Guides & updates
Plain-English explainers on property tax exemptions — who qualifies, how much they save, and how to apply.
Homestead Exemption Portability: What Happens to Your Tax Savings When You Move?
A homestead exemption itself doesn't follow you to a new address — but in a few states, the dollar benefit built up behind it can. Here's how Florida and California portability actually works.
Sharon Ben-Moshe · August 2026
Does Putting Your Home in a Trust Affect Your Homestead Exemption?
Estate planners recommend living trusts constantly, and homeowners worry it will cost them their homestead exemption. In most states it won't — but you generally still have to tell the assessor.
Sharon Ben-Moshe · August 2026
Can You Claim a Homestead Exemption on a Second Home, Vacation Home, or Rental Property?
No state lets you homestead a vacation home, a rental, or a second residence — the exemption follows the one home you actually live in. Here's how that rule gets enforced.
Sharon Ben-Moshe · August 2026
Your Homestead Exemption Application Was Denied — What Are Your Options?
A homestead exemption denial is common, correctable, and usually explainable — here's how to find out why, fix it, and appeal if the assessor still says no.
Sharon Ben-Moshe · August 2026
Divorce and Your Homestead Exemption: What Happens to Your Property Tax Break?
Divorce doesn't automatically end a homestead exemption — but it usually changes who's on the deed, and that alone can require a fresh application. Here's what actually happens.
Sharon Ben-Moshe · August 2026
Property Tax Exemptions for Manufactured and Mobile Homes
A manufactured home can qualify for a homestead exemption — but in most states, only after its title is converted from personal property to real property. Texas is a notable exception.
Sharon Ben-Moshe · August 2026
Inheriting a Home: What Happens to the Property Tax Exemption and Your Tax Bill
Inheriting a home doesn't come with the previous owner's exemption attached — and in assessment-cap states, the transfer itself can reset your tax bill. Here's what to do first.
Sharon Ben-Moshe · August 2026
New Construction and Property Taxes: When Does Your Homestead Exemption Start on a Newly Built Home?
Buying new construction means there's no prior assessed value to carry forward — which changes how, and when, both your tax bill and your homestead exemption actually start.
Sharon Ben-Moshe · August 2026