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 and where should you file a DeKalb County tax appeal? Here are four common scenarios that can help you decide whether to approach a tax consultant regarding the benefits of filing a property assessment appeal.
#1 Too High an Assessment – Appeal
When you believe that your property’s assessed value is too high, you may want to file an appeal with the Board of Assessors. You will obviously want to get a decreased assessed value on your property and, hence, reduce your property taxes.
Your tax advisor will be able to discuss the steps including the documents and deadlines regarding the tax appeal process.
#2 Low Assessment – Appeal
While you may believe that your property’s low assessed value works in your favour, you may still want to undergo the DeKalb County tax appeal process to further protect your interests. Why? You and your tax advisor will work toward freezing your property’s assessed values, so to speak, for three years.
Your property’s assessed value and, thus, your property taxes will remain lower for three years. You will then be able to enjoy tax savings within the 3-year period.
#3 Correct Assessment – Appeal
In case of a correct assessed value for your property, you may still want to file a property assessment appeal. Keep in mind that the tax assessor and his staff of appraisers are notorious for always trying to increase the assessed values of real and personal property in their jurisdiction for an obvious reason – the higher the assessed values, the higher the taxes that can be collected, the greater the money coming into the county’s coffers.
But when you file your DeKalb County tax appeal, you can keep the tax assessor from increasing the assessed value on your property (i.e., frozen) for the next two years after the year on appeal. You can save thousands of dollars in the process.
#4 Frozen Period – Do Not Appeal
When you have already filed your appeal, you should not file another appeal during the so-called frozen period. Otherwise, you will lose the protection of a freeze on assessment values that you previously had, thanks to the original appeal.
Which category do you fall into? Discuss your DeKalb County tax appeal chances with your tax advisor now!
