Missed window to appeal at Assessor’s Office

With homeowners all over the country receiving their property tax bill recently, many people will be wondering how to appeal their property assessment. With appeal deadline popping up all over, at different times for different townships, many people will also be wondering what can be done if they missed the window to appeal at the office of the Assessor.

The short answer is: not much. In fact, missed deadlines are the second most common reason for tax appeals to be rejected, right behind not enough time to commit to handling an appeal yourself, and before not having evidence. A missed window to appeal the local office of the Assessor can sink your appeal case. The first piece of advice in how to deal with a missed deadline at this office would be: Don’t. The deadline to appeal the property tax should be in the right corner of your property assessment. If you can’t find it there, you should look up your county’s deadline online.

A good rule of thumb to follow is that the first stage of appeals is due within 30 days of receiving your property’s valuation.

The first step in filing a property tax appeal is, of course, noticing that there’s a problem. Property tax is determined by multiplying the value of your home or property by a set tax rate, depending on what kind of property it is.

Some common signs of property overvaluation are:

• The price of the home is much higher than other similar properties near your home.
• Damage – County assessment information does not always take into account the condition of a property when providing an assessment, due to the quantity of properties that need to be assessed. Thus, a burned out shack could cost you the same as your two bedroom home. Make sure to check the numbers!
• Wrong description of property – Your property been described the wrong way. Often this description will add more money to the listing price than what the home is worth
• The building is not in the right location

These are just a few things that can cause a property to be overvalued, warranting an appeal. Make sure to check your paperwork. After all, to err is human, and even the IRS is made up of humans.

If you happen to have missed the window to appeal at the office of the assessor, however, all hope is not lost. First of all, a property tax lawyer may be able to contest your assessment anyway, by proving missed exemptions or factual errors by the assessor.

If you feel you have a rock solid case to appeal your tax property, but missed the deadline, consider contacting a property tax lawyer today.

In rare cases, late protests may be considered if “good cause” may be proved, including:

A missed deadline from your local assessment office

• An emergency in your immediate family
• A medical emergency
• Catastrophes or acts of God, such as hurricanes, fire, flood, or tornados

These are very rare circumstances, and hard to prove, so don’t bank on it, and double check upcoming deadlines, to make sure your appeal gets every chance to be successful.

Regardless of whether you’re appealing a case yourself or having a property tax attorney dispute the property tax overvaluation, you’ll need ample evidence.

Make sure to have:

• Your home or property’s Property Identification Number (also found on your property tax bill, or else online)
• Assessed value of other homes of a similar size in your neighborhood
• Resale value of other homes of a similar size and condition
• Photographic evidence of the condition of the house. Photographic evidence is particularly useful in the case of proving the damage caused by fire, flood, or other natural disasters. It can also prove or disprove the existence of amenities that have been added or subtracted, which may influence the value of the home, such as a pool or deck

So you don’t find yourself with a missed window to appeal at the right offices, here are some upcoming appeal deadlines in and around the Chicagoland area.

Barrington – June 22, 2015

Palatine – July 6, 2015

Hyde Park – July 16, 2015

For more questions about property taxes, appeal, or other real estate legalities, contact us today and find out how we can help.