FAQ / Myths

“The county tax value is around 80% of market value”

The assessor’s value should be the actual market value as of the effective date of their last valuation. There are multiple effective dates over our coverage area and a number of statutes that could affect the date of value for your particular property. Please give us a call for a free consultation and we will identify the effective date that the local taxing authority is using to value your property. This statement is by far the most common response to the question of how market value compares to taxable appraised value even among appraisers in many areas.

“The assessor will correct my market value if they find that if it is incorrect”

Legislative statute in many states prohibits the assessor from “arbitrarily” changing market values. The value that is placed on your property is assumed to be correct unless you appeal the value. In South Carolina the presumption of correctness is given by the courts to the assessor’s office throughout the appeals process. In Georgia the taxing authority must prove their value when that value is appealed.

“I cannot appeal if my property has not been reassessed this year”

In some states, such as South Carolina, you have the ability to appeal year round in years when you did NOT receive an assessment notice. The laws regarding when you can appeal you value are different by state and sometimes even by county so please call us for a free analysis to determine if you still have the ability to appeal for this tax year. In Alabama, Georgia, and Florida your property is reassessed every year and you can appeal that valuation.

“They lowered my value last year so I will not be successful with an appeal this year”

In some states the assessment of property is mandated yearly. In Georgia, for example, there is a “freeze” placed on the market value after an appeal is settled. This “freeze” in market value is only from an increase in market value. If your property has decreased in value you may still appeal and still get a reduction. In states like South Carolina there are statutes that may allow a reduction depending on the situation and there are many counties in the state that still use December 31st of the tax year appealed as the effective date of value.

“My house is counted as my legal residence automatically just because I live there”

This is a major source of overpayment of taxes especially in South Carolina. Some states give massive tax breaks to residents and these rates MUST be applied for in order to be given. Just because you moved into your new home does not mean that you are receiving the tax breaks that you are entitled. Part of our service is indentifying every avenue of savings that will lower your property tax bill and legal residency can be a major source of savings.

“The taxing authority measured my building and that is where they are getting the square footage estimate”

This may be true in many cases; however, there are many other reasons why the square footage of your building may be incorrect. The structure may have not been measured from the interior on a second or third floor. The appraiser for the taxing authority may have relied on builder’s plans and specifications which were incorrect. The appraiser for the taxing authority may have relied on a Realtor’s listing that was incorrect. Many taxing authorities calculate building value on a “per square foot” basis and that is why a correct measurement is necessary when calculating the market value.

“I have to be a farmer to qualify for agricultural assessment”

There are many states that give agricultural discounts to large tracts of timber land as well as farm or crop land. In some states the property tax discount on the land can be significant. The laws regarding what qualifies for agricultural use discounts differ by state. In addition to our other services we offer analysis and recommendations regarding agricultural use.

“I need to hire an expert to appeal my property”

Even though we would love to handle your appeal it is not necessary to hire anyone in order to file a property tax appeal. Our service has many advantages over handling the process yourself. We have experts in property valuation, accounting, and property tax administration that help us to be successful. Our service allows you to focus on other things while you know your appeal is being handled by a competent and professional staff that is dedicated to the highest level of service. The appeals process can take many months to complete and there are multiple stages that can make the entire appeals process very tedious.

By choosing KLM Property Tax Solutions you can allow us to take the stress out of appealing your property tax assessment.

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