Appealing your Property Assessment - Filing a Real Property Tax Return in 2011 
It's no secret. ALL of the home values have dropped in the last two years... but this does't mean that your property taxes will automatically go down. There is a good chance, that you're being ufairly taxed on a much higher value than what your property is currently worth.
In order to get the county or city to reduce the tax assessed value, you're doing to have to fight for it!
The first thing you need to do is file a a REAL PROPERTY TAX RETURN early in 2011 . It will help you to:
1) Lower your tax assessment from 2010
2) Have the right to appeal your 2011 assessment
Please note that this tax return is not the same as an appeal, and the value submitted by the owner does not set the final assessed value. However, the tax assessor will review the owner's value and decide whether to accept it or dispute it.
Once you've filed the Real Property Tax Return, you will then have the right to appeal an official assessment that exceeds the owner's proposed value. This is a separate process.
The procedures and deadlines vary by county (usually March 1st or April 1st - no extensions). Most counties require the form to be mailed - no fax or email.
See these websites for forms and details:
Cobb County:
http://www.cobbassessor.org/Forms/HtmlFrame.aspx?mode=Content/TPRRP.htm
DeKalb County - DUE MARCH 1st
http://web.co.dekalb.ga.us/TaxAssessor/events.asp
Fulton County:
http://www.fultonassessor.org/Forms/HtmlFrame.aspx?mode=content/taxpayer.htm&LMparent=180
Gwinnett County:
When you file your Real Property Tax Return, you may declare what you consider to be the fair market value of the property.
This will generate a review of the value by the County's Property Appraisal Department and they will issue a notice of assessment change (typically in late March or April) if the Board disagrees with your declared value.
If you do receive a notice like this, you will have 30 days (under current state law) after the county sends you back a notice of assessment change to formally file an appeal if you disagree with their notice.
If you would like a few more tips on the appeal process, Clark Howard also offers some helpful advice about appealing your tax value in this article.
BEST OF LUCK TO YOU!
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Posted by: Kerry Lucasse - Atlanta GA Real Estate Agent specializing in Intown Atlanta Real Estate, Foreclosures and Bungalows & Historic Homes
CALL US ANYTIME AT 404.432.1844
SEE MY CLIENT FEEDBACK AT: http://www.KUDZU.com/merchant/1106107.html
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