Why did my taxes go up so much?

If it is a new house, the previous taxes may have been for only a portion of the house since it was not complete.  Buildings are assessed when they are at least fifty percent (50%) complete on January 1 of the tax year and the total value is assessed at that percentage.  Since the house is officially 10 percent (100%) complete, the taxes reflect that change.  Someone’s appraised value may rise if they added anything new to an existing improvement, if their millage rate went up, or if their land went from agricultural to residential status.

What are my taxes for this year?

Taxes are always paid a year behind, so the taxes that are paid this year will be for the previous year.  Until the tax collector mails out the tax bills, we are unable to give an exact amount.

Who do I contact about:

Receiving your tax bill: Ashley County Collector (870)853-2050

Proof of payment of your taxes: Ashley County Collector (870)853-2050

Checking your personal property assessment: Ashley County Assessor  (870)853-2060

Checking your real estate assessment: Ashley County Assessor  (870)853-2060

How does the Amendment 79 Tax Credit work?

Amendment 79 provides a tax credit for property owners on their homestead (your primary residence) property. There are only two requirements for eligibility:

  1. The property is your primary residence.
  2. You are the owner of record.

The credit is itemized on your Real Estate Tax bill as a credit toward the amount of your taxes due.

I just found out about the Amendment 79 Tax Credit. I do not understand why I cannot receive the credit for all of the years I missed and why it was not automatically applied to all homeowners?

First we need to verify that the property that you are applying to receive the credit on is your primary/homestead residence. Arkansas State Law requires that all homeowners must apply to be declared eligible and to receive the credit, and the homeowner’s signature is required to process the application. All applications must be submitted by October 15th on any given year to receive the credit for that year. The tax credit is not automatically applied to all homeowners because it is a voluntary tax credit.

Do I have to reapply every year?

No. Once you have applied for and received the credit, you do not have to reapply each year. The only time that you would need to reapply for the credit would be when you change your primary place of residence (i.e. sell your house and buy a different one).