Resolved Informally TexasSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Thousands | |||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | ||
| Total Number | 679.558 | 780.244 | 916.866 | 1,062.614 | 1,079.302 | 1,169.973 | 1,260.644 | 1,293.294 | 1,457.313 | 1,721.636 | |
| Single Family | 393.941 | 452.136 | 537.666 | 639.630 | 646.351 | 690.118 | 733.885 | 763.804 | 891.615 | 1,065.332 | |
| Commercial / Other | 285.617 | 328.108 | 379.200 | 422.984 | 432.951 | 479.855 | 526.759 | 529.430 | 565.698 | 656.304 | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since Most appeals are resolved with a reduction at the informal level.
Texas State Property Tax Protests Resolved Informally
Texas State property owners who file a property tax protest have three primary options to resolve their protest. These include the: 1) informal hearing, 2) the formal hearing (or appraisal review board), and judicial appeal or binding arbitration. Most property tax protests are resolved at the informal hearing.
In 2018, 60% of all Texas State informally resolved protests were single family.
State of Texas Informal Settlements
The Texas Appraisal District cannot require an informal hearing. Most property owners attempt to settle in the informal hearing. In some cases, they agree to the initial value after seeing the appraisal district’s evidence.
This means that they stop their journey to protest right there. However, there is more that property owners can do. By settling at the informal hearing, a property owner is waiving their right to continue the property tax appeal. Property owners not satisfied with the offer at the informal hearing can continue to the appraisal review board hearing, and even to a district court lawsuit.
Resulted in Reduction Through Informal Process TexasSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Thousands | |||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | ||
| Total Number | 434.015 | 540.911 | 646.688 | 752.464 | 852.114 | 887.197 | 922.280 | 885.247 | 1,075.794 | 1,268.123 | |
| Single Family | 284.319 | 349.468 | 437.783 | 526.097 | 485.941 | 565.756 | 645.571 | 615.370 | 750.571 | 897.858 | |
| Commercial / Other | 149.696 | 191.443 | 208.905 | 226.367 | 366.173 | 321.441 | 276.709 | 269.877 | 325.171 | 370.265 | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since It is the world’s safest wager. No cost and a 60% chance of savings annually.
Texas State Informal Hearing Reductions
The Texas State Appraisal District accounts that received a reduction at the informal hearing are illustrated below. Informal resolution rates vary sharply from county to county.
In 2017, 69% of total hearings that resulted in reduction, were single family home owners.
Percent That Resulted in A ReductionSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Percent | |||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | ||
| Total Number | 63.870% | 69.330% | 70.530% | 70.810% | 78.950% | 75.830% | 73.160% | 68.450% | 73.820% | 73.660% | |
| Single Family | 72.170% | 77.290% | 81.420% | 82.250% | 75.180% | 81.980% | 87.970% | 80.570% | 84.180% | 84.280% | |
| Commercial / Other | 52.410% | 58.350% | 55.090% | 53.520% | 84.580% | 66.990% | 52.530% | 50.980% | 57.480% | 56.420% | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since Errors in the appraisal districts records for your property often artificially inflate YOUR property taxes.
Texas State % of Informal Hearings with Reduction
Texas State Appraisal District makes massive adjustments to the total values during the informal hearing process for both residential and commercial. Given the large reductions in tax assessments and property tax values, it is surprising more homeowners do not appeal.
Statewide, home owners settled property tax appeals at the informal hearing with a reduction for 75% of 2018 property tax protests. Commercial properties were reduced 18% less than single family homes.
$ Value Reduction From Informal ProcessSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Billions of $ | |||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | ||
| $ Reduction Total | 37.5205 | 41.6081 | 47.4446 | 47.4070 | 56.6721 | 62.8254 | 66.6555 | 73.2630 | 111.0666 | 146.8048 | |
| $ Reduction Single Family | 7.0995 | 8.6646 | 11.8070 | 12.0441 | 13.7760 | 14.4872 | 18.0264 | 15.1649 | 23.3057 | 33.7411 | |
| $ Value Commercial / Other | 30.4210 | 32.9435 | 35.6376 | 35.3628 | 42.8962 | 48.3382 | 48.6291 | 58.0982 | 87.7609 | 113.0637 | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since Property taxes are the only type that can be negotiated based on subjective factors and judgment.
Texas State Appraisal District $ Value Reduction From Informal Process
In 2018 and 2019, Texas single family homeowners reduced their taxes using an informal hearing by $14 billion each year.