Homeowner's Appeal Packet

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What Makes a DIY Property Tax Appeal So Complex?

SOUTH BEND — Neighbors in a Granger-area subdivision near the Toll Road were shocked this spring to open reassessment notices and find the value of their property — and consequently the amount of property taxes they could owe next year — had jumped.

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.

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 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.

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.

If an appeal was hard fought and won, the assessment should not increase in the following years. Any increase after an appeal is too much.

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.