Florida Homestead Exemption: Mid-Year Checklist for Snowbirds

Florida Homestead Exemption is one of the biggest financial perks of owning a primary residence in the Sunshine State, yet many seasonal residents lose part—or all—of the benefit through small oversights. July is the perfect moment for snowbirds who have just settled into their northern homes to confirm that their Florida Homestead Exemption is secure for the rest of 2025 and beyond. Use this mid-year checklist—tailored to the unique lifestyle of out-of-state homeowners—to preserve thousands in property-tax savings and protect your estate-planning goals.

1. Re-confirm that your Florida home is your legal primary residence

The Florida Homestead Exemption is available only on a taxpayer’s permanent, primary residence. Though you may spend summers up north, you still need to demonstrate “intent to reside” in Florida:

• Maintain a Florida-issued driver’s license and vehicle registration.

• Register to vote in your Florida county.

• File a Florida Declaration of Domicile if needed.

• Use the Florida address for your IRS returns, credit cards, and insurance policies.

Auditors often look for the totality of these indicators. Kiplinger’s mid-2024 guide to snowbird residency confirms that shifting professional and medical relationships southwards can make or break a claim. kiplinger.com

2. Validate the exemption amount on your 2025 TRIM notice

Counties will mail Truth-in-Millage (TRIM) notices in August. Scan the line that shows your Florida Homestead Exemption amount. Due to the inflation-indexing rules of Amendment 5, the base $50,000 exemption is adjusted to $50,722 for tax year 2025. miamidadepa.gov

If the dollar figure on your notice is lower, call your county property appraiser immediately.

3. Double-check the “Save Our Homes” assessment cap

In addition to the basic Florida Homestead Exemption, the “Save Our Homes” (SOH) cap limits annual assessment increases to the lesser of 3 percent or CPI. Make sure the capped value on your notice is not rising faster than that limit. A mistaken adjustment can quietly erase thousands in future tax savings.

4. Confirm you met the occupancy requirements

Renting your homesteaded property for more than 30 days in two consecutive years or for more than six months in a single year jeopardizes the Florida Homestead Exemption. If you leased the home this spring, review the exact dates and keep lease agreements on file in case the county investigates.

5. Verify county records and mailing addresses

A mid-year address change—say, switching to a PO Box up north—can trigger automated reviews that flag your exemption for audit. Log into your county appraiser’s portal to ensure:

• Owner names match the deed or trust.

• Mailing address remains your Florida domicile.

• No secondary exemptions (Veteran, Senior, etc.) disappeared during record updates.

6. Review trust or joint-ownership structures

Placing a residence into a revocable living trust or adding adult children to the deed is common in estate plans, but it can accidently cancel the Florida Homestead Exemption if documentation is incomplete. Have your estate-planning attorney confirm that trust language preserves your beneficial use and occupancy.

7. Lock in portability before year-end

If you purchased a new Florida home in late 2024 or 2025, file a Portability Application to transfer any unused SOH savings from your prior homestead. You have only three tax years after selling the old home to claim portability. Missing this window could raise your assessments by tens of thousands.

8. Track pending legislation and rebates

Florida lawmakers debated Senate Bill 1016 in early 2025, which would have raised the core Florida Homestead Exemption to $75,000, but the bill died in committee on June 16. flsenate.gov

Separately, Governor DeSantis proposed a $1,000 one-time property-tax rebate for all homesteaded properties, scheduled for December 2025 if adopted in the final budget. flgov.com

Neither measure affects your 2025 tax bill yet, but stay tuned—changes could require new filing steps in 2026.

9. Inspect renovation and addition plans

Adding square footage, finishing a lanai, or installing a detached garage can lift your assessed value despite the SOH cap (new construction is added at full market value). Before pulling permits, estimate how the project will interact with your Florida Homestead Exemption and whether portability savings can offset the increase.

10. Calendar next year’s filing deadline

The hard deadline for new filings or changes to the Florida Homestead Exemption is March 1 each year. ocpaweb.ocpafl.org

Add a calendar reminder for mid-February 2026 so you can submit any address changes, portability forms, or senior-exemption documents without last-minute stress.

Common Pitfalls That Cost Snowbirds Their Exemption

1. Dual homestead claims. Claiming a property-tax exemption in another state or province automatically forfeits the Florida Homestead Exemption.

2. Rental platform missteps. Automated Airbnb calendars can over-book your home past the legal limit.

3. Ownership changes without re-filing. Adding a spouse or child to the deed after marriage or estate planning requires an updated exemption form.

4. Mailing-address mix-ups. Receiving property-tax bills at a northern address can raise residency red flags.

5. Selling too early in the year. If you sell before January 1, you lose the exemption for that tax year unless you close on a new homestead by that date.

Avoid these traps, and your Florida Homestead Exemption will continue to reduce your property taxes and safeguard equity for your heirs.

Why Estate-Planning Attorneys Care about Your Homestead

The Florida Homestead Exemption delivers more than yearly tax relief. State constitutional provisions restrict creditors and protect the home from forced sale, while special descent rules dictate who inherits the property if you die intestate. Failing to preserve the exemption can:

• Break asset-protection barriers—creditors may suddenly access equity.

• Create unequal shares among blended-family members.

• Increase the taxable value used in Medicaid transfer-penalty calculations.

A mid-summer review of your estate documents ensures that deeds, trusts, and beneficiary designations still align with both the tax and asset-protection functions of the Florida Homestead Exemption.

Action Steps Before Labor Day

1. Pull last year’s TRIM notice and compare the 2025 draft when it arrives.

2. Gather proof of Florida residency for every adult owner.

3. Schedule a 30-minute call with your estate-planning attorney to review titling.

4. Set two digital reminders: December 15 to monitor rebate news, and February 15 2026 for the next filing cycle.

5. Create a “Homestead” folder in your fire-safe box or cloud storage for deeds, exemptions, and portability receipts.

Bottom Line

Your Florida Homestead Exemption is not a “set it and forget it” benefit—especially for snowbirds splitting their year between two homes. Performing this mid-year checklist secures your 2025 tax savings, protects hard-earned equity, and keeps your estate plan ready for whatever the next migration season brings. If you spot discrepancies or plan major life changes, contact Absolute Law Group today for a personalized review.