The Tea Parties
Monday, August 3rd, 2009This posting of the Home Tax Guide may be somewhat of a repetition of a trend that is getting stronger by the day and that is the Tea Parties springing up all across the country. With Congress currently on vacation (perhaps for all of the tax payers they should always be out on vacation!), these members in both the House and Senate will definitely be hearing from their constituents over this break. In the news, discussions on health care, the stimulus package and taxes will be at the forefront with the people letting many of them know exactly what they think of our government and the spending that is out of control!
A way to take back some control is to check out and invest in the Home Tax Guide (www.hometaxguide.com) which allows you to speak the language of the property tax assessor and, in turn, lets you potentially save a great deal on your property taxes in this sub-prime market. Many of the properties throughout our nation are over-taxed given the fall in property values. Is your property one of them? The odds are good that you are paying too much and the Home Tax Guide will show you how to reverse this for a very small investment of time and money.
New York State
Tuesday, June 30th, 2009This posting is based on a discussion I had with a friend of mine from western New York recently. He told me how the sub-prime issue has really hit parts of New York State and how it has been a matter of discussion on his area radio station, WBEN out of the Buffalo region.
It is important to be able to understand and speak the assessor’s language which the Home Tax Guide (www.hometaxguide.com) explains in great detail. One of the things a local assessor does not want to deal with is the possibility of you appealing your high assessment to a another authority. If you have done your homework, proven you may have a case for lower property taxes and not bought into the assessor trying to dismiss your case, you may be in a stronger position than you realize.
Check out the very affordable Home Tax Guide for some powerful information that will put the odds back in your favor against your local tax assessor.
More Tea Parties Will Be Coming!
Sunday, May 10th, 2009This posting is a prediction that the Tea Parties we saw on April 15th will just be a start by people all through the country as they protest increasingly higher taxes, including property taxes. The important thing is for more and more people to get involved in this effort for lower property taxes in order to “encourage” all levels of government to do with less as we all have to do during challenging economic times.
Get involved with your lawmakers on the local, state and federal level and let them know that our nation has to go on a spending diet immediately! Only pressure by many, many taxpayers and voters will reverse these out of control spending trends we find ourselves in! Remember, it is people who produce the wealth and prosperity in this nation, not the government! They are a very poor and inefficient conduit of our tax money. By allowing government to grow, we are putting more and more bureaucrats in charge of our money and futures. Remember, government officials get paid whether they produce any value or not!
The Tea Parties For Lower Taxes
Monday, April 27th, 2009On April 15th there were over 1000 tea parties of various sizes ranging from a few hundred to the high end of 25,000 down at the Alamo in Texas. All in all, it was estimated that there were at least 500,000 people who participated in this quest for lower property taxes, lower federal taxes, lower state and local taxes.
People are truly growing more tired of seeing their hard earned money being squandered by a government which, regardless of the political party, has spent us into a very precarious position!
Keep the pressure on your elected officials to lower the cost of government, which in reality, only consumes and produces more and more bureaucrats for additional programs at higher and higher tax rates.
One way you can take control of your property taxes for those of you in high tax states is to take a good look at the Home Tax Guide at www.hometaxguide.com
It is a thorough program written by a man with over 3000 property tax abatements or reductions to his credit over the last 24 years. You will be pleased you did and it will allow you to save a great deal on your high property taxes now and in the future. The choice to lower your property taxes is now in your hands!
Lower Your Property Tax!
Wednesday, April 1st, 2009Have you seen the “Tea Parties” that are springing up around the country? These are in direct response to government at all levels continually raising taxes, particularly property taxes. People everywhere are orgainizing themselves and joining thousands of others with banners such as “Don’t Tread On Me!” as they protest for lower property taxes.
This growing movement will only get stronger as local governments attempt to keep property taxes high. We are all experiencing lower home values due to the sub-prime mess that led to declining values and this should translate into lower peroperty taxes.
You will need to be proactive if you want to see any property tax relief. If you wait for the local assessor to reduce your taxes, you will be waiting forever!
Check out www.hometaxguide.com for solid, actionable information that will show you how to lower your property taxes sooner rather than later. You have every right under the law to make this happen for yourself and pay lower property taxes very soon.
Lower Property Taxes
Thursday, March 5th, 2009
Mr. B,
I am a Lexington resident and found your services on the web. Please let me know it is cost-effective to pursue my case as outlined below.
I am a Lexington resident and found your services on the web. Please let me know it is cost-effective to pursue my case as outlined below.
1) We own a residence that was valued at about $2m during the previous tax year.
2) On January 2, we received the new valuation which increased by 18.3% in a declining market.
3) I went to the assessor’s office but they refused to explain the increase (I don’t think that they knew; it seemed like an arbitrary decision).
When I asked for an abatement form, the assistant assessor noted that if I filed for an abatement, they may come to my house and make it worse. Yes, it was a clear threat. I just wanted a rational explanation and couldn’t get one.
4) I collected data on numerous houses in my peer group and prepared a careful analysis. The analysis clearly shows that (a) no other property experienced a similar increase (average was 4-5%); and (b) nearly identical property in my neighborhood was assessed at a significantly lower value.
5) I filed for an abatement, arguing that the assessment is not equitable, a basic principle of fair taxation. The abatement application contains detailed data and analysis.
