How I Lowered My Tarrant County Property Taxes in Minutes — And Why You Can Too
If you live in Tarrant County in Texas, you've probably stared at your Notice of Appraised Value that's due mid-May and wondered why your taxes keep going up. I used to think protesting my value was complicated, risky, or something only professionals did.
Turns out, I was wrong.
This year, I finally sat down and went through the protest process on tad.org, and what I discovered honestly shocked me. The system is way easier than I expected — and I could have been doing this every single year.
Here's exactly what happened, what I learned, and how you can do it too.
The Big Secret: Protesting Your TAD Value Is Easy — And Expected
I always assumed protesting was a hassle. Evidence, hearings, paperwork, stress. Nope.
TAD actually expects homeowners to protest. Their entire system is built around it. And if you give them a reasonable opinion of value, they often just…accept it.
No hearing. No evidence. No drama.
Just a lower value.
If you've never protested before, you're exactly the kind of person appraisal districts count on staying quiet. But once you understand the process, you realize it's not a loophole — it's literally how the system is designed. So let's walk through the steps...
The one thing you MUST do by May 16
Submit a Notice of Protest (Form 50‑132) to TAD.
That's it. You do not need evidence ready by the deadline — only the protest form.
You can file it:
Online through your TAD account
By mail (must be postmarked by May 16)
In person at: 2500 Handley‑Ederville Rd, Fort Worth, TX 76118
You only need to check two boxes:
Market Value is incorrect
Property is unequally appraised
These two reasons preserve all your rights and allow you to argue value later.
You do not need to write a long explanation. A simple line like:
"I believe the appraised value is too high."
…is enough.
Although you can file by mail, the focus of this blog will be for filing online and if you prefer an automated review without providing evidence. Just log into your TAD account -> go to your property -> click "File Protest". It takes about 3 minutes.
You might be wondering if it is a good idea to try to argue your property value down instead of up. It is almost always in your best interest to protest down, not up. There is no strategic advantage to raising your value, and several reasons why lowering it is smart.
The appraisal district NEVER raises your value because you protested
This is a common fear, but it's not how Texas law works.
When you file a protest, your value cannot be increased above the Notice of Appraised Value you already received.
The worst‑case scenario is: your value stays the same.
So there is zero downside to trying to bring it down.
Why lowering your value is almost always the right move
Here's the real‑world logic:
1. Lower value = lower taxes every year
Even a small reduction saves you money every single year going forward.
2. Your homestead exemption protects you
Once your homestead exemption is approved:
Your taxable value can only increase 10% per year (the "cap").
A lower starting point means lower taxes forever.
3. Appraisal districts routinely overvalue homes
Especially in fast‑growing areas. Protesting is normal — over 40% of homeowners protest in some counties.
4. You're not hurting resale value
Your appraisal district value has nothing to do with:
market value,
what buyers will pay,
or what a realtor lists your home for.
It only affects property taxes.
5. HELOC lenders do NOT use your TAD value
They use a professional appraisal ordered by the bank. Your TAD value could be:
way too high,
way too low,
or totally wrong…
…and the lender doesn't care. They rely only on the appraiser's report.
So lowering your TAD value has zero effect on your HELOC approval or loan amount.
6. Buyers do NOT use TAD values to decide what to pay
Buyers look at:
market comps,
listing price,
condition,
interest rates,
neighborhood demand.
They do not look at the appraisal district value to decide what your home is worth.
Realtors will tell you the same thing: TAD values are not market values.
7. Lowering your TAD value actually helps future buyers
Because it lowers their projected property taxes.
Lower taxes = more attractive home.
Some buyers even ask:
"Why is the tax value so high?"
So a lower value can make your home easier to sell, not harder.
8. Your homestead cap protects you long‑term
Once your homestead exemption is approved:
Your taxable value can only rise 10% per year.
A lower starting point means lower taxes forever.
If you don't protest now, you lock in a higher base value that compounds every year.
9. When would a higher TAD value help you?
Almost never.
The only edge case:
You're selling to a buyer who mistakenly thinks TAD = market value (but agents correct this instantly).
Even then, it's not a real advantage.
Hopefully you are now at ease with gunning for the protest so let's walk through the tough questions:
"Automated Market Value Review Enter your opinion of value below to begin the protest process. This value will be used in the calculation for your automated value review. Your Opinion of Market Value*"
The "Opinion of Value" Box Isn't a Trap — It's the Shortcut
When you file online, TAD asks for:
Your Opinion of Market Value
This freaks people out. It freaked me out. I didn't have evidence. I didn't have comps. I didn't have anything.
