Form 50-135, Application for Disabled Veterans or Survivors Exemption, is the Texas property tax form used to claim an exemption under Tax Code Section 11.22 for property owned by a disabled veteran, or by the surviving spouse or child of a qualifying disabled veteran or of a service member who died on active duty. It is one of the Denton County property tax forms listed by the Denton County Tax Assessor-Collector, but it is filed with the appraisal district office in the county where the property is located, not with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. On FillingPDF you can fill out the form online and download or print the completed PDF; the original is published on the Denton County website.
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What is 50-135?
Form 50-135, Application for Disabled Veterans or Survivors Exemption, is the Texas property tax form on which a disabled veteran, or a qualifying surviving spouse or child, asks the chief appraiser to exempt part of the assessed value of one property from taxation.
The form is used under Tax Code Section 11.22. A qualified individual is entitled to an exemption from taxation of a portion of the assessed value of one property that the applicant owns and designates. The application applies to property owned on Jan. 1 of the year for which it is filed. The Denton County Tax Assessor-Collector lists the form among its property tax resources and forms.
The form covers three kinds of claim, chosen in Step 3:
- Disabled Veteran's Exemption, for a veteran with a service connected disability.
- Surviving Spouse or Child of a Deceased Disabled Veteran.
- Surviving Spouse or Child of Armed Service Member who died on Active Duty.
It has five steps: ownership information, property information, type of exemption and qualifications, late application, and certification and signature. A driver's license, personal I.D. certificate or Social Security number entered on it is confidential under Tax Code Section 11.48(a). The form is not filed with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.
Who needs to file 50-135?
Three groups use Form 50-135, and each must also be a Texas resident:
- Disabled veterans. You qualify if you are a veteran of the United States armed forces, the Veteran's Administration (V.A.) or your service branch has officially classified you as disabled, and you have a service connected disability.
- Surviving spouse or child of a deceased disabled veteran. A surviving spouse must not have remarried. A surviving child must be under 18, unmarried, and the disabled parent's spouse must not have survived the disabled parent.
- Surviving spouse or child of an armed service member who died on active duty. A surviving spouse must not claim an exemption as the surviving spouse of a deceased disabled veteran. A surviving child must be under 18 and unmarried.
The exemption applies to one property that you own and designate, and you must have owned it on Jan. 1 of the year you apply. The form is signed by an "Authorized Signature" with a printed name and title; it does not describe who else may sign for an applicant.
When to file 50-135
File the completed application with all required documentation beginning Jan. 1 and no later than April 30 of the year for which you are requesting the exemption. A late application is accepted if you file it no later than one year after the delinquency date for the taxes on the property; Step 4 of the form is used for a prior tax year, and you must have met every qualification on January 1 of that prior year.
Once the chief appraiser grants the exemption, you do not need to reapply every year. You must reapply if the chief appraiser requires it, or if you want the exemption to apply to property not listed on the application. If the chief appraiser asks for more information, you have 30 days to provide it or the application is denied; the chief appraiser may extend that deadline once, by written order, for no more than 15 days.
Documents you need
- Documentation from the V.A. or service branch identifying the veteran's most recent disability rating; the form asks you to attach it in Step 3 for every type of exemption.
- Any other supporting documentation the appraisal district requires; the form says the application and all supporting documentation are filed together, and the chief appraiser may request additional information within 30 days.
How to fill out 50-135
Enter the appraisal district and tax year
At the top, write the appraisal district's name, phone number and address. Under "State the Year for Which You are Applying," enter the tax year.
Complete Step 1 owner information
Enter the property owner's name, mailing address, city, state, ZIP code and phone number. Check Yes or No for Texas resident, and enter a driver's license, personal I.D. certificate or Social Security number.
Describe the property in Step 2
Enter the property's address, city, state and ZIP code. Add the legal description and appraisal district account number if known, and the make, model and identification number for a manufactured home.
Check the type of exemption
In Step 3, check one box: Disabled Veteran's Exemption, Surviving Spouse or Child of a Deceased Disabled Veteran, or Surviving Spouse or Child of Armed Service Member who died on Active Duty.
Enter the veteran's details
Give the veteran's name, branch of service, disability rating, age and serial number. Attach documentation from the V.A. or service branch identifying the most recent disability rating.
