Tag Archive for westchester property tax grievance

Didn’t Get a Tax Reduction … Don’t Give Up!

Many homeowners file tax grievances and fail to achieve their desired result, a reduction in their tax assessment.  Unfortunately, often times this initial rejection can result in the homeowner not pursuing their grievance any further.  This may be the result of many different factors. For example, many homeowner’s do not have the time, or the grievance may get lost in the shuffle of an already hectic schedule.  Perhaps they do not understand the process.

Whatever the reason, homeowners must understand that in many cases the initial filing may merely represent an admission ticket into the grievance process.  At the initial stage the Board of Assessment Review is not compelled to grant any reductions and are accountable only to the appeal process, known as SCAR or Small Claims Assessment Review.

There are many reasons why a homeowner may not get an initial decision.  Among these reasons may be poor documentation of market value, limited resources of the Board of Assessment Review in the face of increasing numbers of tax challenges.  Keep in mind that the board of assessment review is made up of ordinary tax payers, some with extensive real estate experience, some with little or no experience, and they are reviewing hundreds or thousands of cases in a short period of time.

It is for these reasons that the initial tax grievance filing should be viewed only as an entry into the process.  It is important that homeowners carefully review the boards decisions and follow up with a SCAR appeal if appropriate.  If you have any questions or comments regarding the process please feel free to visit my web site taxgrievancespecialist.com

Please take a moment to comment or ask a question, but whatever you do Don’t Give Up!

Please feel free to request a review of your property tax assessment, it’s FREE!

 

Do you have money to burn?

The deadline for grieving Village taxes in Westchester County, New York is February 18th and it is approaching fast.  Many homeowners and Real Estate professionals do not realize that there is a separate grievance period for the Village portion of the Property taxes.

While this portion of the tax bill is significantly smaller than the Town and County bill and certainly smaller than our monstrous School tax bills, it is still significant and should be reviewed for fairness.

Typically I am able to get my clients reductions of $500 to over $1,000 on their Village bills, and it sets a great precedent for the Town, County, and School challenge later in the year.

How much is enough to make a grievance worthwile?  When you stop to think about it, who do you know that refuses a discount at the food store? car wash? restaurant? and the list goes on.  However, when it comes to property tax people overpay by hudreds, even thousands, for years and years.

So take the time to review your assessments and the assessments of your clients and get off to a good start in 2014, and if you don’t need the savings there are a bunch of good charities that would be very thankful for a donation.

If you need any help don’t hesitate to contact me at TaxGrievanceSpecialist.com