Texas Protax collects one fee at the end of year. The fee is based on our performance. For residential properties, our fee collected at the end of the year is the greater of three fee scenarios:

• The taxable reduction fee is based off of 40% of actual tax dollar savings.
• For properties with exemptions (EX: Homestead), there is a market value reduction fee calculated IF the market value is reduced but doesn’t beat the capped value ($2.50/$1k value reduction).
• The minimum fee is $50/parcel.

For commercial properties, our fee collected at the end of the year is the greater of three scenarios.

 

• The taxable reduction fee is based off of 33.33% of actual tax dollar savings.
• For properties with exemptions (EX: Circuit Breaker), there is a market value reduction fee calculated IF the market value is reduced but doesn’t beat the capped value ($2.50/$1k value reduction).
• The minimum fee is $50/parcel.

Check your cap before you sign up — Did you know that your market value is not necessarily the same as your appraised (taxable) value? Homestead exempt properties may have a cap, or limitation on how much the taxable value can increase year-over-year. Over time, or in strong markets like we see today, you may find that your taxable value is capped well below your market value. The protest process is designed to correct the market value issues, so it is possible that your protest could result in a market value reduction that does not reduce the value below your capped value and, therefore, does not create a tax savings. Because of this potential successful protest but no tax savings result, we have had to modify our fee structures and now charge at a lesser rate for market value corrections with a minimum fee required on most properties. We strongly encourage you to consider the market value vs. cap value ramifications before you decide to hire us. If you want more information, please contact us to speak to an agent.

The easiest way to hire us is by providing your details on our website.

The link is: https://customerportal.texasprotax.com/Signup

The online process is easy. Going through the application helps determine ways to lower your property tax. Once submitted, your application will be sent to a staff member. If something suggests your case is complex, you will get a call or email.

Do you have specific questions? Our staff is available by email and phone to get your answers. 

Please be patient during our busy season. Our call volume is especially high through the spring and summer months. If your agent is difficult to reach, do not worry. It may be because of the busy hearing schedules. We appreciate your patience during this time. We have additional staff to help you when your agent is not available. Please feel free to send us an email: info@texasprotax.com.

Note: Regarding Prior Year Agency Representation: If you appointed another agency to represent your property in the previous protest season, please consider contacting them to cancel representation for the upcoming protest season.

Your proactive effort to cancel any contract with another firm helps ensure you are not held liable for any potential fee based on previous contractual obligations, but also prevents potential hiccups as we approach the protest hearing season and resolves any scheduling conflicts.  The “protest season” is defined by regular protest hearings which are typically held between April 1 and August 31, but those dates can vary by county.

Please notify your former agent of your intent to cancel your contract prior to April 1st.

You will find that we are not like other property tax firms. Texas Protax Austin is the most successful Property Tax Consultant firm in Central Texas. Property tax representation is our only focus. We are excellent at it and you reap the benefits.

You get the top experts. Our friendly staff draws experience from a variety of backgrounds. By choosing Texas Protax, you get attorneys, Senior Property Tax Consultants, and Licensed Real Estate Agents working on getting the most tax savings for you. We also have expert Fee Appraisers, and even ex-Appraisal District employees to make a team that can’t be beaten. Our experts contribute specialize knowledge to get you more savings.

There is another reason why we the best. We are in a higher league because we have a secret weapon. It is our custom software. It allows us to analyze everything that went into your original tax assessment. Your situation is compared to current real estate data points. It compares favorable sales and property equity in your area. Then we access Travis CAD and Williamson CAD’s live databases for more details. All of the information is considered. Then it identifies all the areas that will reduce your property taxes. It is thorough and delivers outstanding results.

No. The market value for every property has no limit to how much it can increase. Property values can go up as much as the Appraisal District dictates. However, you are in luck if you have a homestead exemption. For homestead properties, the amount is limited to no more than a 10% tax increase each year.

Austin’s real estate market is hot. Statistics show over 100 people are moving to the area each day. All of these people need a place to live in and this drives a huge spike in property values. The demand for housing causes an increase in your property value.

A fee appraisal starts when you decide to purchase or refinance a home. It is a current estimate of the market value of your property. This helps inform lenders when making loan decisions. The results of a fee appraisal are based on comparing the sales of properties.

It is different from a mass appraisal which is also called a county appraisal. A mass appraisal has a heavy reliance on information about property replacement costs.

Each year the County Appraisal District (CAD) sets the residential values for the mass appraisal. It is basing this index on the replacement cost of the property.

