As Meridian and Lauderdale County residents head to the gym, count calories, save money or tackle other resolutions for 2025, the Lauderdale County Tax Assessor’s office is encouraging folks to add another goal to their lists: pay less taxes.

Tax Assessor Whitney Hodges said the window to apply for a homestead exemption on property taxes opens Jan. 2 and runs through April 1, and residents could see significant savings on their annual tax bill by completing the paperwork. There are four types of homestead exemption, she said, including regular homestead for all homeowners, homestead for those 65 and older, and homestead for disabled veterans and disability homestead.

Homestead exemptions help residents by lowering the rate a property is assessed at, which means each mill — equal to $1 for every $1,000 of assessed value — costs less. Additionally, homeowners can get a credit that will go directly toward reducing what they owe.

“So what it does is two things. It’s assessed at a lower rate, and then you also get up to a $300 credit on your taxes,” she said. “As long as your house is over $75,000 in value, you would get that $300 credit, and it takes it off your taxes. So it just takes it off your taxes, which is good. Everybody wants to save money.”

The Tax Assessor’s office has, for years, worked to educate area residents about homestead exemptions and encourage homeowners to take advantage of the tax breaks they may qualify for.

Hodges, on Monday, received permission from the Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors to stay open 8 a.m. to noon one Saturday each month leading up to the April 1 deadline for residents who may not be able to take time off work or get to the office during the regular Monday through Friday work week. The office will be open Jan. 25, Feb. 22 and March 29.

Whether they’re coming on a weekday or weekend, residents planning to file for homestead exemption will need to gather some documents before heading down to the government center, Hodges said. Things to bring include social security numbers for the homeowner and spouse, tag numbers for vehicles, purchase price and down payment amount of the property, the name of the previous owner and documentation of being 65 or older, disabled or a disabled veteran.

Residents who have previously filed for a homestead exemption may need to reapply if their spouse has died, they’ve purchased a new home, had a change in marital status, bought or sold property or turned 65, became disabled or became a disabled veteran.

“Sometimes people don’t know, like a spouse will pass away, and the other spouse won’t come in,” Hodges said. “Well, we don’t know if they’re 65 or not, so we have to, legally, bump them back down to just regular homestead, but it costs a lot of money to them if they don’t come in.”

More information about homestead exemptions is available on the county website, lauderdalecounty.org, Hodges said, and her staff are available to help. Residents can reach the Tax Assessor’s office at 601-482-9779.

Also with the start of the new year are business renditions, Hodges said, which are like inventories of what has been bought or sold throughout the past year. Business owners are encouraged to keep an eye out for rendition notices, she said, and get them returned to the Tax Assessor’s office as quickly as possible. Renditions must be turned in by April 1.