Conservative and liberal tax policy experts said Abbott’s proposal would lead to higher housing costs and tax benefits flowing disproportionately to wealthy homeowners.
Texas cities and counties already face limits on how much revenue they can generate. Local leaders have warned that further restrictions would mean fewer services like parks and libraries.
The governor must first win over lawmakers who have rejected similar proposals. The state may have to backfill more than $17 billion for school funding alone.
“This victory belongs to every crew member, storyteller, entrepreneur, and advocate who believes in the power of Texas-made media,” Media for Texas said in a joint statement. “We’re proud to say: this is just the beginning. The future of film is Texas. #ComeAndFilmIt”
Homeowners are one step closer to property tax relief with Governor Greg Abbott set to sign two bills after lawmakers approved $22.7 billion in property tax cuts this session.
“This victory belongs to every crew member, storyteller, entrepreneur, and advocate who believes in the power of Texas-made media,” Media for Texas said in a joint statement. “We’re proud to say: this is just the beginning. The future of film is Texas. #ComeAndFilmIt”
Airbnb announced it has been collecting and remitting $13.5 billion in tourism taxes on behalf of hosts worldwide. In Texas, as of 2024, Airbnb has generated $105 million, with $35 million of that coming from Houston alone.
From 2017 to 2021, the taxpayer allegedly added false credits or deductions on tax returns to fraudulently lower her clients’ overall tax liability.
“Texas residents also don’t pay income tax, but spend 1.58% of their income on real estate taxes, one of the highest rates in the country,” the report claimed.
House and Senate lawmakers plan to spend at least $6 billion on property tax cuts, but haven't yet agreed on how much relief should go to homeowners over businesses.
The marquee proposal would increase the amount of a home’s value exemption from school taxes to $140,000 from $100,000. The legislation must win approval from the House next.
The Harris County Tax Office will be holding a press conference to discuss important information for property owners in the Houston area as tax season nears.
Officials took the extraordinary step of taking on new debt to replace the old courthouse, which has been plagued by rats and other pests, elevator breakdowns and flooding.
“We can look at how they evaluate customer needs for where the mobile generation needs to go, including looking at their emergency operation plan and how it deals with this,” PUC Chairman Thomas Gleeson said.
Court records claim Guevara admitted to placing $26,857 in fake business losses that resulted in a tax loss to the U.S. of $13,390 on that return. He took responsibility for $123,458 in losses to the IRS and will be paying that back as restitution.
Texas has spent billions of dollars to drive down property taxes. Many homeowners saw a significant tax cut last year, per a Texas Tribune analysis.
The Internal Revenue Service Taxpayer Assistance Center in southwest Houston closed unexpectedly Saturday, leaving hundreds of Houstonians in need of last-minute help with their taxes... stranded.
H&R Block has addressed that it’s experiencing an issue that has prevented some desktop software users from e-filing their tax returns on Monday.
The Internal Revenue Service Taxpayer Assistance Center in southwest Houston closed unexpectedly Saturday, leaving hundreds of Houstonians in need of last-minute help with their taxes... stranded.
The Internal Revenue Service Taxpayer Assistance Center in southwest Houston closed unexpectedly Saturday, leaving hundreds of Houstonians in need of last-minute help with their taxes... stranded.
Monday is Tax Day and today, the Internal Revenue Service Taxpayer Assistance Center in southwest Houston closed unexpectedly, leaving hundreds of Houstonians in need of help with their taxes stranded.
🔍 Check out this shocking tax filing story! A humble couple paid $17,000 to file their taxes, only to discover they allegedly owed $30,000 to the IRS. 😱 How did this happen? #TaxFiling #IRS #ScamAlert
The Penas claim Tax Doctors, LLC’s assessment found the Humble couple owed the IRS $30,000. Their tax preparer told them they would receive up to $20,000 in refund but must first pay the company $17,000 to file.
