Challenge Your Taxes
How to save hundreds—even thousands—of dollars a year in property taxes You can't escape paying property taxes, but you can avoid paying more than you have to. This authoritative new guide explains how. Written by an experienced real estate counselor, Challenge Your Taxes helps you evaluate your property assessment and pinpoint any inaccuracies that, once amended, could dramatically reduce your tax bill. With proven guidelines and practical tips, you'll learn how to determine what your...
Search in google:
How to save hundreds—even thousands—of dollars a year in property taxes You can’t escape paying property taxes, but you can avoid paying more than you have to. This authoritative new guide explains how. Written by an experienced real estate counselor, Challenge Your Taxes helps you evaluate your property assessment and pinpoint any inaccuracies that, once amended, could dramatically reduce your tax bill. With proven guidelines and practical tips, you’ll learn how to determine what your property is really worth, qualify your property for a deduction, and—in the case of an unfair assessment—prepare and present a successful appeal. Here’s where you’ll find complete details on:Property valuation—fair market value, comparable sales and cost approach, amenity considerationsAssessors—who they are, what they do, and what they look forChecking your property information—study your property record file, confirm property category, use sales/assessment ratio to establish fair valueCommon assessment errors—miscalculated land area, incorrect judgment of condition, comparable sales ignored, wrong zoning classificationAssessment appeals—summary of procedure, presentation checklist, the appeal board, abatementsPacked with helpful worksheets and numerous examples, as well as sample forms and addresses of state appeals agencies, this indispensable resource has everything you need to Challenge Your Taxes successfully.
List of FiguresCh. 1What Is the Property Tax All About?1Ch. 2Determining Value13Ch. 3Who Are Your Assessors and What Do They Do?23Ch. 4How Property Is Valued34Ch. 5Check Your Property Information47Ch. 6Search for Comparable Property58Ch. 7The Cost and Income Methods of Valuing73Ch. 8Submitting Your Appeal91Ch. 9When You Need to Hire a Professional106Ch. 10Working with Others for Tax Reform118Ch. 11Commonsense and Radical Property Tax Solutions135Work Sheets147Appendix157A Tax Profile of a Typical Community157Do You Escrow Tax Payments?159So You're Thinking about Moving to a Tax Haven Hell?160Do's and Don'ts in Challenging Your Property Tax162Step-by-Step Market Analysis165General Steps in Preparing Your Appeal165Questions and Answers167California - A Special Circumstance184New York State - How to Challenge Your Assessment206State Property Tax Appeal Systems233Glossary247Index253
