A Letter to Our Clients:
Here at Heller & Consultants Tax Grievance, we understand how frustrating it can be to pay more money on taxes than you need to. The problem with letting the system of property taxes flow naturally without any sort of personal intervention on your part is that you often end up paying much more than you need to.
Our system is very simple. What we do here is demonstrate that your property is worth less than what your local municipality says it is. When we do this, you end up saving money otherwise spent on property taxes. We have spent over a decade in the Long Island area helping people to do just this.
Best of all, we don’t charge you any money upfront. It is only when we are successful with your property tax grievance that we will discuss this. In reality, then, you have nothing to lose by working with us!
This guide will break down everything you need to know about our services here at Heller & Consultants. From the basics behind how the system works to the exact steps we will go through should you become our client. Finally, we will finish by looking at some of the most important facts of this industry you need to be aware of.
We truly wish to help you save some money on your property taxes. This is why we are so proud to not only help you save taxes by handling your grievances but also offer rates that account for the money you saved. You won’t pay a dime unless we are successful with your petition. This is why we say that the only thing you have to lose is your taxes!
To get started, we recommend that you check out all the information included in this packet. When the time comes for you to handle your property grievances, we will be here ready to help you. All you need to do is contact us today and we will schedule a free consultation for you.
For your success,
Adam Heller, CEO
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Introduction
As a property owner, we all understand the burdens that come along with annual taxes. Although we can all probably agree that taxes are beneficial for our communities, there is nothing wrong with paying your fair dues. When you begin to be overcharged on taxes, there is nothing wrong with putting your strong arm down and refusing to be taken advantage of.
This is all simple mathematics and common sense. You work hard to pay off your mortgage. If you already own your home, then you put in countless hours of effort to earn the deed to your home. This is why you should always be on the lookout for ways to pay your fair share of taxes.
If you don’t look out for yourself, you shouldn’t expect the government to do so either. The person who determines the value of your home often has very little to do with you personally. In reality, they probably don’t care whether or not their assessment is 100% accurate.
This is where Heller & Consultants Tax Grievance comes into play. Since 2007, we have helped property owners save more than $35 million on their taxes. Our customers trust us because we guarantee our results. If you are denied a reduction in your taxes, we will pay for all the costs of the grievance process. There is no risk to you as the property owner.
Nikki B. from North Babylon is one of our most noteworthy success stories to share. Nikki came to us stressed out over the fact that she was paying too much in her property taxes. However, she wasn’t quite sure where to turn to for help. After sitting down with her and giving her a free estimate, we soon discovered that she has a case worth fighting for. When it was all said and done, she ended up saving $4,000 a year in property taxes.
Stories like these are starting to become much more of a normal routine for us here at Heller & Consultants. For you, the potential customer, we are ready to help duplicate results like these for you. With over 10 years of experience in this industry, we have mastered all the techniques and ins-and-outs of the system.
Therefore, if you are ready to stand up for yourself and stop paying an unfair amount of property taxes, we are here to help. We truly believe that our clients deserve to pay their fair share. If you are sick of municipality assessors inflating the value of your home, give us a call.
After a free consultation, we will help you come up with a plan to start paying your fair share of taxes. Since you won’t pay a dime unless your taxes are deducted, you have nothing to lose but your taxes!
Background Information on Property Tax Grievance
The first step in submitting a successful property tax grievance is understanding some very basic background knowledge on how this process works. Once you have an understanding of the process, you will be ready to tackle your property tax grievance petition much more confidently.
For your reference, we will start by taking a look at some of the most basic background information that exists on tax grievances. This will include some of the basic steps involved, the types of property grievances we handle here at Heller & Consultants, and some of the most popular candidates who can benefit from our tax grievance services.
What is Property Tax Grievance?
To put it simply, property tax grievance is a formal complaint that you file to the local municipality contesting the official valuation of your home. In order to do this properly, you will need to have the right information to fairly and politely contest the claim.
To prepare a property grievance, you will need to be the property owner listed on the official record. It is important to do this in a timely manner and submit all forms before deadlines are reached. As we will explore below, submitting forms after the deadline will result in automatic failure of your petition.
In addition, it is also important to note that you cannot file a tax grievance petition if one has been already done in the past two years. In which case, you simply wait a year or so to do your next petition. Below, we will break down some of the steps for preparing a property tax grievance in more detail.
Unbiased Property Re-Evaluation
The major first step in handling your property tax grievance is to get a re-evaluation from the assessor of your choosing or to find legitimate grounds for your grievance. Your local municipality assessor will typically start by determining the market value of your home by going through a similar process that your real estate agent went through when pricing your home before you purchased it.
