Tax Certiorari Lawyers in Albany, New York
The Albany tax certiorari lawyers at The Towne Law Firm, P.C. can help you with the tax certiorari process. The tax certiorari is a legal process by which a property owner can appeal or challenge his or her tax assessment. Property taxes are determined based upon property value assessments which are determined by an assessor. Your assessor may be an elected or appointed local official whose job is to estimate the market value of property. Different communities have different methods of assessing value. Some communities assess property values at 100% of the sale price, and other communities assess property values for tax purposes as a percentage of market value. Understanding the percentages being used in your neighborhood can help you determine whether your tax assessment is fair or not.
It is important to also understand that an increase in assessed value won’t automatically mean that your property taxes will increase. If other properties in your area increased more than your property, or if your neighborhood is moving from a fractional assessment model to a 100% assessment model, your assessed value may not represent a property tax increase, but rather, reflects changes to community models or to changes to the valuation of other properties in your neighborhood. For example, you can find the equalization rates for Albany, New York here. When determining whether your assessment is fair, it is important to understand the reasoning behind the change, and to check the assessor’s information about your property.
If you have received a higher property tax bill or received an assessment of your property’s value and disagree with the assessment, the tax certiorari lawyers in Albany, New York at The Towne Law Firm, P.C. may be able to help you. We can review the situation and help you understand your rights, contest the assessment, and help you take the next steps.
How Can I Contest My Property Value Assessment in New York?
If you have received an assessment of your property value in New York and disagree with the assessment, one of the first steps you can take is to contact the assessor and make sure that the assessor has all the correct information about your property. Sometimes disputes can be addressed informally by correcting inaccurate information. Yet sometimes these informal discussions fail to deliver results, or the assessor stands by his or her initial assessment. In this case, property owners are entitled to administrative and/or judicial review of their assessment. The administrative review process is the first step in the process to contest an assessment. If you still disagree with the assessment, you can take your case to the judicial review process.
The judicial review process includes two options:
(1) the small claims assessment review or
(2) tax certiorari supreme court proceedings.
If you want to pursue your case with the state supreme court through tax certiorari proceedings, you might want to speak to a tax certiorari lawyer in Albany, New York at The Towne Law Firm, P.C.
How Can I Estimate the Value of My Home or Property?
There are several ways you can estimate the value of your home or property. First, you can look at the sales of similar properties in your area. Ideally, you’ll want to look at three different properties sold in your area that are like yours. Comparable properties include properties with similar square footage, similar age, location, and style. Because very few properties are identical, some degree of estimation will likely play a role in the home value assessment process. Other factors you can use include average cost per square footage in each location, additional value of certain amenities and styles, and other factors, like HOA fees or assessments. If you do your research and think your assessor inaccurately estimated your property’s market value, you may be able to appeal or dispute the assessment.
Another option property owners have is to get a formal appraisal of their property from a professional. This information could be submitted as evidence if you plan to formally appeal or contest the state’s appraisal. Because property taxes are based upon the estimation of your property’s value, getting the appraisal correct is important. The tax certiorari lawyers in Albany, New York at The Towne Law Firm, P.C. can help you if you believe your property was improperly appraised.
How Can a Tax Certiorari Lawyer Help Me?
A tax certiorari lawyer in Albany, New York can help you with your property value assessment by speaking directly to assessors, reviewing assessor’s data about your property and correcting any errors, and taking next steps in court or through the formal appeals process if discussions fail. Our tax certiorari lawyers in Albany can review public records, review comparable sales, leases, existing appraisals, and other data. We can review your assessment and seek reimbursement for overpayment of taxes if your assessment was inaccurate. If you are a property owner and your community hasn’t assessed property values in some time, there is a chance that the assessment may be incorrect and the chance that you might even be paying more in taxes due to this inaccurate assessment. An Albany, New York tax certiorari attorney at The Towne Law Firm, P.C. can review your assessment and help you take the next steps.
How Can I Contact a Tax Certiorari Lawyer in Albany, New York?
The tax certiorari lawyers in Albany, New York at The Towne Law Firm, P.C. can be reached by phone at 518-452-1800 or by contacting us online through our convenient contact form. Our tax certiorari lawyers can review your situation and help you contest your assessment using formal processes. Contact us today to learn more about the next steps.
