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County tax official closes 2024 accounts and previews 2025 ad valorem abstract; commission approves insolvent and error adjustments
Summary
The county official reported on insolvents and assessment errors for 2024, summarized the ad valorem abstract preparations for 2025 including state-determined trends and the 7% cap on annual increases, and the commission approved closing out 2024 insolvent, error and litigation items.
Covington County tax staff reported that the office is closing out the 2024 tax year, sought signatures to finalize insolvent accounts and assessed errors, and briefed the commission on the 2025 ad valorem abstract and recent property assessment trends.
The presenter described insolvent personal-property accounts and common assessment errors related to missed exemptions, noting the county continues collection efforts but that some small businesses close before bills are paid. The presenter said the office identifies errors and adjusts assessments (for example, applying exemptions when residents forget to submit forms) and then explains those adjustments to state auditors.
On the 2025 ad valorem abstract, staff said appraisals, state trend adjustments and sales data are combined to lock in the county’s totals for collection. The presenter walked commissioners through neighborhood-level trend changes reported by the state (for example, building values rising in some areas) and explained a statewide policy that caps annual assessment increases at 7% in many cases. Staff warned that new sales or major remodels trigger reappraisal outside the capped trend for the first year after sale or new construction.
The commission voted to approve the insolvent, error and tax-litigation items to allow the county to finalize and forward the abstract to the state comptroller’s office. Staff said that once the abstract and related paperwork are complete, the county’s 2025 collection amounts will be locked with the state.