But here's the truth: This number is not binding. It's just used to run an automated review.
TAD showed me three numbers. For the sake of this exercise here are some hypothetical numbers:
Property Market Value: $188,021
Indicated Value from Sales: $219,540
Indicated Value from Equity: $187,353
These numbers are TAD's own internal estimates:
Property Market Value: $188,021 This is the value they officially assigned you.
Indicated Value from Sales: $219,540 This is what their sales model thinks your home might be worth based on comps.
Indicated Value from Equity: $187,353 This is what your home should be worth based on similar homes' appraisals (equity approach).
That last one — the equity value — is TAD's own internal estimate of what similar homes are appraised at. So I entered:
$187,353
The equity value ($187,353) is lower than the market value ($188,021).
That means:
TAD's own system is already suggesting your value is a bit high.
You have a built‑in argument for a reduction.
You don't need outside evidence to justify a small adjustment.
A reasonable number. Not extreme. Not risky. Do not enter $0 or something absurd like $100,000 if your home is worth $350,000. The system will ignore it and it makes the automated review useless.
And guess what?
TAD instantly matched it.
Why this number?
It's defensible because it's TAD's own calculation.
It's reasonable — not too low, not too high.
It triggers the automated review without raising red flags.
It keeps your protest fully valid and gives you room to negotiate later.
This is exactly what most experienced homeowners and tax agents do when they don't have evidence ready.
The Automated Offer: A Real Reduction With Zero Effort
After submitting my opinion of value, TAD responded with:
Final Market Value: $187,353
Exactly what I entered. The response will look something like this:
Account Number: XXXXXXX Situs Address: XXXX XXXXXXXX Thank you for submitting your opinion of Market Value. The Automated Market Value Review takes your opinion of market value and measures it against the district's evidence. The Final Market Value below is the best and final offer. In order to accept this Final Market Value, you must digitally sign this form and acknowledge the terms. This agreement or joint motion agreement will be available to sign until the protest deadline. Market Value Before Settlement: $188,021 Your Opinion of Value: $187,353 Final Market Value: $187,353 Decision If you accept please click Accept to sign and finalize the offer. If you disagree please click Reject/protest. Continuing to protest will allow you to upload evidence for an appraiser to review prior to your hearing. If an offer can be made, you will receive it by mail. Your Decision* I Accept this offer of $187,353 I Reject this offer and wish to continue in filing a protest I Reject this offer of and DO NOT wish to continue in filing a protest
All I had to do was click Accept, sign the joint motion, and I was done. No hearing. No evidence. No back‑and‑forth. This is the choice most homeowners make when TAD matches their number.
Naturally, you could choose one of the other two choices:
Reject and continue protesting if:
You believe your home is worth less than the hypothetical $187,353
You have (or can get) evidence of repairs, damage, or lower comps
You want to push for a bigger reduction
You're comfortable with the hearing process
Reject and NOT continue protesting if:
You want to keep the original hypothetical $188,021
(Almost nobody chooses this)
Assuming you choose Accept, next you should see this:
Joint Motion - Section 41.47 (g-1) Consent to a joint motion is required to complete this form online. Use this form as my protest before the protest deadline with the Tarrant Appraisal Review Board (TARB). The grounds of protests are value is over market value and/or value is unequal compared with other properties. I am the owner or I am a Texas Licensed Property Tax Consultant for this property. If the authorized agent: I have a current Appointment of Agent form on file with the Tarrant Appraisal District. My authorities include, but may not be limited to, the right to file and present protest matters before the TARB. I affirm, under penalty of law, that the information and documents I have presented to Tarrant Appraisal District concerning the above property are true and correct, to the best of my knowledge and belief. I understand that all such documents will become part of the official government record and no additional evidence will be presented in this matter. The property owner waives all rights to any notice of the date and time of the hearing on this protest. This electronic form is the 41.47(g-1) joint motion with the Chief Appraiser, and no other motion is contemplated. I request that the TARB or the Chair of the TARB, as applicable, issue an agreed order and that the agreed order be appealable in the same manner as any other order issued by the TARB under Section 41.47 of the Tax Code. By checking this box, I consent to the above Joint Motion.*
The Joint Motion Isn't Scary — It's Just the Final Step
Should you check the box and sign? In this hypothetical if you want the value $187,353 locked in and your protest closed: Yes — check the box and sign.