When the municipality assessor comes up with their calculated market value, they go through other calculations to come with your property’s assessed value. As we can already see, this process can be very easy to manipulate and or make mistakes on. Since there is only one person who handles this process with very minimal oversight, this is where we will come into play.
The assessed value is typically much lower than homeowners anticipate. This is one of the many reasons that property owners never even think to file a tax grievance claim, or even think that they are not entitled to one in the first place.
Lower Taxes Means Quicker Sales
Many of our customers who come in for tax grievance services are looking to sell their home soon. Think of things as a potential buyer. One of the things that you might look for in your new home is what the estimated property taxes add up to. More than likely, there is a limit to how much you would be willing to pay.
As such, just as a potential buyer would be interested in the amount of taxes they will need to pay after purchasing the home, so should you as the seller. As long as the property meets the necessary requirements for tax grievances, we can help you sell the property much more quickly. After all, lower taxes mean quicker sales!
Tax Grievance is Much Easier than you Might Think
The final process of our work together will be to actually submit the petition for tax grievance. This is where we will compile the case of your petition in the form of a letter using all the required information and official forms. Once you understand how the system works and what to do to properly submit a petition for your tax grievances, the whole process might end up being a lot easier than you initially thought.
Many people think that this is a difficult thing to do. As we will explore below, all it takes is a little knowledge of how the system works and what information that the Board of Assessment Review will be looking for. Usually, when you have a legitimate case there is very minimal stress involved in this process.
Types of Property Tax Grievances We Handle
Property grievance services can come in many different shapes and forms. Many of our customers are private homeowners simply seeking a little less of a burden on their annual property taxes. However, we also proudly serve commercial property owners, as well as realtors seeking to lower property taxes for their clients.
1. Residential Tax Grievance
One of the most common types of clients we receive here at Heller & Consultants is private residential property owners. Usually, these people carry on normal lives and work very hard in their careers. Sadly, this can often leave them with very minimal time for handling things such as checking the work of municipality assessors on the value of their home.
2. Commercial Tax Grievance
Commercial property owners are another common client for us since these businesses typically also have some of the most to gain from paying the right amount of property taxes. After all, commercial properties can often be worth a lot more in the first place. This means that when you calculate up the amount of taxes you need to pay for even seemingly small value differences, it can really up to a lot of money.
3. Realtor Services
If you are a realtor who is trying to their hardest just to sell a property for your client, having tax grievance services done can be a no-brainer. You won’t even need to pay a dime as a realtor in order to have this service done. The property owner, on the other hand, quickly makes up for this difference either when they pay their lower property taxes or when the property is sold quicker than initially anticipated.
In-Depth Look at the Tax Grievance Process
Now that we have covered much of the basic background information you need to know as our client, let’s go ahead and switch our focus over to what we specifically do here at Heller & Consultants. Below, we will go ahead and break down the bare basics of each of the steps involved in handling tax grievance services.
Should you become our client, you will need to know each of these steps in a little more detail. As the property owner, we will be in direct contact with you during each step of the process. For starters, we can begin the process of grieving your property taxes after the municipality publishes the latest Assessment Roll in your market. This is normally done each year.
1. Municipality Value Assessment
Before you can even know whether or not you qualify for tax grievances, you need to know the latest municipality value and assessed value. The assessed value is calculated to be 40% of the property’s total municipality value. As we mentioned above, many homeowners often get confused between these two different numbers. This is one of the many reasons that they might decide to come and seek our help.
2. Testing the Municipality Assessment
Each year, your local municipality will publish the latest Assessment Roll. This can typically occur during the first week of May or June. This is done so that property owners such as yourself have plenty of time to view the latest numbers, and accordingly, file any sort of grievances that they may have. To access the Assessment Roll, go into your local municipality building, or simply call them and have them send it to you by fax or e-mail.
3. Completing Forms
In order to begin your petition process, you need to first ensure that you have a legitimate grievance to claim. To do this, you will need to gather two forms to submit. First, you will need a Form RP-524 (Complaint on Real Property Assessment) and a personal letter in support.
Form RP-524 is a relatively straightforward form to fill out and prepare. The personal letter of support (template below) needs to be attached to this document. If there are any other relevant forms necessary for ensuring the approval of your property tax grievances, we will be in touch with you to help you find all the necessary pieces of information.
4. Submitting Forms by Grievance Day Deadline
In order to get your tax grievance petition approved, you will need to submit all the forms by the proper deadline. Usually, this is known as “Grievance Day” in your local municipality. This is the day that the Board of Assessment Review will sit down and start going through all the different petitions. Many people will attend this personally in order to have the opportunity to state their case in-person. However, if we finish all the forms and complete them to perfection, you generally won’t need to do this.