6) The abatement was denied without an explanation. They checked a box (”assessment was at fair market value”).
In your experience, is it cost-effective to go to the next level (with or without assistance from an attorney)?
Thanks,
Stefan T
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Stephan:
It sounds like you have done some due diligence, and I’m surprised the Lexington assessor wouldn’t even sit down with you to discuss the matter. By filing an appeal to the Appellate Tax Board, you can at least give yourself some leverage so that they must eventually sit down with you to discuss the matter.
What you have done appears to reflect a “disproportionate assessment” argument. In other words, you are claiming that your property was not assessed on a similar basis in comparison to similar properties. What you need to do is establish that your property assessment reflects an over-valuation, in that it if it were to have sold on the assessment date (1/1/08), the sale price would have been less than the assessment. This is established by finding what comparable properties have sold for (not their assessments) on or around the assessment date (1/1/08), and using those sales to develop the fair market value for your property, which is the value you should be taxed upon.
I do not know if it is cost-effective to hire someone to take your case, because most attorneys, like myself, and most tax reps only work on a contingent fee basis. Typically there is not enough of a spread to make it cost effective for the professional when it comes to a home taxes. However, if you can find someone, then by all means. On the other hand, appealing the case and handling it yourself may be cost effective. The filing fee is minimal and then you’ll probably find that the assessor will discuss the case with you, if you have good comparable sales data. In my experience, if you have a good case, the assessor will settle it with you without going to a hearing. Again, the choice is up to you.
To assist homeowner’s who want to know how to appeal their property taxes, I wrote a 99 page guide entitled “The Homeowner’s Guide To Property Tax Abatement” which explains everything, especially how to prepare and adjust the comparable sales data, and how to present the case before the assessor. If that is of interest go to www.HometaxGuide.com and you can purchase a copy. Once you understand the entire process, as laid out in plain English in the Guide, you’ll be in a position to protect yourself this and every year you pay property taxes.
Hope that helps…
Mr. B
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Hi Mr. B,
This is extremely helpful. I was under the impression that proofing inequity in the assessment is enough to appeal. In other words, I showed that very similar houses in the same neighborhood had significantly lower assessments. I now understand that it was the wrong strategy and the town probably knows that homeowners face an uphill battle.
I will definitely get your book and recommend it to others. Because Lexington taxes *very* aggressively, there are several unhappy homeowners. Their unwillingness to discuss or explain doesn’t help and makes it appear that they are trying to hide something. When I initially called the office, the assistant/residential assessor was on the phone and confided that he doesn’t know why my assessment went up so drastically. He also asked me not to quote him because he has a family and could lose his job over this.
Thanks again!
Stefan
Increased Property Taxes
Sunday, March 1st, 2009York County, Pennsylvania reflects the trend of increasing property taxes over the last ten years. A homeowner in the York Suburban district discusses that his home was worth $489,000 in 1997 and his tax bill (school and property) was about $4000.00. Currently, his home is worth $518,000 and his tax bill is $9800.00. The homeowner has said, “at this rate it won’t be long until his property taxes cost more than $20,000. I don’t know where to turn anymore.”
This homeowner is not alone in Pennsylvania and will surely not find lower property taxes in New Jersey, New York or Maryland, the states that border PA on the north, east and south.
Lower property taxes have been a challenge that has further come to light as many homeowners are “upside down” in their homes as they owe more than their assessed value and the high property taxes are adding insult to injury in this sub-prime climate.
A Website To View
Sunday, February 15th, 2009Throughout the nation and especially in the highest taxed states, lower property taxes are something many are wishing for. The site, www.responsiblenewyork.com has been put together by Tom Golisano. He asks an excellent question. “My fellow New Yorkers, What would Upstate New York look like if every family had been able to save just 10 years of these unfair taxes? Take action today.”
Golisano’s Responsible New York campaign compares property taxes from a variety of cities throughout the state showing the tax rates in relation to the market values of homes. NYS has long been a very highly taxed state and continues to be so as many politicians raise them to confiscatory levels.
Galisano is Chairman of the Board of Paychex and a former candidate for Governor of New York.
What To Look For In A Tax Abatement
Sunday, February 8th, 2009If you are serious about lower property taxes it is important to understand some of the key steps involved. Initially, getting a copy of your property tax card from the assessor is the best place to start. Take some time and look this over and make sure it is accurate. You may qualify for lower property taxes by locating a mistake or mistakes on your card. For example, if your home has two bathrooms and the card lists three, that is an obvious error that can be corrected. If you have a one car garage and the assessor’s card says it is a two car garage, that would also be in line for a correction. As you find any of these errors, it may allow you an excellent way to lower property taxes, especially in the sub-prime climate we are in!
Lower Property Taxes In A Difficult Economy
Friday, February 6th, 2009The following states have the highest property taxes as based on percentage of income. You do not have to fall victim to this and learn how to have lower property taxes yourself.
1) New Jersey
2) New Hampshire
3) Connecticut
4) New York
5) Rhode Island
6) Massachusetts
7) Illinois
8) Vermont
9) Wisconsin
10) California
There are answers for those of you in these states, especially with what the sub-prime challenge has done to home values throughout the country. For a very reasonable investment, you may be able to have lower property taxes for yourself and your family.