If You Think Your Tax Bill Is Too High, Appeal It

Suppose your tax notice values your house at $200,000. You feel that this is high because you had an appraisal when you refinanced two months ago for $185,000. Then you happen to talk with your neighbor, whose home is a bit larger and has a bigger yard, and his tax is $200 less than yours. You wonder how can that be.
Easy, according to Consumer Reports, tax records show an error rate of 40 percent in estimating property taxes. Also, the National Taxpayers Union writes that as many as 60 percent of all homeowners are overassessed on their home’s value. If this is the case, then most likely you’re paying more property tax than you should. Unfortunately, to correct this and put some dollars back in your pocket, you have to be proactive and prove to the county that it owes you money.