Who is eligible for Montgomery County property tax freeze?

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — A state program utilized in Montgomery County aims to keep homeownership affordable for its senior residents.

The Property Tax Freeze program helps eligible homeowners 65 and older in the county by locking in the tax due on their properties, at the amount on the year they qualify, even if the tax rate or appraisal increases at a later date.

The state legislature passed Public Chapter 581, the Tax Freeze Act of 2007, which permits local governments to implement the program. The Montgomery County Commission adopted the program for its older population in 2008 and is currently one of 27 counties in Tennessee that participate.

“If we see that there's a need and that there's a gap, we work really hard to try to close that gap by figuring out what we can do to make things a little bit better,” said Kimberly Wiggins, Montgomery County’s trustee. “There are people who live off of $5,000 to $9,000 a year, and I cannot imagine what life can be like at times, so that's why we open our hearts and our doors to make sure that they have that pride.”

Montgomery County residents may qualify if they meet the following requirements:

• Proof of Age (Must be 65 or older on or before December 31, 2024)
  • Birth certificate, driver's license, Medicare card, passport or marriage certificate which states the applicant's age or approval for the State of Tennessee Tax Relief program
• Proof of Ownership and Residency
  • Copy of voter registration card, current year's tax receipt or notice, deed or probated will
    • You’ll need a copy of a death certificate if one of the property owners has died
• Proof of 2023 total income from all sources and from all owners and the total income cannot exceed $60,000

Wiggins said never assume you aren’t eligible.

"You're not begging for anything and you're not intruding,” Wiggins said. “The state approves this and our county has balanced our checkbook really well, so we are able to do this for our citizens. We want them to enjoy retirement because some people are still working, and we do have the working poor. We want people to make sure they can afford to keep their home, live in their home and enjoy this huge investment that they've been afforded to purchase and just enjoy their golden years."

The Montgomery County trustee's office will accept tax freeze applications through April 5, 2025. 

For further assistance or to submit an application, head to the Montgomery County Trustee’s Office at 350 Pageant Ln. in Clarksville or call 931-648-5717. You can find more information on the county’s website.