DISABLED PERSONS EXEMPTION has a value of $28,330 and works in conjunction with your homestead exemption.  The amount you pay in the year that both the Over 65 Exemption and the Homestead Exemption are on the account together is what your taxes will be frozen at. Frozen means the amount you pay will not go up in the future even if the property value or the tax rate goes up. You should not pay any more than this amount for as long as you own the property unless you make major improvements to the property (such as adding a swimming pool, extra bedroom, workshop, or tear down and rebuild) or no longer declare the property as your homestead.

Starting tax year 2009, Disabled Veterans may qualify for a 100% VETERAN HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION. If certain conditions are met veterans may be exempt from paying taxes on their residential homestead.

To qualify for this exemption, a veteran must meet the following Criteria:

• Served in the armed forces of the United States 
• Been classified as disabled by the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as a result of a service-connected disability; 
• Received 100 percent disability compensation from the VA; and  
• Received either a 100 percent disability rating or been classified unemployable by the VA

The veteran must own a home that is approved as his or her residence homestead and occupied as the principal residence.  Veteran must apply for this exemption through the county appraisal district office. Individual tax offices do not grant or deny exemptions.

IF TAXES ARE DUE, never wait for an exemption to pay. You can avoid your exemption savings being used towards penalty and interest by paying the tax by the due date.

The tax office can not add or remove an exemption without a certified tax roll from the appraisal district. Depending on the time of year it may take 4-12 weeks for a change to reach our office. The tax office may get a certified tax roll once a month or less often depending on the time of year. If the account is paid when the exemption is granted, this office will issue a refund to the owner of record. If the account is not paid, we will re-bill the owner of record for the unpaid tax with the exemption and any penalty & interest if applicable. 

Contact the county appraisal office: Harris County Appraisal District (713) 957-7800 or Galveston Central Appraisal District toll free 1 (866) 277-4725.

Texans who are 65 or older or who are disabled may postpone paying current and delinquent property taxes on their homes by signing a tax deferral affidavit at their County Appraisal District office.

Once the affidavit is on file, taxes are deferred — but not canceled — as long as the owner continues to own and live in the home. Taxes continue to add up, along with 8 percent interest per year. The deferral is applicable to tax year for which the deferral was granted and thereafter. Any taxes delinquent prior to the deferral continues to collect standard penalty and interest.

The surviving spouse of a person 65 or older who deferred taxes on the homestead may retain the tax deferral if the surviving spouse was at least 55 years old when the deceased spouse died. 

If a tax deferral affidavit is on file, an older homeowner or one who is disabled cannot lose a homestead because of delinquent property taxes. A homeowner can halt a pending sale to foreclose on the homestead’s tax lien. No taxing unit can start or continue a lawsuit to collect delinquent taxes. There are no penalties on delinquent taxes during the deferral period; however, a tax deferral does not cancel penalties and interest that was already due before the tax deferral was granted.

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 after 180 days, penalties may be imposed and taxing units may take legal action to collect the past due amount.

Urgent Message about Tax Deferral: if your property has a mortgage, the lender or lien holder may require the property owner to keeps their taxes current even if they are deferred. You should contact your lender regarding the terms of your loan agreement (before you decide not to pay your taxes). The mortgage company does have a right to protect their interest. We have had incidences where the mortgage company paid the deferred taxes and set an escrow for the tax payer, which increased their monthly payment.

For further details about property tax deferral, contact your County Appraisal District.

Galveston Central Appraisal District toll free 1 866 277-4725

Harris County Appraisal District at 713 957-7800

More information is also available on the Comptroller’s Web site, www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/proptax/ or by calling the Comptroller’s Property Tax Assistance Division at (800)252-9121, ext. 1

   Appraised Value – Exemptions = Taxable Value
 Taxable Value x  Tax rate = Tax Due     

Please note that tax offices are required to mail tax bills to the "address of record" maintained by the property's county appraisal office. If you are the new owner of a property, or there is an ownership error including miss-spellings, or you need to change a mailing address you must contact the county appraisal district office of the property.

The appraisal district is the only authority to change property tax records, not the individual tax offices. The tax office can not add, remove or correct owners or mailing addresses without a certified tax roll from the appraisal district.  The tax office may get a tax roll once a month or less often depending on the time of year. 