When you accept the offer, TAD shows a long legal form called a 41.47(g‑1) Joint Motion. It sounds intense, but all it means is:
You and TAD agreed on a value
No hearing is needed
The ARB will sign off on it
Your protest is officially closed
That's it. This then begs the question...
"Do You Really Need a Property Tax Protest Company?"
Many of the companies that send you letters every year use the same online protest system I used. In many cases, they simply file the protest, enter a reasonable opinion of value, and accept the automated offer — the same steps any homeowner can do for free. Some companies do go further when needed, but for most properties, the automated system is the entire process.
What Happens After Accepting a TAD Joint Motion
Once you click Accept on TAD's automated offer and sign the 41.47(g‑1) Joint Motion, the rest of the process is surprisingly simple. Here's exactly what happens next — no surprises, no extra steps, no hidden obligations.
1. Your New Appraised Value Is Locked In
The moment you sign the joint motion, your property’s value for the year becomes:
$187,353 (or whatever value you accepted)
This is now your official 2025 appraised value. TAD will update your account on the legacy site, usually within a few days.
2. Your Protest Is Automatically Closed
Accepting the joint motion ends your protest. That means:
No hearing
No evidence uploads
No informal review
No ARB appointment
No further action required
You're done for the year.
3. The ARB Issues an Agreed Order
The Appraisal Review Board (ARB) will sign off on the value you and TAD agreed to. This is a formality — you don't need to attend anything or respond to anything.
You may receive a copy of the agreed order by mail.
Your Homestead Exemption (If Pending) Applies to the New Value
If you filed a homestead exemption and it's still processing, it will apply to the new, lower value once approved.
This means:
lower taxable value
lower tax bill
a lower starting point for your 10% homestead cap
5. Your Taxing Entities Use the New Value Later in the Year
Cities, counties, and school districts set tax rates in late summer and fall. When they do, they'll use your new appraised value to calculate your bill.
You don't need to do anything — the system updates automatically.
6. You Can Still Protest Again Next Year
Accepting a joint motion does not affect your right to protest in future years. Every year is a clean slate.
And now that you know how easy the automated system is, you can repeat this process annually.
7. The New TAD Website Will Not Show Any of This
Please note that this writing what originally posted on May 25, 2026 and I had already completed my protest mid-May, so by the time you read this blog the situation with the dual sites can change. Because TAD is running two separate systems, your:
protest
joint motion
accepted value
exemption
ARB order
…will only appear on the legacy site.
The new site is not fully connected yet, which is why you needed two logins with two different password rules.
Bottom Line
Once you accept the joint motion, you’re done. Your value is lowered, your protest is closed, and the ARB will finalize the agreement behind the scenes. No hearings, no extra steps, no surprises.
So… Should You Do This Every Year? Absolutely
Once I realized how simple this was, I had the same reaction you probably do:
"I could have been doing this every year?"
Yes. You could have. And you should.
Protesting:
does not affect resale
does not affect HELOCs
does not hurt you
does not raise your value
does not require evidence to file
It only lowers your taxes.
If you've ever felt confused, intimidated, or overwhelmed by the Tarrant Appraisal District's systems, you're not alone. I was right there with you — juggling two different logins, navigating two different websites, and assuming the protest process was something only experts could handle. But once I went through it myself, I realized how straightforward it really is.
The truth is simple: TAD's system is built for homeowners to protest every year, and the online tools — even with their quirks — make it easier than ever. If you've been putting it off because it seemed complicated or risky, consider this your sign to take a closer look next time your Notice of Appraised Value arrives.
A few minutes of effort can save you money year after year. And now that you know how the process works, you're already ahead of the game.
But wait! There's More!
The Dual Login Mess: Why TAD Has Two Websites and Two Passwords
Here's the part that confused me the most. As of this writing (May 25, 2026) TAD currently runs:
1. The Legacy Site
This is the real system. It handles:
protests
evidence
exemptions
joint motions
automated offers
2. The New Site
This is basically a redesigned property lookup tool. It does not show:
protests
exemptions
homestead applications
evidence
settlement offers
And because they're separate systems, you need two different logins with two different password rules.
It's not you. It's not a glitch. It's just TAD being mid‑migration.
