Fulton County, Georgia – Homeowners across Fulton County can expect an important notice arriving in their mailboxes soon. The Fulton County Board of Assessors has begun sending postcards to residents who may qualify for newly approved homestead tax exemptions tied to local school district property taxes.
The notices are intended to alert eligible homeowners that they may benefit from the updated exemptions, which are designed to reduce the taxable value applied to the school-district portion of their property tax bill. These changes apply only to school taxes and do not affect county or city property tax levies.
Officials say the new exemptions are primarily aimed at older homeowners. Within the Fulton County School District, residents who were at least 65 years old as of January 1 may qualify for an exemption that removes 25 percent of their home’s assessed value from school district taxation. Those who were at least 70 years old by the same date may qualify for an even larger benefit, allowing 50 percent of the assessed value of their property to be excluded from school district taxes.
Read also: Georgia posts $2.12 billion in February tax collections with mixed results across categories
To qualify for the Fulton County School District exemption, homeowners must have maintained a homestead exemption in the district for at least five of the past six years. The program does not include an income requirement, making it accessible to a broad group of senior residents who meet the age and residency criteria.
A separate exemption is also available for homeowners living within the Atlanta Public Schools district. Residents who were at least 65 years old as of January 1 may qualify to remove up to $50,000 of assessed property value from taxes owed to Atlanta Public Schools. According to county officials, this exemption can also be combined with other APS-related exemptions already in place.
For many homeowners, the process will require little effort. If a resident already has a basic homestead exemption and meets the eligibility requirements for one of the new programs, the additional tax reduction will be automatically applied during the assessment process. No new application will be necessary in those cases.
However, county officials are encouraging residents to watch their mail carefully. If a homeowner believes they qualify but does not receive a postcard notification by April 1, they are advised to contact the Fulton County Board of Assessors for assistance.
Read also: Georgia climbs into top ten exporting states with $60.2 billion milestone
April 1 remains the standard deadline for applying for homestead exemptions that will affect this year’s property tax bill. For those who miss that date, a second opportunity to apply will be available during the 45-day property valuation appeal period.
Additional details about the new exemptions and other property tax relief programs can be found through the Fulton County Board of Assessors website.
