When you want to appeal your property tax bill, the first thing you’ll need to do is send an official appeal letter to the Fulton County tax assessor. Because of the way that homes are valued by the assessor, property taxes fluctuate almost every year. The market, the local crime rate, the growth of your city, and so many other factors can make your home’s value more or less each year. And many homes throughout Georgia are over-assessed, meaning that you are paying far more than you should be for your property tax.
Luckily, we do have an appeals process to go through as citizens of Fulton County. The tax assessor office must be notified in a specific way, however, for your appeal to be considered. The all-important tax appeal letter must be done in a specific time frame, and with specific wording, and we’re here to help you understand how to do it. Keep in mind that in the state of Georgia, you have to complete an official notification form in addition to sending a letter.
What Must Be Included in Your Letter to the Fulton County Tax Assessor
Everything starts when you get your property tax bill. You open it up, expecting the worst, and what you see is so much higher than what you feared, that you might worry about being able to afford it at all. In this case, you can appeal the bill. If your tax bill went way up from last year, or you simply believe the home has been valued too high, you have the right to take your case to a board.
So first, you need to let the assessor know that you intend to do this. Because this is a legal document, you do have to make sure that the letter contains certain things. However, it doesn’t have to be very complicated.
The letter does have to say the words “formal letter of protest”. This informs the Fulton County tax assessor that you are taking legal action. You have to list your property tax account number as assigned to you by the county, for any property you plan to appeal. So, if you have multiple properties that you want to appeal, you can list them all in one letter – just be sure to list each account number. You do have to state why it is you are appealing. Most of the time, it is because the stated value of the home is too high. However, it may be that your property has been assessed more than once, or for other reasons.
Finally, you need to sign the letter, and send it to the tax assessor, along with the notification form that is required in the state of Georgia.
All in all, your letter can be a single paragraph that simply includes the information listed above.
Sending the Property Tax Appeal Letter to the Fulton County Tax Assessor
One thing that you need to know about tax appeals is that you do have to send in your intent to appeal soon. You usually have between 30 to 45 days to appeal a tax bill. This means that you don’t have time to build your airtight case before you send the letter. If you think your tax bill is too high, send the letter, then start building your case quickly. You will have time to do this, and there’s no penalty if you later decide to drop your appeal if your research proves that your bill was correct.
Here’s something to know that many homeowners don’t: Let’s say that you miss the assessment notice in the mail. It just didn’t make it to you, it was delivered to the wrong address, or anything like that. Even if this happens, you still only have the 30 to 45 days to appeal from the date that the tax bills were sent out. There is a specific appeal deadline every year that has to be met, and if you missed it – regardless of whether you received the notification in the mail or not – you cannot appeal for this tax year. If you know that this deadline is coming up, and you haven’t gotten your bill in the mail yet, it’s a good idea to call the assessor’s office so that you know if you want to appeal or not.
For the state of Georgia, the property tax appeal deadline varies through April to June, so be sure you stay on top of the local date by getting in touch with the tax assessor.
After You Send the Letter
What happens after you send the tax appeal letter? Usually, you will get some kind of confirmation back that the appeal letter was received, and that your case has been entered into the queue. You may get a case number or appeal number. Watch for communication about scheduled hearings – if you miss your hearing, your appeal is forfeit.
The amount of time for the hearing to happen depends on how many appeals are being processed. In some cases, it may just be a month. In that case, you need to gather your proof very quickly. In other cases, it could be a full year. Be sure to get started on your research and case building right away in case your hearing is sooner rather than later.
Navigate This Process With Tax Experts
This appeal process can take time, and any misstep at any point can cause your appeal to be denied. To get the best chance for success, hire a tax expert to help you file your appeal. At Fair Assessments, we file the appeal for you, do the research about your home’s value for you, and help you put together your argument for the hearing. We have the experience necessary to navigate this process with ease. Learn more about how we can help you succeed with your property tax appeal by emailing us at info@Fair-Assessemnts.com, or calling our office at 404-618-0355.
