Married couple - two different counties. One county the property is in his name only & he claims it, another county it's in her name only & she claims it. Their other exemptions on one of the properties are suspect/false, too.

Don't want to get into details, but, what would you do? It just makes me mad that I pay my "fair" (ha) share.

schwack schwack said:

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Married couple - two different counties. One county the property is in his name only & he claims it, another county it's in her name only & she claims it. Their other exemptions on one of the properties are suspect/false, too.

Don't want to get into details, but, what would you do? It just makes me mad that I pay my "fair" (ha) share.

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not your property. not your responsibility.

Which one do they actually live in? How do they collect mail at the other? That's usually how the appraisal district finds out. Returned mail.

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Which one do they actually live in? How do they collect mail at the other? That's usually how the appraisal district finds out. Returned mail.

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That makes sense, but I don't know the answer. I suspect that they back & forth between them, so they'd get mail at both places.

If you don't like them, report them to both counties.
If you do like them, keep your mouth shut.

Karen, that you?

It's fraud. But I don't know all the ins and outs.

Comptroller.Texas.gov

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Karen, that you?

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So funny!

my next door neighbor moved out about 5 years ago and has abandoned the home. It was always a ****hole, but it's now open to the elements and a general nuisance from a varmint standpoint.

the thing that annoys me is a big reason they can keep the place is her tax bill is under $500 since it's been frozen for about 40 years. daugher has told me they're holding onto it so the 10 yr old grandkid in VA can use it for in-state tuition for texas schools. what a family.

seems really ****ty that you can get a homestead exemption on an abandoned home.

schwack schwack said:

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Karen, that you?

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So funny!

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Ignore him he's a troll your life will be better

Imagine you don't even know where someone lives full-time, but you want to contact the local tax authority in two counties to tell on them that their property tax exemptions aren't correct.

Are both properties rural? Curious how they would interpret the Texas homestead law of "family" being able to claim up to 200 rural acres as homestead in this scenario.

How about 3 Homestead exemptions for a school Superintendent making 300k per year?
Google Beaumont Superintendent homestead exemption.

It's been years ago, but this fat cat was getting 3 homestead exemptions on three homes. 2 on homes he owned where he was previously superintendent and one in Beaumont. Iirc Harris County did not file criminal charges but let him off by paying back taxes.

Later, there was a huge scandal at Beaumont ISD with a federal investigation. Lots of people on the payroll that were not working and dozens of contractor/ administrator scams. Every kind of scam you can imagine.

After 17 years as superintendent, Dr. Carrol A. Thomas had the football stadium named after himself. Later the State had to take over Beaumont ISD and they changed the stadium name…

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Are both properties rural? Curious how they would interpret the Texas homestead law of "family" being able to claim up to 200 rural acres as homestead in this scenario.

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One is. Never knew there was a law allowing 2 homestead exemptions per couple.

Are you sure they are actually legally married?

I've gone up against more than one plaintiff with fake property damages claims, who turn out are also scamming on multiple homestead exemptions. Like the Beaumont example, people who are willing to cheat you one way are willing to cheat in other areas.

Anonymous tip to the tax districts affected is what you could do. Or impeach their character if you're in a lawsuit with them.

if you're gonna rat them out, make sure whatever you do in your life is 100% on the up and up

He would just be notifying the taxing authorities of possible fraud. They may choose to investigate and the owners then would have the opportunity to set the record straight.

The old saying that character is defined by how you act when no one is watching comes into play here, for many of us.

There is another saying that goes, "Mind your own business."

I wouldn't do it, but I also wouldn't tattle either. There is virtue in both being honest and also not being a meddler.

This post went about how I thought it would - some serious thought & some mockery.

Who cheats on their taxes, or maybe bends the rules?

[looks through thread]

#SpreadsheetUpdated

Don't hate the player, hate the game? If they are smart enough to cheat the tax man, more power to them. No one hates them for that. No one is truly made because they aren't paying their share. People are mad because they didn't figure out how to do it themselves. Lol.

