Matters involving property taxes are often confusing because of all the details and paperwork needed. A property tax attorney can help you make more sense out of everything. If you own a property that you owe taxes on, a knowledgeable attorney who's experienced in this field will do everything possible to save you money while making sure that you follow the specific property tax laws in your area. Here are just a few instances when hiring a property tax attorney may be your best option.
Tax Overpayment
Tax overpayment is often a problem for educational institutions and religious organizations that have tax-exempt statuses, but you might also be overpaying on the taxes for your home or your for-profit business. The government may try to have you pay more in taxes than what you owe, and your property tax attorney can make sure that you're only paying the fair amount. If you're ordered to pay taxes because your property was valued at a higher amount than what it's worth, your lawyer will provide all the supporting documentation to prove your case and keep you from paying more than the legal tax limit.
Tax Underpayment
If you're unable to pay the full amount of your property taxes or mistakenly underpaid because of a simple miscalculation, your real estate tax attorney will go to great lengths to mitigate the consequences. A property tax attorney can also help you if you owe money for tax deeds or tax liens. Even if you've failed to pay the full amount of your taxes over a long period, your legal representative will try to make sure that no liens are placed on your home or business and keep your property from being seized. Your lawyer might be able to work out an agreement with the government that allows you to pay off your taxes more gradually with fewer late fees or other legal consequences.
Valuation Appeal
The appraiser may have valued your property too high, and your real estate tax attorney can assist you in appealing the decision. An error in your property's valuation could cause you to pay much more in taxes than what you really owe, so it's important that you appeal any decision that you believe values your property higher than what it's worth. Depending on where you live, you may need to submit a petition to a value adjustment board or another office that handles property valuation appeals to have your valuation amount reassessed. A property tax attorney can go over every detail of your petition to make sure that all information is correct and submit the petition before your next tax deadline so that your appeal won't expire. Additional measures can be taken by your legal representative to try to reverse the decision so that your property can be valued at the correct amount.
If you encounter any of these problems with your property taxes, you can rest assured that a property tax attorney will be able to help. The legal representative who you hire will put forth the time and effort to protect both your property and finances.