(a) Article VII, Section II, Paragraph IV of the Constitution of the State of Georgia ratified in 1982 continued in effect as statutory law, until otherwise provided for by law, those types of exemptions from ad valorem taxation in effect on June 30, 1983. One such exemption is the homestead exemption granted to certain individuals 65 years of age or over by the seventh unnumbered subparagraph of Article VII, Section I, Paragraph IV of the Constitution of 1976. Pursuant to said provision of the Constitution ratified in 1982, the homestead exemption formerly granted by said provision of the Constitution of 1976 is superseded and modified as provided in subsection (b) of this Code section.

(b) Each person who is 65 years of age or over is hereby granted an exemption from all state and county ad valorem taxes in the amount of $4,000.00 on a homestead owned and occupied by him as a residence if his net income, together with the net income of his spouse who also occupies and resides at such homestead, as net income is defined by Georgia law, from all sources, except as hereinafter provided, does not exceed $10,000.00 for the immediately preceding taxable year for income tax purposes. For the purposes of this subsection, net income shall not include income received as retirement, survivor or disability benefits under the federal Social Security Act or under any other public or private retirement, disability or pension system, except such income which is in excess of the maximum amount authorized to be paid to an individual and his spouse under the federal Social Security Act, and income from such sources in excess of such maximum amount shall be included as net income for the purposes of this subsection. The value of the residence in excess of the above-exempted amount shall remain subject to taxation. Any such owner shall not receive the benefits of such homestead exemption unless he, or through his agent, files an affidavit with the tax commissioner or tax receiver of the county in which he resides, giving his age and the amount of income which he and his spouse received during the last taxable year for income tax purposes, and such additional information relative to receiving the benefits of such exemption as will enable the tax commissioner or tax receiver to make a determination as to whether such owner is entitled to such exemption. The tax commissioner or tax receiver shall provide affidavit forms for this purpose. Such applications shall be processed in the same manner as other applications for homestead exemption, and the provisions of law applicable to the processing of homestead exemptions, as the same now exists or may hereafter be amended, shall apply thereto. Provided, that after any such owner has filed the proper affidavit, as provided above, and has once been allowed the exemption provided in this subsection, it shall not be necessary that he make application and file the said affidavit thereafter for any year and the said exemption shall continue to be allowed to such owner. It shall be the duty of any such owner, however, to notify the tax commissioner or tax receiver in the event he becomes ineligible for any reason for the exemption provided in this subsection.

(c) The application for the homestead exemption of individuals 65 years of age or older provided for by subsection (b) of this Code section shall be in the form prescribed by the commissioner. The application shall require the applicant's social security number. The tax commissioner or tax receiver shall be authorized to have the statement of income of any claimant verified by the department upon sending the social security number of a claimant to the department.