500,000ags said:

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There is another saying that goes, "Mind your own business."

I wouldn't do it, but I also wouldn't tattle either. There is virtue in both being honest and also not being a meddler.

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Aggies do not lie, cheat, or steal or tolerate those who do.

OP, is this your butthole neighbor who sends demand letters and loves lawsuits? If so, I say give em hell.

I think it is your business if someone else is illegally receiving duplicate exemptions. In theory, at least, when someone defrauds a taxing jurisdiction, everyone else in that jurisdiction pays more to make up the difference.

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OP, is this your butthole neighbor who sends demand letters and loves lawsuits? If so, I say give em hell.

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Diggity said:

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my next door neighbor moved out about 5 years ago and has abandoned the home. It was always a ****hole, but it's now open to the elements and a general nuisance from a varmint standpoint.

the thing that annoys me is a big reason they can keep the place is her tax bill is under $500 since it's been frozen for about 40 years. daugher has told me they're holding onto it so the 10 yr old grandkid in VA can use it for in-state tuition for texas schools. what a family.

seems really ****ty that you can get a homestead exemption on an abandoned home.

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Sounds like the owner is very old...possibly even 105 years old from the math in this post. However, you're still entitled to the exemption on your former home if you're in a senior living facility or something like that and can't live in the home any more.

Baron von Bulsh said:

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500,000ags said:

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There is another saying that goes, "Mind your own business."

I wouldn't do it, but I also wouldn't tattle either. There is virtue in both being honest and also not being a meddler.

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Aggies do not lie, cheat, or steal or tolerate those who do.

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You obviously haven't been on F16 lately.

Yeah, might have exaggerated a bit.

She is well into her 90's. Lives with daughter as far as I know. Seems like an odd loophole.

Baron von Bulsh said:

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500,000ags said:

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There is another saying that goes, "Mind your own business."

I wouldn't do it, but I also wouldn't tattle either. There is virtue in both being honest and also not being a meddler.

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Aggies do not lie, cheat, or steal or tolerate those who do.

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Taxation is theft. So the married couple is not tolerating the theft of their property. They are in the right.

Get over it.

TheBonifaceOption said:

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Taxation is theft. So the married couple is not tolerating the theft of their property. They are in the right.

Get over it.

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If I hear this one more time, I think I'll puke. This is the most childish, idiotic statement ever.

Diggity said:

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Yeah, might have exaggerated a bit.

She is well into her 90's. Lives with daughter as far as I know. Seems like an odd loophole.

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Living with daughter is a bit of stretch, but the exemption generally allows for you to still claim it while you're temporarily not residing at your primary residence but intend to return, for any reason (although this is limited to two years). Having to go into assisted living or nursing home facility is specifically addressed and the ansence can be indefinite.

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(l) A qualified residential structure does not lose its character as a residence homestead when the owner who qualifies for the exemption temporarily stops occupying it as a principal residence if that owner does not establish a different principal residence and the absence is:
(1) for a period of less than two years and the owner intends to return and occupy the structure as the owner's principal residence; or
(2) caused by the owner's:
(A) military service inside or outside of the United States as a member of the armed forces of the United States or of this state; or
(B) residency in a facility that provides services related to health, infirmity, or aging.

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Thanks for the link,that's good info.

She's been gone at least four or five years though. Nobody is moving back into that house unless it's gutted.

In any case, HCAD refuses to do anything about it. They mail a letter and if it isn't returned, they assume she still lives there. Foolproof system.

Do they at least keep up the yard? I would hate to live next to a place like that.

Martin Cash said:

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TheBonifaceOption said:

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Taxation is theft. So the married couple is not tolerating the theft of their property. They are in the right.

Get over it.

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If I hear this one more time, I think I'll puke. This is the most childish, idiotic statement ever.

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You're right. Theft doesn't include the threat of violence against the victim. Taxation is armed robbery.