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5 Things You Should Know About Appealing Your Property Taxes

Beth • April 10, 2019

Navigating the appeal process of reducing your property taxes is difficult,; doing it without any knowledge of the process is a nightmare. It may feel like there is a secret door to unlock and no one gave you the key. Information published by the Department of Local Government Finance is quite complex. Tax bills are coming soon; make sure they are correct. Here are some important things to know before you file an appeal.

1. Studies show that 40-60% of all properties in the U.S. are over-assessed, yet only 5% appeal.

A Forbes magazine article indicates this stunning statistic. While this is a broad statement of all U.S. property, Indiana is not far off. It is vital that you investigate all aspects of your assessment to see if you are in the majority of over-assessed property and meet the deadline for filing an appeal.

2. There are strict deadlines for assessors to act on appeals.

The filing deadline is 45 days from the date of the notice or May 10th, whichever is first. The deadlines are not just for filing. There are also many procedure deadlines that the assessor and taxpayer must adhere to. Information published by the Department of Local Government Finance is quite complex. There were many changes in legislation that affected appeals in 2017. I urge you to read through all of these or seek the advice of an attorney or qualified tax representative before filing your appeal.

3. Almost all rehabilitated properties in urban areas qualify for a tax break.

This type of deduction is becoming more common with all the urban renewal happening. This deduction is for any building or house that has been restored without adding to the footprint. The exemption applies to the increase of valuation to the property by the local assessor. The property must qualify, file Form 322/RE. It applies to structures within an economic revitalization area. There are specific property types within that area that do not qualify, such as golf courses or recreation complexes. Check with your assessor or a qualified tax rep to find out if you qualify.

4. Some vacant buildings qualify for a tax break.

This type of deduction applies to commercial or industrial property located in an economic revitalization area. The property must qualify for the deduction and meet the deadline to file Form 322/VBD.

5. If a property assessment goes up by more the 5%, the burden of proof shifts from owner to assessor.

What it means is that the assessor is required to show evidence and reasoning for increasing an assessment by more than 5% in any given year. It does not qualify for property that has added improvements. If the assessor does not meet the burden of proof, the assessment automatically reverts to the most recent assessment before changes.

While appealing your taxes is time consuming, it is not uncommon for taxpayers to win a reduction. With a little research and/or help from a professional, you can prevail.

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St. Joseph County Appeal Deadline is Set

By Beth • July 24, 2018
Notices have been sent to property owners for the 2019 assessment. St. Joseph County Assessor mailed assessment notices to property owners.  The mailing of these notices triggers an appeal deadline of August 31, 2018.  It's always best to file an appeal as soon as possible.  By getting your appeal in early, you will decrease the time required to process the appeal.  The assessor's office receives thousands of appeals each year with most arriving in their offices in the last days before the deadline.  You can minimize buearocracy by allowing the assessor to add your appeal to their system early. The first thing to do when you receive your notice is to check it against last years' assessment.  Prior assessments are listed on the form you receive.  Next you should get your Property Record Card online at https://www.stjosephcountyindiana.com/173/Assessor Check all the data on the PRC to make sure it is correct.  However don't assume that just because the assessment is correct that there is no chance for a reduction.  Studies have shown that as many as 60% of assessments are incorrect throughout the U.S. yet fewer than 5% appeal.  Of those who appeal more than half receive a reduction.  If a taxpayer uses a representative to appeal for them, that number goes up to 87% success rate.  Most tax reps do not charge a fee unless you win and offer a free analysis. It's a low risk, high benefit option. check out http://www.correctpropertytax.com/ and timely file your appeal by August 31st

Elkhart County Commercial and Industrial Property Assessments Are Seeing Big Increases

By Beth • June 29, 2018
Elkhart County 2019 Assessment Increase Tax assessment notices are out for 2019 and many taxpayers have seen sharp increases.  Property owners from retail shops to large manufacturing facilities have seen increases of anywhere from 60% to over 200% increases.  All owners, property managers, CFO’s, and Controllers should take a close look at their assessments and investigate reasons for increases.  Any time a taxpayer sees more than a 5% increase in assessed value it is a red flag and should be appealed.  According to Indiana Code if an assessment is increased by more than 5% and that property is appealed, the burden of proof rests with the assessor as to why that assessment has gone up. You must act quickly.  The deadline to file an appeal in Elkhart County Assessor’s Office is July 16th. Taxpayers can get their property records online at Elkhart County Assessor.  You can call your assessor for more information at (574) 535-6700.  There is also helpful information at the Department of Local Government Finance.  If a taxpayer needs more in-depth expert advice contact Correct Property Tax LLC (574) 286-0431. They will handle the appeal with no fee unless they win.  The owner of Correct Property Tax, Beth@CorrectPropertyTax.com , has 30 years experience reducing taxes for national companies and locally owned businesses.

Study Shows Most Homeowners Are Paying Too Much Property Tax

By Beth • July 20, 2017
Homeowners all across Indiana and Illinois are receiving their assessment notices. You may have heard in the local newspaper that some are going up, but some may come down. It's not something we give much thought to, until that bill arrives. And if yours is one of those that went up? We urgently want to know why and if there was some sort of mistake. Problem is, if we wait until the bill arrives - it may be too late.

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By admin • February 8, 2017
Comprehesive Residential Property Tax Appeal $210 What you get- Completed appeal Form 130 and attachments to back up our proposed assessment Complete and relevent evidence widely accepted by the assessing community Our appeals are done by the highest industry standards and practices, makes them easier for the assessor to process We're local and we're here for you!  Of course if you have a question or issue along the way, please reach out anytime   Start Your Free Analysis  

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Keep up on updates in the industry and CorrectPropertyTax.com For updates on industry news and more information about property taxes, feel free to browse through our selection of articles.

Our goal is a fair and accurate property tax for you

By admin • January 4, 2017
CPT is now offering an easy way to appeal your property taxes. We know that during these uncertain times, having a large property tax bill arrive can be overwhelming. There is something you can do. With our free analysis, you can possibly appeal the assessment and save hundreds of dollars. We have worked hard to streamline the process of access to our highly effective strategy for winning appeals. Put our experts to work today to give you the best possible chance of winning your appeal and paying nothing more than your fair share of taxes!
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