Homeowners have to pay property tax in every county in Georgia, including DeKalb County. Of course, each county sets its own tax rate, and offers its own exemptions to help qualifying residents save on their taxes. The problem here is that it’s very possible you’re overpaying on your DeKalb County property tax, and have been for some time. Here are some of the top signs you’re overpaying.
1. It’s Been Years Since Your Home Was Assessed
This one should be applicable for most DeKalb County residents, as the county only assesses homes every few years. The problem with this method is that property values can rise and fall faster than the county can assess homes. Your property value might be far lower than what you’re paying in DeKalb County property tax.
2. You’re Due Exemptions You’re Not Getting
This one is hard to determine, as you’ll need to learn about all the exemptions offered by DeKalb County, as well as the eligibility requirements for them. There are far more exemptions for older residents, but those under retirement age do have a few available. If you’re not getting the exemptions for which you qualify, you’re certainly overpaying your DeKalb County property tax every year.
3. Tax Rates Have Increased
DeKalb County property tax rates have increased – they rose as part of the 2013 budget, which means on top of paying too much based on an inaccurate home assessment, you’re adding insult to injury by paying too much on an increased tax basis.
4. Inaccurate Assessments
You don’t have to be years out of date on your property assessment to be paying too much in DeKalb County property tax. You might have been assessed inaccurately, which can lead to overpayment on taxes. All it takes is for the assessor to mistake the number of bedrooms in your home or the number of square feet your home occupies. Once that simple mistake is in the system, all future tax assessments will be based on it.
What Can You Do If You’re Paying Too Much in DeKalb Property Tax?
If you’re paying too much, you have options. You can dispute the amount by filing a property tax appeal with the DeKalb County Tax Assessor’s office. However, make sure your dispute is accurate before you go to the trouble, or it will be dismissed. You’ll need to determine exactly how much your home is worth on your own – you can pay an independent property tax consultant to do this, or you can compare the sales price for comp properties in your area to determine what your own home is worth.
Once you have that number, you’ll need to include that, as well as a range of other information about your property and its location to the assessor’s office. It’s easiest to do this through an informal meeting, but if you get nowhere with that route, a formal dispute will be your next step. As a note, it’s always worth your time to hire an expert in tax appeals before you begin.
Sources:
http://onlineathens.com/local-news/2012-12-15/dekalb-county-proposes-property-tax-increase
