Lower your tax bill with a homestead exemption

Texas law requires every school district to take $140,000 off the appraised value of your home before calculating school taxes. That alone can save several hundred dollars a year. Other taxing units — the county, cities, ESDs — may add their own local exemptions on top of that.

You file one application with the Gregg County Appraisal District (GCAD) at gcad.org. The general deadline is April 30. You only need to file once; the exemption stays as long as you live there as your primary home. Seniors (65+) and people with disabilities get an additional $60,000 school exemption plus a school tax freeze. Apply early — late applications may be accepted but check with GCAD first.