8 Steps to Appeal Your Property Tax Bill

From the Kiplinger website

Many homeowners have seen their property values shoot up as the pandemic sparked a frenzied housing market. If you’re envisioning big proceeds when you sell your house, rising home prices are a cause for celebration. 

But you may not feel like popping the champagne when you get your property tax bill. As home prices climb, property taxes follow suit. Your tax bill is determined by multiplying your home’s assessed value by the local tax rate. 

Homeowners will see higher taxes in 2022 and beyond as localities reassess property values, although the pain should ease as price appreciation slows. Kiplinger expects housing demand to cool, with home prices lifting by 3% in 2022. And keep in mind that local tax rates affect your bill, too. If your municipality lowers rates to provide relief or stay within required levels, your bill may fall or show only a modest increase.

But if your property tax bill has increased significantly, you may have grounds for an appeal, particularly if the increase seems out of line with overall appreciation in your area.

Most jurisdictions give you 90 days after you receive a new assessment to appeal, although some close the appeals window after 30 days, says Pete Sepp, president of the National Taxpayers Union. Some lawyers handle property tax appeals on a contingency basis, but most homeowners can appeal on their own, Sepp says.

Plenty of property owners challenge their assessments each year, and between 20% and 40% of them win lower assessments and lower property tax bills. The following steps will show you the way to success.