First, all the properties are grouped by things such as school districts and subdivisions. Then the homes sold from within a group receive analysis. They compare the relationship between the replacement estimate and the actual sale prices. From there, the mass appraisal adjusts according to the market. It is higher, lower, or it stays the same. The adjustment to mass appraisal applies to the whole group.

If the prices tend to be higher than the replacement estimates, it is a positive factor in the market. This influences all the replacement costs in the group. Which in turn, raises the value set for the mass appraisal of all the properties in the group. Likewise, a negative factor in the market lowers the mass appraisal. It is a correlation between the actual sales versus the CAD’s estimates.

You will get one every year. In April the County Appraisal District (CAD) sends a Notice of Appraised Value to all property owners. This is the CAD’s opinion of the value of your property. The mass appraisal method finds that value and your property tax is based on it. It is important to be aware that the value may not be accurate.

You can contest it. The Texas Tax Code allows property owners to file a protest if they feel the value is not correct. Take advantage of this opportunity! Often a protest helps you get a lower value applied to your property and this will lower your taxes. However, if you do not file a protest, the value will remain final.

Texas Protax makes contesting easy to do every year. Start now. The results can save you a lot of money.

There are a couple of ways to determine the square footage. One is by measuring from the inside and the other looks at the entire footprint of the property.

Builder’s plans calculate the square footage by interior measurements. This will produce lower square footage. This may be the number you are familiar with.

However, it is the footprint that counts for tax purposes. The measurements taken from the outside of your property calculate the square footage. The County Appraisal District (CAD), as well as, the Fee Appraiser use this method. Be aware that the differences result because of how the measurements are rounded. The Fee Appraiser will measure to the inch, but CAD will round up to the nearest foot.

If there is a more than a 5% discrepancy, it is worth looking into! Check the blueprints, drawing plans, or a more recent appraisal sketch of the property. Look to see if you are taxed on more square footage than what actually exists. If you are, then have Texas Protax protest it on your behalf. We will get it corrected and you save money on your tax bill.

Every property is different. Whether it is the square footage, additional details, condition and/or quality ratings, the Appraisal District calculates various factors which come into play when determining your property value. These details are not found on the internet, but Texas Protax has them!

If your Notice of Appraised Value reflects a protest deadline later than May 15th 2024, please give us a call at 512-339-6671 or send us an email at info@texasprotax.com with your property and contact information and we will follow up upon review.

Existing clients may reach out to us directly or access the Client Log-In portal to view current account information.

There are options for filing a late protest.

Hopefully, you caught the missed deadline early in the season, like June and July. If so, try writing a letter to the Chairman of the Appraisal Review Board at your County Appraisal District (CAD). In the letter explain why you missed the deadline. It is the Chairman’s discretion whether to grant a hearing. The letter must be from the actual property owner.

If that doesn’t work, do not worry. You can file a late protest based on a substantial overvaluation of your property. This is referred to as a 25.25d protest. This can be tricky, but it is doable. You will need to prove that your property has been at least one-third over-appraised. For example, Mike’s property appraisal is $400,000. He will need to prove that the value is under $300,000 to get any reduction at all.

Another option for a late protest is to correct a mistake. You have 5 years to re-open the appraisal roll again to correct a clerical error.

Things to keep in mind to qualify for a late protest are:
The protest must be filed by the tax payment deadline which is January 31st.
Your taxes must be paid on-time.

Do you have a Homestead Exemption? If yes, then appealing can protect your property value for years to come.

Example: Mary received her homestead exemption in 2019. The value reduces to $100,000 for tax purposes. In 2020, the market spikes and the sales value go to $200,000. Mary is protected. The taxable value is capped with a 10% increase each year. Instead of being taxed at $200,000, her taxable amount is $110,000. Getting the value as low as possible in 2019 cut the 2020 tax bill almost in half! This pattern continues for years to come. Let’s say in 2021, there is another market increase. The sales value of her property shoots up to $300,000. Mary’s taxes will only go up by 10% and that is based on the $110,000 from the year 2020.

Each tax year is separate from other years. New developments in the market happen and tax laws may change. These can affect data that the County Appraisal District (CAD) uses to evaluate your property’s value. It is best to work with Texas Protax because protesting property tax is our only focus. We are proactive to learn the changes and how they affect you.

Below is a list of helpful documents which may aid in the appeal:

• If the property was purchased, listed, or appraised in the last 24 months then we would like copies of the fee appraisal and signed settlement statement.
• Commercial property owners should send in rent rolls and year-end operating statements.
• If any major damage has occurred to the property, please send in repair estimates or receipts.
• Construction costs for any new structures or renovations.
• A few representative photos of general areas of the property that are in disrepair.