Please note that a post office change of address is not acceptable. They often have time limits and may expire before appraisal notices or tax bills are mailed.  

If taxes are due, never wait for an ownership change to pay. Avoid any penalty and interest being added to the account by paying the tax on time. Taxes are due on or before January 31, no matter the name or address on the bill.  

Contact the county appraisal office: Harris County Appraisal District (713) 957-7800 or Galveston Central Appraisal District toll free 1 (866) 277-4725.

As the owner of property it is your responsibility to make sure that all ownership and mailing address information is promptly and correctly recorded. If you have moved, changed your mailing address, changed your name or buy/sell property it is your responsibility to contact the county appraisal district.  Tax offices mail bills to the addresses provided by the appraisal district. A Post Office “change of address” is not acceptable notification. It is also the taxpayer’s responsibility to apply for any exemptions, protest value and update records by the due dates outlined by the appraisal district.

The appraisal district is the only authority to change property tax records, not the individual tax offices. The tax office can not add, remove or correct owners or mailing addresses, or add any exemptions or adjust property values without a certified tax roll from the appraisal district.  The tax office may get a tax roll once a month or less often depending on the time of year.  If taxes are due, never wait for a change to pay. Avoid any penalty and interest being added to the account by paying the tax on time. Taxes are due on or before January 31, no matter whose name is on the bill.  

Contact the county appraisal office: Harris County Appraisal District (713) 957-7800 or Galveston Central Appraisal District toll free 1 (866) 277-4725.

If you are a new owner of the property it is your responsibility to know which taxing authorities will tax your property and when taxes are due. It takes time for ownership records to be filed and recorded.  It is the taxpayer’s responsibility to make sure they get a tax bill and that the taxes are paid on time.

Tax Bills are usually mailed the same time each year. If you have not received a tax bill by December you can print a bill from this website or call the tax office to get the amount & account number. As the owner of the property it is your responsibility to know which taxing authorities will tax your property and when taxes are due. CCISD School Taxes are billed and collected separately from the county tax.

Taxes are always due on or before January 31, never wait for a tax bill to pay taxes. Section 31.01, Tex Tax Code states that failure to receive a tax bill is not grounds for waiver of penalty and interest and will not affect validity of the due date. Taxes are due on or before January 31. Taxes become delinquent on February 1. Many taxpayers pay by December 31 for income tax purposes.   Should the last day of month fall on a weekend or holiday, payments will be accepted the next business day the office is open.

Taxes are due by January 31 even if there is a discrepancy on your bill. We will tax you according to the value and exemptions provided us by the appraisal district. If you disagree with the value or you have a missing exemption you should contact your appraisal district. If you have made recent changes and/or had a recent protest please note that it may take some time for these changes to get to the tax office (anywhere from 4-12 weeks depending on the time of year). Taxes are due by January 31 even if you are waiting on a change to your tax account.  If the account is paid and we get a reduction in value or an addition of an exemption, the taxpayer will be automatically refunded the value of the change.

In the State of Texas all mortgage companies or tax service providers are required to request the tax bill(s) annually, even if they had requested them in the past. 

If the mortgage company requests the tax bill, the tax bill will be sent to the mortgage company not to the property owner.  If the mortgage company did not request the bill by September 30, the tax bill will be mailed to the property owner.  If you have received a tax bill that is to be paid by the mortgage company, write your loan number on the bill and forward it to your mortgage company’s loan escrow department.  If yours is a new account or refinace the mortgage company may not have had your account information in time to request a bill before the deadline. All mortgage companies have 24/7 access to our website. You or your mortgage company can print a copy of your tax bill from our website at CCISD Tax Office

The mortgage company should provide borrower an escrow statement at the end of each year detailing the taxes paid from the escrow account. We do not contact mortgage companies about deliquent taxes.  We do have a website that any mortgage company can use to print a statement or check the paid status of an account.  www.ccisd.net/tax 

NO LONGER PAID BY MORTGAGE COMPANY

If the mortgage company will no longer be paying your tax, call your tax offices and have them remove the “mortgage company code”. This allows all bills and notices to be mailed to taxpayer.