A man from Denver, Colorado reached out to KPRC 2 after his friend shared one of our reports on two Houston-area women out thousands of dollars after trying to complete their taxes.
As tax season reaches its peak, taxpayers in Texas and 11 other states have a new, hassle-free option to file their taxes: Direct File.
Two Houston-area families are out thousands of dollars after hiring someone to complete their taxes. As tax day approaches KPRC 2′s Rilwan Balogun has a warning for everyone to double-check who’s preparing their taxes even if they advertise as being local.
Ohtani has decided to defer $680 million of the contract until after his playing days are over, meaning he’ll take in roughly $2 million of salary each year for the duration of the contract that will run through 2033.
The Fort Bend Independent School District is one of the highest achieving districts, but school officials say the starting pay for teachers is the lowest in the area.
Most taxpayers will be able to digitally submit a slew of tax documents and other communications to the IRS next filing season and the agency plans to go completely paperless in 2025.
At a time when the state has some of the nation’s highest property taxes, the initiative was a cornerstone of his 2022 reelection campaign.
A Houston woman has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison following her convictions on seven counts of aiding and assisting in preparing false tax returns, the United States Department of Justice announced Tuesday.
Top Republicans promised property tax cuts, but have been locked in standoffs on how to achieve it. Gov. Greg Abbott has called another overtime legislative session in hopes of solidifying a plan.
Gov. Greg Abbott has thrown his weight behind the idea being pushed by an influential conservative think tank. Many school leaders are worried.
Ideal Tax highlights how the IRS Fresh Start program works, if you're eligible, and what else you need to know
On this week’s episode, we speak to the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s James Quintero, who has been at the center of the debate over property taxes this week.
After the previous, widely criticized program expired in December, lawmakers worked hard to craft a plan that won overwhelming support in both chambers.
The bill, which Democrats have been pushing for years, has become a top priority after the overturn of Roe v. Wade. The Senate has already passed the bill, which would provide tax relief on the purchase of menstrual products, diapers and other child care necessities.
Lawmakers are trying hard to come up with an agreement on how to replace an embattled 20-year tax abatement program for big companies that expired in December.
The two chambers have 10 days to cut a deal before the end of the legislative session, and they are miles apart on some of the very foundations of a corporate tax-abatement bill considered to be a priority for Republican state leaders.
During the floor debate for a plan to replace the expired Chapter 313 program, House members added that the new version of the incentive must require companies to pay higher wages and create stiffer penalties for noncompliance.
KPRC 2 Community is partnered with BakerRipley and Telemundo Houston to host a tax help phone bank on March 30 until 6:30 p.m. Volunteers are standing by to take calls in both English and Spanish. The phone number to call is 713-778-8920.
If you’ve finally gotten your taxes filed, you’re probably ready to put it all away and move on. Have you considered which documents you should keep? And for how long?
Cuts to school property tax bills. Bigger tax benefits for homeowners. A controversial idea to limit property tax growth. Here’s what you need to know about the brewing property tax debate at the Texas Legislature.
This tax season get ready for surprises that could impact your budget. You can’t count on last year’s popular tax breaks and there’s no stimulus money headed your way. Learn what to expect and what you should know about getting help.
We are right in the middle of tax filing season for 2022. Still, millions of returns from previous years are still not processed. The backlog is impacting a lot of people, including one Houston woman who called our KPRC 2 Investigates team for help.
We are right in the middle of tax filing season for 2022. Still, millions of returns from previous years are still not processed. The backlog is impacting a lot of people, including one Houston woman who called our KPRC 2 Investigates team for help.
As you look to get your taxes done this year, we have a warning. There are fraudulent tax preparers who set up shop with the goal of stealing from you. Often people who are victims of these fraudulent tax schemes don’t know it until months later when they never get a refund. Not only is your money gone but thieves have your important personal information.
We are in the middle of tax season, and if you are lucky enough to get a refund this year - what do you do with it? Nathan Grant, Senior Finance Industry Analyst at MoneyTips, shares some smart ways to spend your tax refund.
