All homeowners in Cobb County have the right to appeal the assessment notice they get for their property in the mail each year - a decision that could potentially lower the amount you pay in property taxes significantly. Having said that, you do need to keep a few key things in mind to make sure you go about this process in the best possible way.
How to Fight Property Taxes in Cobb County
As you fill out your appeal form with the Cobb County Board of Tax Assessors, one of the most important decisions you have to make involves the specific grounds of appeal you'll be using.
Most people assume that they can only appeal the assessed value itself. In reality, there are a few different options you can choose from. These include uniformity, taxability, exemption denial, breach of covenant and even denial of covenant. You can also choose to appeal via multiple options at the same time, so be sure to review the list carefully to determine which ones best apply to your situation.
Along the same lines, you'll also need to select which appeal route you're opting to go with. The first involves appealing to the county Board of Equalization, with the further option to appeal that decision to the Superior Court on any and all grounds.
The second involves arbitration, although valuation is the only grounds that you can use with this method. Note that arbitration is non-binding, meaning that you can still appeal your decision to the Superior Court.
The final involves going to a hearing officer, which is an option for A) non-homestead real property, or B) wireless personal property accounts with an aggregate fair market value in excess of $500,000.
Obviously, there is no "one size fits all" approach to this - meaning that you need to take care to determine which route makes sense given your situation.
Obviously, you could choose to fight your property taxes in Cobb County on your own - but that isn't always advisable. You really only have one chance to make your case and if you don't do so compellingly enough, or if you submit the wrong paperwork, the chances are high that you won't get the resolution you were hoping for. Instead, you could enlist the services of professionals like those at Fair Assessments to pick up the baton on your behalf - experts who are prepared to fight for a fair outcome for individuals like yourself.
So if you'd like to find out more information on the best practices of how to fight property taxes in Cobb County, or if you just have any additional questions that you'd like to discuss with a qualified professional, please feel free to contact Fair Assessments today.