5. Appeals
In the event that your property value reduction is declined by the authorities, the last option for you to explore is filing an appeal. This can also be done in the event that the results you receive aren’t quite what you expected or hoped for. To file an appeal, you can appeal in the form of a Small Claims Assessment Review (SCAR) or schedule a Supreme Court trial.
How We Will Handle Your Property Tax Grievance
We understand how important it is as a potential client to understand how we will handle your tax grievance petition. Below, we will explore this process in a little bit more detail. The following information will give you all the insight you need about this process, how it is done, and what we can do for you in further detail.
Phase Two: Determining If You Have a Case for a Tax Grievance Petition
In order to file a tax grievance, the first thing to check is whether or not you have legitimate grounds for a petition in the first place. Below, we will break down some of the most popular forms of evidence that we can use as legitimate grounds for your grievance.
Appraisals
An appraisal is usually the easiest way to challenge the assessed value. An appraisal done by a private party or professional service is just as legitimate as one done by the municipality.
Listing Price
If you currently have your property for sale, the listing price is evidence that your property value is lower than what was calculated by the municipality.
Purchase Price
If you can prove that you purchased the property in the last few years in a fair transaction where the seller was not under duress, this can be used as legitimate grounds for your grievance.
Online Value Estimates
Websites such as Zillow.com use an automated algorithm for producing values of your home. If we are unable to find proper grounds for your tax grievance using other means, this is one method we sometimes will explore.
Comparable Market Analysis
Comparable Market Analysis (CMA) is a very common way to get your property assessment lowered. This is done by comparing similar properties in your area that have lower values and using them as grounds for lowering your own.
Phase Two: Complaint on Real Property Assessment (Form RP-524)
The Form RP-524 is where you will formally declare your property grievance petition. For your reference, let’s go ahead and look at some of the basic information that this form contains and some of our top tips for completely correctly.
Part 1: Personal Information
Part one of the form is very straightforward and simple to fill out. You simply need to put in your personal information. Much of this you should already know. If there is any information on the property that you do not know (like the tax map number), you can usually find it in the Assessment Roll of the municipality.
Part 2: Property Details
In part two of the form, you will start to prepare grounds for your grievance by giving out your basic property details. Some of your property information you already started filling out in part one. There are multiple checkboxes for you to go through. Remember that more than one can apply to your home, but the most important thing to do is be thorough and honest.
Part 3: Grounds for Grievance
In part three of the RP-524, you will be listing your actual grounds for your grievances. It is important to take this part seriously since this is where you identify the bulk of your grounds for your grievance petition. This is where you include the relevant grounds for your grievance that you established while determining whether or not you have a case.
The part that people tend to mess up the most in this section is putting in the correct market value and the proposed assessed value. Remember that these two numbers are generally very different. When you work with us, we can ensure that this is done accurately.
Parts 4-6: Final Checks & Signature
In parts 4 through 6 of the form, you will simply do some final checks. If you hired somebody to represent you, this will be included here. In addition, you will simply verify that everything on the form is true and that sign the document. If you negotiated with an assessor and reached an agreement on the assessment of your property before Grievance Day, you can also put this information here.
Phase 3: Send a Petition Letter to the Board of Assessment Review
After we have prepared the forms for you to handle your petition, it is now necessary to write a letter to the Board of Assessment Review in support of your petition. This is where we will put in exact numbers and the grounds for rightly handling your tax grievance. For your reference, here is a model of what this letter can look like:
Board of Assessment Review
[City], USA
[Address]
Re: Objection to Property Assessment in 20XX
[Address in Question]
Board of Assessment Review,
I am writing to you today to support my objection to the Real Property Assessment for 2020 for my property located at [your address]. I have completed and attached the Form RP-524.
The Town Assessor’s valuation of my property is, in reality, higher than its true value. The Assessor has valued my property to be [$XX.XX] when the true value has been determined to be [$XX.XX]. Below, you can see the criteria which this information has been based upon.
[Use any of the following that applies to your petition]:
- My property is currently listed for sale at the price of [$XX.XX] since [date first listed].
- The attached appraised conducted by [Appraiser name] on [Date] showing a current value of [$XX.XX]. The appraisal was conducted to [reason for appraisal].
- The property was purchased by myself for the value of [$XX.XX] at a fair price agreed upon by both parties with full knowledge of the property’s value.
Plenty of research has also been done by myself on the surrounding market property values. To conduct this research, various properties were explored around the locality that were similar in terms of property size, amenities, number of rooms, bathrooms, bedrooms, and so on. When picking properties to compare, we found various comparable properties that were sold significantly below the market value determined by the municipality’s assessor.
