Are you sick and tired of paying so much in property taxes? While it is true that your property taxes go to helping make the community a better place, it does not mean that you should be paying more than what you truly owe in taxes. However, there are many people who are paying far too much in taxes each year for one reason or another. In some cases, it could be due to the assessment of your property by the DeKalb County tax assessor. It might be showing that the value of the home is higher than it really is. It could also be that you are not using exemptions that you should. Let’s examine some of the best ways to help you reduce your property taxes.
File an Appeal on Your Property Tax Assessment
First, you will want to check the assessment letter that you received from the DeKalb County tax assessor’s office to see what it says and to see whether you notice any inaccuracies. For example, do they believe that you have three bathrooms when you only have two bathrooms? Do they say that you have four bedrooms rather than three? While clerical errors like this do not happen all the time, they do happen, and it could mean you are spending too much on your property taxes.
You also need to be aware of the time limit that you have to file your appeal from the time you receive the assessment letter. If you miss your deadline, it will mean that you have to wait until the following year before you can file your appeal. If you notice a problem, do not wait until the last minute to file. Do it right away.
While you could pursue the appeal on your own, you will find that it tends to be quite a bit easier when you have a property tax professional on your side. They can make sure that you are meeting the deadlines, and they can check to see that you should truly be filing an appeal based on the value of your home.
To help with this, they will look for comparable homes in your area that sold during the time of the valuation by the DeKalb County tax assessors. They will look at the valuation of those comparable homes, and if they are lower than your home’s assessed value, it is an indication that you could win your appeal. The tax professionals can help you with all aspects of your appeal, and some can help with other property tax issues that you might have, as well.
You will always want to make sure that you are working with a property tax consultant who has plenty of experience in the field, and who understands how the government assesses residential properties. Finding someone who has actually worked with an assessor’s department in the past can be beneficial, as well, since they will have a better idea of how the assessor works can come up with their valuation. It also allows them to spot potential errors more easily.
While one of the primary ways to help with your property tax bill is with an appeal of the value placed on your home by the DeKalb County tax assessors, there are other ways that you can potentially reduce what you are paying, as well.
Qualify for Exemptions in Georgia
The following are some of the various types of exemptions for which you might qualify. These can help with your property tax bills substantially. However, you should remember that the law and exemptions can change occasionally. Make sure you speak with your property tax consultant if you are considering an exemption to make sure it is still valid for you.
The Standard Homestead Exemption says that a resident of Georgia who is occupying a home and using it as a primary residence can be granted a $2,000 exemption from the county and school taxes, except for those taxes that are levied by municipalities, “and to retire bonded indebtedness.” This money is deducted from the 40% assessed value of the home, which is another reason to make sure your home is assessed properly.
Another potential exemption is for those who are 65 or older. According to the state of Georgia, they can claim a $4,000 exemption from “all county ad valorem taxes if the income of that person and his spouse does not exceed $10,000 for the prior year. Income from retirement sources, pensions, and disability income is excluded up to the maximum amount allowed to be paid to an individual and his spouse under the federal Social Security Act.”
In addition, “any qualifying disabled veteran may be granted an exemption of $60,000 plus an additional sum from paying property taxes for county, municipal, and school purposes. The additional sum is determined according to an index rate set by United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs.”
These are just some of the many different potential exemptions that you can find in Georgia to help you with the cost of your property taxes. Those who are looking for other exemptions that might work for their property, or of other ways that they might be able to reduce the cost of their taxes can consult with a property tax specialist in the area. For example, it might be possible to deduct the expense of repairing the home from the taxes that you owe.
Keep in mind that the property tax exemptions can be quite complicated, so consulting with a property tax professional will be very helpful. In addition, you can work with a property tax consultant who can help you with appealing the assessed value from the DeKalb County tax assessor if you feel the valuation was too high. The sooner you get the help you need and start to take care of these tax issues to help lower your bill, the better you will feel.
