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For many of us, our current tax assessment may be higher than what we feel our homes are currently worth. The property tax revaluation process rewards property owners with experienced advocates to pursue their legal rights promptly.
The first step in the process begins after January 1st, with the filing of a schedule (provided by the Board of Tax Assessors), wherein you will state under oath what you believe to be the value of your property. Any supporting documentation gathered by you and your attorney will be considered by the Board of Tax Assessors. This will trigger a review by the Board of Tax Assessors, and either a new valuation or appeal. If the Board of Tax Assessors does not decrease your current valuation, your appeal will proceed to the Board of Equalization for a hearing.
If the hearing does not yield satisfactory results, you case could be appealed to Superior Court for litigation. During the appeal process, you and your attorney will gather evidence of your position of value, including expert appraisal testimony, comparable real estate sales, and other evidence of real estate values in your area.
In deciding whether to retain counsel to advocate your rights after you receive or initiate a tax valuation, it is important to keep two things in mind. First, time is not on your side. There are appeal deadlines and other legal “traps for the unwary” that loom in the tax appeal process. Second, if you do not initiate an appeal of your tax valuation, you could be stuck with a higher tax bill for years to come.
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Jim C. Joedecke, Jr. is a Georgia attorney, focusing his practice in civil litigation, particularly business and real estate law matters.
His firm, Andersen, Tate & Carr, P.C., works with all manner of clients in business and personal matters, providing “big firm” sophistication with suburban law firm attention and service.
Website: www.atclawfirm.com
Blog: www.andersentatecarr.wordpress.com
Copyright © 2009 & 2010, Jim C. Joedecke, Jr. & Andersen, Tate & Carr, P.C.
