Like it or not, the DeKalb County tax rate is one of the highest in the State of Georgia, even in the entire United States, resulting in high tax payments for property owners. Fortunately, there are options for reducing the tax assessments and tax bills that property owners can take advantage of.

Many property owners are reluctant to hire Fulton County tax advisors because of their fear of the costs involved. But this may be an unreasonable fear where the projected tax savings outweigh the costs (i.e., professional fees) of the services.

New property owners will initially be at a loss about the annual notice of assessment issued by the Fulton County Tax Assessor for obvious reasons. The notice may even be filled with unfamiliar terms, such as appraised value, assessed value, and estimated tax, among others.

Owners of real property in Fulton County have the responsibility of paying their property taxes in the right amount, at the right time, and to the right authorities. Their knowledge about the Fulton County tax rate is important in this regard considering that it is a factor used in the computation of the total tax bill.

It can be safely assumed that many taxpayers have filed their appeals against the Annual Notice of Assessment issued by the DeKalb County Tax Assessor without the appropriate preparation. This significantly decreases their chances for getting reduced assessed values and, hence, property taxes on their assets.

Many property owners will accept the assessed values of their real and personal property instead of contesting their accuracy by hiring the best Fulton County tax consultant. The common reason: Hiring the tax consultant will be costlier than paying the property taxes.

When considering the filing of a DeKalb County tax appeal, you are well-advised to hire a tax consultant with comprehensive experience in the appeals process. Your appeal will have a higher chance of being successful with a tax expert on board and, hence, your property taxes will be lower for the current year. You will also be able to discuss when and when not to file a property assessment appeal in the first place, which means getting more value for your money (i.e., the benefits of filing the appeal should outweigh the costs).

When the Fulton County tax assessment notices are mailed out at the end of May many taxpayers will want to file a protest or an appeal regarding the appraised value of their real property. If you are one of these taxpayers, your chances for a winning appeal will increase when you have basic knowledge about the process.

The first step in appealing your DeKalb County tax assessment notice, specifically your property’s appraised value, is filing a letter of appeal addressed to the Board of Assessors. You should ideally hire a tax consultant but you can also choose to appeal on your own depending on your knowledge of and skills related to the appeals process.

One of the best ways to enjoy a DeKalb County Property tax reduction is through homestead exemptions, which come in two forms, namely, basic and special exemptions. Keep in mind that property owners/taxpayers must comply with the strict eligibility requirements set forth by the State of Georgia and DeKalb County to receive these homestead exemptions.