Verifying Residence After Homestead Exemption Claim

Q: I recently moved back in to my house and I had to file for my homestead exemption again.

Does the government go to the house and make sure that you actually live there?

A: Not usually. But if the local tax collector does an audit, they may check to see if this is really your primary residence. Typically, they look at phone records, where you get your mail, where you are registered to vote, and where you spend your time in order to determine if the property is your primary residence. You need to keep in mind, that in some parts of the country, the local tax assessor makes no inquiries as to who is living at a particular property. In other parts, the local tax assessor actually visits properties from time to time to verify information.