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HB0941 • 2026

Taxes, Real Property

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 67, Chapter 5, Part 7, relative to elderly, low-income homeowners.

Taxes
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Mitchell, Akbari
Last action
2025-02-06
Official status
Assigned to s/c Cities & Counties Subcommittee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not specify the exact fiscal impact on local governments.

Tennessee Property Tax Relief for Elderly Homeowners

This bill changes how Tennessee provides property tax relief to elderly homeowners with low income by basing the reimbursement on the assessed value of their homes and setting limits based on inflation.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the way property tax relief is calculated for elderly, low-income homeowners in Tennessee.
  • Limits the amount of property tax relief based on the assessed value of a home, not to exceed $400,000 initially or adjusted amounts due to inflation.
  • Increases the upper limit annually starting from 2027 to reflect inflation as measured by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers.
  • Calculates reimbursement based on the taxpayer's age and the property tax owed, with higher percentages for older taxpayers.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Elderly homeowners in Tennessee with low income who qualify for property tax relief.

Terms To Know

Assessed Value
The value of a property as determined by local government for tax purposes.
Inflation Adjustment
An increase in the upper limit on assessed values each year to account for rising prices, based on an official economic index.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The exact fiscal impact on local governments cannot be determined.
  • This bill applies only to tax years starting from July 1, 2025, and onwards.

Bill History

  1. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee

  2. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  3. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Cities & Counties Subcommittee

  4. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  5. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  6. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  7. 2025-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

UPPER LIMIT

Present law requires
that
certain low-income taxpayers
,

65
or older
, are paid

from the general funds to
reimburse such taxpayers for all or part of the local property taxes paid for
the
taxpayer's residence.
For this purpose,
the taxpayer's annual income from all sources
must

not exceed $24,000
.
Such reimbursement
must
be paid on the first $27,000, or such other amount as set forth in the general appropriations act or as adjusted
to reflect inflation after 2018
, of the full market value of such property.
This bill revises th
ese provisions so that r
eimbursement must be paid on the assessed value of the property
, as defined below. However, the
reimbursement must not be paid if the assessed value of the property exceeds $400,000, or such other amount as set forth in the general
appropriations act or as adjusted
for inflation,
in the first year tax relief for the property is claimed by the taxpayer. If the assessed value of the property of a taxpayer who received
this
tax relief in the previous year exceeds the upper limit set o
r adjusted in the subsequent year, then reimbursement must be paid on the upper limit.

INFLATION ASSESSMENT

Present law requires
the amount on which reimbursement
is paid to be
increased annually to reflect inflation, as measured by the United States b
ureau of labor statistics consumer price index for all urban consumers
,
rounded to the nearest $100.
This bill revises this provision so that, instead, b
eginning
with
tax year 2027, the upper limit on the assessed value must be increased annually to refle
ct inflation, as measured by the United States bureau of labor statistics consumer price index for all urban consumers, and rounded to the nearest $100.

REIMBURSEMENT

In determining the amount of relief to a taxpayer,
present law provides that
the eff
ective assessed value on the first $27,000, or such other amount as set forth in the general appropriations act or as adjusted
for inflation,
of full market value
must
be multiplied by a tax rate that has been adjusted to reflect the relationship between a
ppraised value and market value in that jurisdiction, as determined by the state board of equalization.
This bill revises this provision to provide, instead, that the r
eimbursement is based on the taxpayer's age and must be calculated as a percentage of t
he property tax owed and paid on the assessed value
.
The assessed value must be multiplied by a tax rate that has been adjusted to reflect the relationship between appraised value and market value in that jurisdiction, as determined by the state board of
equalization.

ASSESSED VALUE

Present law requires t
he effective assessed value
to
be determined by multiplying the full market value of the property up to

$27,000, or such other amount as set forth in the general appropriations act or as adjusted
for inflation,
by 25%.
This bill removes this provision and requires, instead, that t
he assessed value is determined by multiplying the full market value of the property by 25%.
T
he amount of property tax relief available to a taxpayer is as follows:



If the taxpayer is 65, then the reimbursement is 10% of the property tax paid
.



Each additional year results in an additional 10
%
of property tax reimbursement
.



If the taxpayer is 74 or older, then the reimbursement is 100% of the property tax paid.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
SENATE BILL 1173
By Akbari

HOUSE BILL 941
By Mitchell

HB0941
001982
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 67,
Chapter 5, Part 7, relative to elderly, low-income
homeowners.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 67-5-702(a), is amended by deleting
subdivision (3) and substituting instead the following:
(A) Reimbursement must be paid on the assessed value of the property and in
accordance with subsection (b); provided, that reimbursement must not be paid if the
assessed value of the property exceeds four hundred thousand dollars ($400,000), or
such other amount as set forth in the general appropriations act or as adjusted pursuant
to subdivision (a)(3)(B), in the first year tax relief for the property is claimed by the
taxpayer. If the assessed value of the property of a taxpayer who received tax relief
pursuant to this section in the previous year exceeds the upper limit set or adjusted
pursuant to this subdivision (a)(3) in the subsequent year, then reimbursement must be
paid on the upper limit.
(B) Beginning for tax year 2027, and each subsequent tax year, the upper limit
on the assessed value under subdivision (a)(3)(A) must be increased annually to reflect
inflation, as measured by the United States bureau of labor statistics consumer price
index for all urban consumers, and rounded to the nearest one hundred dollars ($100).
The comptroller of the treasury shall notify taxpayers of any change in dollar amounts
made pursuant to this subdivision (a)(3)(B) and post the information in a readily
identifiable location on the comptroller's website. The annual percentage changes used

- 2 - 001982

in this calculation must be not less than zero percent (0%) and not more than three
percent (3%).
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 67-5-702(b), is amended by deleting
the subsection and substituting instead the following:
(1) In determining the amount of relief to a taxpayer:
(A) Reimbursement is based on the taxpayer's age and must be
calculated as a percentage of the property tax owed and paid on the assessed
value; and
(B) The assessed value must be multiplied by a tax rate that has been
adjusted to reflect the relationship between appraised value and market value in
that jurisdiction, as determined by the state board of equalization.
(2) The assessed value is determined by multiplying the full market value of the
property by twenty-five percent (25%).
(3) The full market value of the property is determined by adjusting the
appraised value of the property as shown on the records of the assessor of property by a
factor that reflects the relationship between appraised value and market value in that
jurisdiction, as determined by the state board of equalization.
(4) The amount of property tax relief available to a taxpayer is as follows:
(A) If the taxpayer is sixty-five (65) years of age, then the reimbursement
is ten percent (10%) of the property tax paid;
(B) Each additional year of age results in an additional ten percent (10%)
of property tax reimbursement; and
(C) If the taxpayer is seventy-four (74) years of age or older, then the
reimbursement is one hundred percent (100%) of the property tax paid.

- 3 - 001982

SECTION 3. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it, and
applies to tax years beginning on or after that date.