The annual Questionnaire is available via your Property Info tab on the portal. This is an optional questionnaire that gives our clients the opportunity to let us know anything about your property that you think may help your agent achieve the best possible reduction.

You can attach documents (such as your settlement statement, an appraisal, repair estimates or receipts, pictures of damage, etc.) or choose not to complete the questionnaire if no changes have been made.

You can also upload information to us any time throughout the year using the Documentation tab on your portal. The sooner you send us the information the better.

Despite our best effort to work with the Appraisal Districts to change this policy, the Appraisal Districts are now only sending a copy of the Notice of Appraised Value to the agent on file. We will forward the copies to our clients by email as soon as we are able to do so. Be on the lookout for these in late Spring. Notice values are also available online in April of each year at each respective District’s website.

Please upload pictures via the Documentation tab. You can identify the property address for the pictures via the property selection. We do not accept .png files.

Our agents each have thousands of hours of appeal experience and have carefully prepared the best evidence for each file structured to maximize results. Clients attending hearings often unnecessarily complicates an appeal by volunteering new, inferior or immaterial evidence which hamper our collective productivity. Because we do not have time to rehearse our team presentation with each client, we ask that you leave the hearing to us, the licensed professionals who have a vested interest in obtaining the greatest possible reduction.

If your appraisal was performed within the last 24 months, please upload using the Documentation tab on your portal! Not all appraisals are helpful, but it is always good for the agent to have as much information to work with as possible.

There can be both legitimate and illegitimate reasons for being the highest price per square foot in a neighborhood. An example of a legitimate reason would be that the home is the smallest in the neighborhood. Mass appraisal models will always value smaller homes at a higher unit price and a lower total value than larger comparable homes. An example of a possibly illegitimate reason would be a property’s depreciation schedule was altered or overridden to produce a notice value closer to the recent sale price.

Our agents specialize in different neighborhoods and property types to ensure that each property gets the best representation possible. If you have multiple properties with us then it is likely different agents will be assigned. If necessary, you may choose to have one person as your point-of-contact to coordinate with all of your agents.

In most cases, the result is final. If you feel that a major detail about your property or evidence that you provided was not fully considered, please give us a call or send us an email to have an agent take another look at it. In some cases, there is simply no evidence to support a reduction. Hard to believe, but on occasion, the District has either undervalued a property or all of the evidence supports their initial proposal.

The easiest way to close your account is by selecting the Contact Us option on your portal. Select “Close Account” to relay your request for cancellation.

We take Visa, Mastercard, Discover or American Express by phone or portal submission. All credit/debit card transactions are subject to a 3% transaction fee. Alternatively, you may mail a check or select a bill-pay option through your banking institutions to the PO Box listed below.

P. O. Box 140025 Austin, Texas 78714-0025

Please include your client ID and invoice number on the check to avoid a returned payment.

The deadline to pay your taxes is January 31st each year (or the next business day if January 31st falls on a weekend or holiday).

If you receive your tax bill after January 10th, you have a later due date which will be indicated on the bill. If you are over the age of 65, you are eligible to apply for tax payment deferral (although you will still accrue penalty & interest).

If you do not receive a tax bill in the mail, it is still your responsibility to make sure that you pay your bill on-time. Tax bills are available to view online at any time by searching your county’s Tax Office website here.

Tax savings can be seen in the difference between the taxable value on your Notice of Appraised Value vs. your actual tax bill. We calculate the taxes due based on the Notice value with the same exemption discounts (if applicable) and tax rates that are calculated on your actual tax bill.

Consultant fees are eligible to be deducted from your federal income taxes on income-producing properties only.

Texas Protax does not receive your tax bill or any communications from the Tax Office. Our authority to represent you only extends to the Appraisal District and their communications. Your tax bill will be mailed to the same address that it has in previous years. Tax bills are mailed to whomever is responsible for paying the actual bill. If you do not receive a tax bill in the mail, it is still your responsibility as a property owner to find out how much you owe and pay it by the January 31st deadline – but we are happy to assist you! Tax bills are all available to be viewed and paid online at your county’s Tax Assessor Collector’s website. Find yours here.

Absolutely! If your property is eligible, we can prepare most exemption applications for you. Please email with the address of the property you’re referencing and we can check to see that you are claiming every exemption that you’re entitled to. There is no fee for filing exemption applications.