How long will a successful property tax protest save you money?

Will the appraisal district raise your property value next year, after a successful protest?
The short answer, probably not and if they do, we have strong support to set aside the increase.

While there are no guarantees, the Denton and Tarrant appraisal districts are held to a higher standard in the year following a successful protest. This makes a subsequent increase in property value unlikely and if it does occur gives us as your agent extra ammunition to support a reduction.

Effective January 1, 2020, the Texas Legislature strengthened your protection by enacting the following provision:

“…if the appraised value of a property is lowered (as a result of a protest) in the next tax year in which the property is appraised the chief appraiser may not increase the appraised value of the property unless the increase by the chief appraiser is reasonably supported by clear and convincing evidence when all of the reliable and probative evidence in the record is considered as a whole.” (Texas Property Tax Code.  Sec. 23.01)

Our intuition is that the district is less likely to initiate a value increase when you have a knowledgeable agent ready to protest on your behalf.  We can’t prove it and the district may deny it but that’s our intuition based on years of experience.  

The Tarrant or Denton appraisal district may claim it has “clear and convincing evidence.” In order to increase your property value in the year following a successful protest, the district would have to reappraise your property, which is less likely if that was their justification for an increased taxable value the year prior. Our knowledge and experience can help you prevent an increase the following year, and potentially even obtain a further decrease in the market value of your property. That’s why we protest your value every year.  

How long will the tax protest savings last?

In all likelihood, your tax savings will last longer than one year. This results in additional savings for you long term, as our fee is based only on the first year reduction.  Subsequent years’ savings are all yours.

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