5 property tax protest tips to follow Every financial year starting from January till July, appraisal district prepares paperwork for property tax protest, valuations, and assessments. It may be once in three years for some places. Appraisal districts do this procedure to set a benchmark to help property buyers and tax assessors know the property’s market value. After July, they pass on all the collected details to taxing units for tax assessments and bill transactions. If you feel that your property’s appraised value is inaccurate, and encountered that your property is overvalued after comparing with the list of similar properties in your locality. Don’t panic! Attempt property tax protest methodology to beat away excessive property tax bills before being processed. You may appeal a local tax body to get things done such as: – To include your property in appraisal roll. – Requesting for equal appraisal of your property. – Applying for exemptions if you are a veteran or getting old. – To verifying or to transfer ownership of your property. – Adjusting faults in appraisal records – Delivering mail notice on time – To call attention to the setbacks you faced after a decision taken by chief appraiser, appraisal review board (ARB), or appraisal district Talk and Seek help Try to have a casual talk with your county appraisal district (CAD). Because, sometimes this may sort things out at the first step itself, and you don’t need to run from pillar to post to resolve the issue. If you find that approaching appraisal district staff is not rendering anyaid, don’t lose hope. Make a move to the appraisal review board (ARB) who may hear your plea for property tax protest. Get a protest form from appraisal district office or from the Comptroller of Public Accounts. Fill in the details and send it across to the board within 30 days after you receive CAD’s notice. What’s next in Property tax protest? The board will check for the authenticity of the protest and intimate the protester within 15 days for hearing. Before appearing, the board expects you to have a better understanding with the appraisal district to send you a copy of a set of materials that take you further with hearing procedure. If you are a beginner to deal with the protest, just seek out the advice of competent tax experts. But, the board won’t appreciate such move, if at all, you bring him with you to the hearing. Reveling your property tax protest with people outside the appraisal review board may put the proceeding into risk. Generally, member sign a written legal declaration to
put an end to such bitter situation.So, be cautioned because a careless slip of the tongue may end up members signing off. Never postponed needlessly Keep in mind time and tide sits tight for none. Try not to appear late and feel the contempt before your hearing. It would send them the message that you don’t care a damn about anything and this would create a bad impression among board members. Also, try not to bring the attention of the board members that you care about property tax reduction and sense your cash hardships.
Rise a solid proof to Protest property taxes The way you draw up your evidence report may effect ARB's choice. At best, show photos of your property that put up a clear picture for what you are protesting for. If you prepare the evidence in advance, you would put the CAD representative in a fix to play his part very sooner. If he fails to fetch all documents to the table, the board will act in favor for you. For unsatisfied protesters If the appraisal review board sends the final decision in a mail and still you are not happy with the decision, then opt for district court appeal. Or else, you may appeal to the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH). Ensure, you appealwithin 45 and 30 days respectively after ARB's order for the above mentioned options.