After successfully completing this unit, you will be able to
• distinguish among immune, exempt and partially exempt property,
• describe the various personal exemptions available to qualified owners of homestead property,
• compute the property tax on a specific parcel, given the current tax rate, assessed value, eligible exemptions and transfer of assessment limitation difference (save our homes portability) if applicable,
• list the steps involved in the tax appeal procedure,
• describe the purpose of Florida’s Green Belt Law,
• calculate the cost of a special assessment, given the conditions and amounts involved,
• describe the tax advantages of home ownership,
• explain how to determine taxable income of investment real estate, and
• distinguish between installment sales and like-kind exchange.

Key Terms

ad valorem	immune properties
assessment limitation (save our homes benefit)	just value
assessed value	like-kind exchange
capital gains	mill
community development districts	special assessment
debt service	tax rate
exempt properties	taxable income
installment sale	taxable value

Overview

“Two things are certain in life,” as the saying goes, “death and taxes.” This unit will describe the taxes associated with real estate, including property taxes, special assessments and income taxes. You’ll learn how to calculate property taxes and the tax exemptions available to homeowners. You’ll see how improvements to a neighborhood can be allocated among the owners by use of a special assessment. And you’ll learn how to determine the taxable income of an investment property.