Christian Ross | Ross Title – Ross Law

Property taxes are one of the most common sources of confusion in a Florida closing, especially for buyers and sellers relocating from the Northeast or other parts of the country where taxes are billed and adjusted differently. It is one of those issues that seems simple at first glance, but the timing of Florida’s tax system, the use of estimates, and the effect of exemptions can all create surprises if you do not understand how the process works.

In Florida, property taxes are posted in November for that same tax year. So, for example, the 2026 tax bill is generally issued in November 2026. That is different from many other states, where tax bills may feel like they are being paid prospectively or on a different fiscal schedule. For clients moving to Florida, this is often the first point that needs to be clarified. The bill that comes out in November is for the year that is ending, not for the upcoming year.

That timing is important because it directly affects how taxes are prorated at closing. If a transaction closes in November or December, we usually have the current year’s actual tax bill available, so the parties can prorate using the real bill. But if the closing occurs before the new tax bill is issued, we typically have no choice but to use the prior year’s bill as the best available reference point. That is not because anyone is guessing blindly. It is because the current year’s final tax amount usually does not yet exist.

Since we often do not have the exact current-year tax bill by the time a property closes, the contract usually addresses this by allowing the buyer and seller to re-prorate once the final bill becomes available if the amount turns out to be different. This is a very important provision, and it comes up more often than people realize.
One common example is when a seller has a homestead exemption that will not carry over to the buyer. Another is when the property has recently changed hands and the assessed value is expected to change significantly. In those cases, the prior year’s tax bill may not be a very good predictor of the final amount that will ultimately be due. The contract provision for re-proration helps account for that difference and allows the parties to true up the numbers after closing if necessary.

Before the actual bill is issued, the first meaningful look at updated taxes usually comes in the form of the TRIM notice. TRIM stands for Truth in Millage, and these notices are generally sent in late summer or early fall. The TRIM notice is not the tax bill. It is an estimate, but it is often the first time we see the updated assessed value for the property and the proposed taxes for that year.

That assessed value is based on the property’s value as of January 1 of that tax year. This is another point worth emphasizing because many owners assume reassessments happen only every few years. In Florida, counties generally reassess property annually. That means values can change every year, and those changes may show up on the TRIM notice before the final bill is issued.

If a property owner disagrees with the assessment, the appeal window is short. A petition generally must be filed within 45 days after the TRIM notice is mailed. That deadline matters. By the time the actual bill arrives in November, it is usually too late to challenge the assessed value for that year.

Florida tax bills also contain two very different categories of charges: ad valorem taxes and non-ad valorem assessments.
Ad valorem taxes are the taxes based on the assessed value of the property. These are the traditional property taxes most people think about when they hear the term “real estate taxes.”

Non-ad valorem assessments are different. They are not based on the property’s assessed value. These can include charges such as solid waste, and in many areas you will see a solid waste line item of roughly $260 or so, depending on the county or municipality. They can also include other special assessments.

One important example is a CDD charge. A CDD, or Community Development District, is a special governmental unit created to finance and maintain infrastructure within a defined community. That can include roads, drainage, utilities, and similar improvements serving the area. If a property is located within a CDD, that fact must be disclosed.

CDD charges can have two components. One may relate to repayment of the original bond or loan used to build the infrastructure. The other may relate to the ongoing annual maintenance and operation of the community improvements. Both can affect the owner’s annual tax bill, and both are important for buyers to understand when evaluating the true carrying cost of a property.

The distinction between ad valorem and non-ad valorem charges is also important at closing because they are not treated the same way for proration purposes. Ad valorem taxes are generally treated as being billed in arrears. That makes sense when you remember that the November bill covers the year that is ending. Non-ad valorem assessments, on the other hand, are generally treated as being billed in advance.

As a result, on many Florida settlement statements, you will see a credit for one type of tax proration and a debit for the other. Clients often assume that must be a mistake, but it is usually the correct result once you understand how the two charges function differently.

This is why tax prorations in Florida are rarely as simple as taking the last bill and dividing by 365. You have to know whether the current bill is available, whether the prior bill was impacted by homestead or other exemptions, whether a reassessment is likely, whether the TRIM notice has provided updated information, and whether the property is subject to non-ad valorem charges such as a CDD assessment. Each of those factors can change the numbers.

Like many things in a real estate transaction, the goal is not just to get to the closing table. The goal is to make sure everyone understands the numbers and why they were calculated the way they were. Property taxes are one of those areas where a little explanation up front can prevent a lot of confusion later.

At Ross Law and Ross Title, we work through these issues every day and help buyers, sellers, and Realtors understand how Florida tax prorations really work. If you have questions about a closing, a settlement statement, or how taxes may be handled in your transaction, we are always happy to help.