The Internal Revenue Service is extending help to taxpayers by opening a special assistance center in southwest Houston Saturday.
BakerRipley is helping taxpayers by offering free, tax preparation services for families and individuals who earn up to $58,000 per year.
Hundreds of businesses have sought tax savings from the state before the Chapter 313 program expires. Two companies say they are missing out despite being eligible.
Under the state’s Permanent School Fund’s Bond Guarantee Program, schools get the best interest rate on bonds. That soon may be over if the federal government doesn’t act.
Ron Wilson, a Democrat who served as state representative between 1977 and 2004, pleads guilty to one count of tax evasion after trying to hide some of his income and failing to pay taxes over two decades.
Advocates have previously called for repealing the sales tax on products like tampons, sanitary pads and pantyliners. Menstrual products are already tax-free in 24 states.
If you’re wondering how much you’re paying in property taxes, there’s a way to check them online easily via state information that you can quickly filter down to your county.
The propositions on the May 7 ballot would lower property taxes by shifting more public school costs to the state. But the measures’ language can be hard to understand.
Texas school districts, cities and counties rely heavily on property taxes to pay for roads, libraries, police, firefighters and public schools. But lowering tax bills has long been a difficult endeavor.
It seems like you hear about it more and more these days: The extreme lengths people are going to in order to buy a new house; how much it costs to fill up the gas tank; and what we’re spending at the grocery store.
Texas lawmakers tried to lower property tax bills during their 2019 session, and a new report says they put a dent in the problem: Taxes aren’t rising as quickly as they would have. But they didn’t solve it: Property taxes are still rising.
For those animal lovers who spend so much money on their pets and hope to recoup some of that cash spent when tax season arrives, this is the cold, hard reality: For the most part, you can’t.
State lawmakers will tell you they hate property taxes as much as anyone. But the state itself doesn’t levy the tax — local governments do. And lowering it in a meaningful way would require state officials to raise taxes or cut programs. For them, talking about it is easier than doing something.
You likely know what “income” means, and of course you’re aware of federal and state taxes, and the fact that we have to do them (or have them prepared for us, in some cases), every year. But how much do you know about income tax overall?
Texans who are age 65 or older or who are disabled as defined by law may postpone paying current and delinquent property taxes on their homes by signing a tax deferral affidavit at the Harris County Appraisal District Office.
For those who plan on donating to a charitable organization for Giving Tuesday, there could be some opportunities to receive money back when filing taxes next year.
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High Texas property taxes were an issue in the state's 2018 elections, and you can see from their work on a new homestead exemption earlier this week that state lawmakers didn't forget that lesson from voters.
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Tax relief for property owners joins a packed to-do list for Texas lawmakers — which includes redistricting, COVID-19 vaccine mandates and a spending plan for $16 billion in federal stimulus dollars.
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Officials said the woman prepared a total of 37 false income tax returns for clients and four false income tax returns for herself, resulting in over $284,000.
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With COVID-19 making paid parental leave even more critical, the Dallas Democrat is helping lead the move to change federal policy for fathers as well as mothers.
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Have you done your taxes yet? If not, there are some new tax credits and deductions you need to know about so you get the most money back from Uncle Sam this year.
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By now, most homeowners have received property tax appraisals in the mail. If your jaw hit the floor when you opened yours, you should protest your home’s market value with your county appraisal district. Here are some ideas to get your appraisal and your property taxes lowered.
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HOUSTON – If you collected unemployment in 2020, you could get a bigger tax refund. Usually, when you collect unemployment, you have to pay federal income tax on that money. This year, you do not have to pay taxes on $10,200 of those benefits if you earned less than $150,000. Mary Bynum emailed consumer expert Amy Davis, writing, “I collected unemployment in 2020 and filed my return and received my refund in mid-February. On the IRS website, the agency explains what forms you should use and file if you are doing your taxes yourself to get the tax break.