How to Appeal Property Tax Increase

If you receive an increase in your property tax and feel that there is an error, you do have the ability to appeal. To determine the property tax that you must pay, the city or town you live in sends out an assessor to determine the value of your property.

1. Hire your own assessor if you feel your home was valued at a higher price than the actual worth or that there was an error. The one sent by the city or state may have listed items in error when doing their assessment. Also, due to the economy, many homes across the country have gone down in value, yet your town may not have done a new assessment.


2. Find the information for your town’s tax assessor. Call the office to find out what forms you need to appeal and also the date that it must be done by. Areas often have a cutoff date for when you have to file an appeal.


3. Make an appointment for your appeal hearing. Also, decide whether you want to represent yourself or hire an attorney. Usually, homeowners will represent themselves, but it is up to you. If you have enough evidence to support your claim that there is an error, you may not even have to proceed with the hearing. For example, if you have fewer bathrooms than stated or if you are said to have a finished basement, yet do not, that may be enough to win your appeal without a hearing.


4. Bring pictures and any documents that help support your claim that the increase was wrong. Be sure to bring the appraisal from your personal appraiser. The burden of proof is yours, so take anything that helps support your claims.