Page 6 - The Shores of Jupiter - October '20

Page 6, The Shores

For Palm Beach County, Amendment until the spouse remarries, dies or sells or disposes of the
5 applies to 330,000 current property property.
owners with homestead exemptions. As always, the Property Appraiser’s position is to adhere
Amendment 6 - Ad Valorem Tax to the law concerning the outcome of any constitutional
Discount For Spouses Of Certain amendment. If Amendments 5 and 6 receive approval from
Taxpayers: Deceased Veterans Who Had Permanent, Combat- the voters, we will make any necessary changes to our
Welcome fall! Related Disabilities processes to comply with the new laws.
As a reminder, my office continues to implement measures Language: Provides that the homestead property tax If you have any questions regarding Amendments 5 and
to ensure the health and safety of our staff, while also discount for certain veterans with permanent combat-related 6, please call our office (Exemption Services Department)
maintaining the highest level of safe service to the taxpayers disabilities carries over to such veteran’s surviving spouse at (561) 355-2866.
of Palm Beach County during the COVID-19 pandemic. who holds legal or beneficial title to, and who permanently
Our office is open to the public, however, we encourage resides on, the homestead property, until he or she remarries Office Closed Due To Holiday
you to contact us via phone: (561) 355-3230, email: PAO@ or sells or otherwise disposes of the property. The discount
pbcgov.org or utilize our online services at our website: www. may be transferred to a new homestead property of the The Palm Beach County Property Appraiser’s Office
pbcgov.org/PAPA. surviving spouse under certain conditions. The amendment (including all of our service centers) will be closed on
The end of the 2020 tax year is fast approaching and takes effect Jan. 1, 2021. Columbus Day, Monday, Oct. 12. We will resume normal
October is a busy month in my office as we certify the ad If passed, Amendment 6 would transfer a deceased business hours on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 8:30 a.m.
valorem tax roll to the Palm Beach County Tax Collector’s veteran’s combat related property tax discount to their
Office. The tax collector will mail the 2020 tax bills on surviving spouse. The discount would remain in effect
Nov. 1.
Also during this time, petition hearings will begin “Service is our number one priority”
led by the Palm Beach County Clerk and Comptroller’s
Value Adjustment Board (VAB) for property owners who 561-743-0070
filed a petition because they disagree with their property
assessment or denied exemption. On average, the number www.palmspoolservices.com
of petitions filed in Palm Beach County is low, typically
less than 1 percent of the total parcels in the county. For
questions about petition hearings, go to the VAB website:
https://www.mypalmbeachclerk.com/publicfunds/value-
adjustment-board-vab.
This year, the general election will be held on Nov. 3 and
there will be six proposed amendments on the ballot. To be
added to the state constitution, voters must approve each
amendment with a majority of 60 percent of the vote.
This month’s newsletter will provide explanations for
Amendments 5 and 6, which affect Florida property taxes.
I hope you will find this information helpful.
We Value What You Value.
Respectfully,
Dorothy Jacks, CFA, AAS, Expires 10/31/20.
Palm Beach County Property Appraiser
State Licensed & Insured
Upcoming General Election – Serving Palm Beach County CPC # 1457468 • LPG#30099
Tuesday, Nov. 3

Below is a summary of Amendments 5 and 6, which will
be on the ballot for the general election, held on Tuesday,
Nov. 3.
Amendment 5 – Limitation On Homestead Assessments
Language: Proposing an amendment to the State
Constitution, effective date Jan. 1, 2021, to increase, from
two years to three years, the period of time during which
accrued “Save Our Homes” benefits may be transferred
from a prior homestead to a new homestead.
The “Save Our Homes” (SOH) benefit caps taxable
assessment increases on homesteaded property at 3 percent
a year, and it allows sellers to take or “port” their current
savings with them when buying a new Florida property,
providing they do so within the designated time frame and
meet other requirements.
Under the “portability” component of the homestead
exemption, a homeowner can transfer up to $500,000 of
the accrued benefit from their former primary residence to
their new home. To transfer the SOH benefit, homeowners
had to claim that exemption within two years – the law sets
the timeline based on the tax roll year.
Amendment 5 would extend the time frame from two tax
years to three tax years for property owners to transfer or
“port” all or part of their homestead assessment difference
to a new homestead anywhere in Florida.

Licensed and Insured