Answer the disability question
Check whether the service connected disability includes loss of one or more limbs or blindness in one or both eyes.
Answer the surviving spouse questions
If you are the surviving spouse, check Yes or No, then say whether you have remarried.
Answer the surviving child questions
If you are a surviving child, check Yes or No, then answer Under 18 years of age? and Unmarried?. Enter the number of the qualifying parent's children who are under 18 and unmarried.
Complete Step 4 for a late application
Only if you were eligible last year, check the box and enter the prior tax year. You must have met all qualifications on January 1 of that year.
Certify and sign in Step 5
Print your name and title, then add the authorized signature and date. A false statement can lead to a Class A misdemeanor or state jail felony charge under Penal Code Section 37.10.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check every step against your records, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF. Assemble it with the V.A. or service branch documentation and file it as described under How to submit.
How to submit 50-135
File Form 50-135 with the appraisal district office in the county where your property is located, together with all supporting documentation. The form names no mail address, portal or appointment rule of its own.
- Where: the appraisal district office for the county of the property. Its location and address are listed in the directory at www.window.state.tx.us/propertytax/references/directory/cad. The top of the form has lines for the appraisal district's name, phone number and address.
- Where not: do not file this document with the office of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.
- What to include: the completed, signed form and documentation from the V.A. or service branch identifying the most recent disability rating.
- When: between Jan. 1 and April 30 of the year you request the exemption, or as a late application within the limit described under When to file.
After approval, you must notify the chief appraiser in writing if and when your right to the exemption ends or the disabled veteran's disability rating changes. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Filing the form with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts instead of the appraisal district office in the county where the property is located.
- Filing after April 30 and not treating it as a late application; a late filing is accepted only within one year after the delinquency date for the taxes on the property.
- Leaving out the V.A. or service branch documentation that identifies the most recent disability rating.
- Not answering the chief appraiser's request for more information within 30 days, which means the application is denied.
- Assuming the exemption covers a second property; it applies to one property you own and designate, and you must reapply to add property not listed.
- Applying as a surviving spouse after remarrying, or as a surviving child who is 18 or older or married.
- Claiming a prior tax year in Step 4 without having met all qualifications on January 1 of that prior year.
- Not notifying the chief appraiser in writing when your right to the exemption ends or the disability rating changes.
Frequently asked questions
What is Form 50-135 used for?
Form 50-135 is the application for a property tax exemption under Tax Code Section 11.22 for a disabled veteran, or the surviving spouse or child of a qualifying disabled veteran or of an armed service member who died on active duty. It exempts a portion of the assessed value of one property you own and designate.
Is Form 50-135 a Denton County property tax form?
The Denton County Tax Assessor-Collector lists it among its property tax resources and forms. You still file it with the appraisal district office in the county where the property is located, and the form says not to file it with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.
When is the deadline to file Form 50-135?
File between Jan. 1 and April 30 of the year you want the exemption. A late application is allowed if filed no later than one year after the delinquency date for the taxes on the property.
Who qualifies for the disabled veteran exemption on Form 50-135?
A Texas resident who is a veteran of the United States armed forces, has a service connected disability, and has been officially classified as disabled by the V.A. or service branch. Surviving spouses and children qualify under the separate conditions printed on the form.
Do I have to reapply for the exemption every year?
Not if the chief appraiser grants it, unless the chief appraiser requires you to reapply. You also reapply if you want the exemption to apply to property not listed on your application.
What do I attach to Form 50-135?
Attach documentation from the V.A. or service branch identifying the veteran's most recent disability rating. File it with the form and any other supporting documentation the appraisal district requires.
Is my Social Security number on Form 50-135 public?
No. Under Tax Code Section 11.48(a), a driver's license, personal I.D. certificate or Social Security number on an exemption application is confidential and not open to public inspection, except as Section 11.48(b) authorizes.
What happens if the chief appraiser asks for more information?
You must provide it within 30 days of the request or the application is denied. For good cause, the chief appraiser may extend that deadline by written order for one period of no more than 15 days.
Can I fill out Form 50-135 online on FillingPDF?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not file the form; you submit it to the appraisal district office yourself.
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