- [Property address] sold for [$XX.XX] on [Date]. This property has [list similar information such as bedrooms, bathrooms, size, and so on]
- [Property address] sold for [$XX.XX] on [Date]. This property has [list similar information such as bedrooms, bathrooms, size, and so on]
- [Property address] sold for [$XX.XX] on [Date]. This property has [list similar information such as bedrooms, bathrooms, size, and so on]
With the above information in mind, I humbly request that the market value of my property to be reduced from [$XX.XX] to [$XX.XX].
Thank you for your assistance and wish you all the best,
10 Facts You Need to Know About Property Tax Grievances
Now that we have covered the many aspects of our service, how the system works, and what we can specifically do for you, let’s go ahead and switch focus over to some of the most important facts to know. Each of the following points are very important for you to know as the property owner.
1. There is a Deadline for Submitting Your Petition
Grievance Day is the official deadline that is produced by your municipality to submit your grievance petition. If you do not submit all of your forms by this time in the proper manner, you will have to wait until the next grievance day. On this day, the Board of Assessment Review (BAR) will meet to begin processing grievance petitions.
2. You Don’t Need to Attend Your Hearing
It is possible to actually show up in person and represent yourself to the Board of Assessment Review. Clearly, this might be a good idea for you to consider. Especially if you imagine that there may be questionable aspects of your petition. Generally, we advise our clients not to attend the hearing since we have developed enough expertise to know exactly what the Board of Assessment Review is looking for. We will help you craft a perfect petition that gets approved, or you won’t pay a dime.
3. You Don’t Need to Hire a Tax Grievance Service, But Most Do
Many people see legal processes like these as something which requires the help of a tax grievance service. Just as you can process a lawsuit on your own without a lawyer, a tax grievance can also be done on your own. However, the trick is having knowledge of how the system works. This is where we come in. People work with us because they know that we are expert navigators of the tax grievance system.
4. Property Taxes Are Not Set by the Assessor
When the municipality assessor determines the value of your property, it has nothing to do with determining your property taxes. Once the assessor determines the market value of your property, they then do a simple mathematical calculation to determine your assessed value, as we described above. This process is the same thing that can be done by a real estate agent or a professional appraisal. Thus, why it is subject to petitions.
5. You are Challenging the Assessment, Not the Taxes
Forget about your property taxes and what you are paying. These are not subject to petition. What is subject to petition is the assessment of your home’s value. As we have explored, the official municipality assessment can be challenged if you believe it is wrong. However, the actual property taxes you have to pay are a reflection of the assessment, and not able to be challenged separately.
6. All You Need are Legitimate Grounds for a Grievance
If you have legitimate grounds for a grievance, we will be able to help you. In addition, you simply need to submit all the right paperwork in a timely fashion. When these factors are accounted for, we have an extremely high success rate for our clients. Our clients are happy to pay our fees since they are much more affordable than what they would have otherwise paid in property taxes without a successful tax grievance petition.
7. You Don’t Need to Pay for an Appraisal
Don’t get on the phone and schedule a paid appraisal. There are many ways to challenge the assessed value without paying for a separate service like this. As we explored above with our template letter of support, you compare similar properties in your area with your own. Of course, an appraisal can help your tax grievance process, but it isn’t necessarily required.
8. Making an Appeal is Sometimes Necessary
In the event that we are unable to have your tax grievance petition approved, there are still ideas for you to consider. Even with an approved grievance petition, you can have it appealed. To do this, you will almost usually require the assistance of a lawyer. Appeals are done by scheduling a Small Claims Assessment Review (SCAR) or Supreme Court trial.
9. This is Completely Legal and Ethical to Do
You are not unfairly taking advantage of anybody or doing anything that is against the law by processing a tax grievance petition. On the contrary, you are simply standing up for yourself and ensuring you pay your fair share of taxes. You wouldn’t go out and pay $40,000 for a $20,000 car, would you? In the same manner, you shouldn’t force yourself to pay more property taxes than you have to.
10. We Have Helped Our Customers Save over $35 Million
We wouldn’t here to advertise ourselves as Long Islands #1 property tax grievance service if we didn’t have the track record to back ourselves up. Since 2007 alone, we are proud to say that we have saved our clients over $35 million in property taxes. That’s a lot of vacations, nights out to eat, birthday presents, and so on! If you want similar results, be sure to schedule a free consultation with us today!
Summary & Useful Resources
As we have explored throughout this packet, it is much easier to handle a tax grievance than many people might imagine. If you know how the system works and the laws the entitle you to petition your value assessment, you have already fought half of the fight.
All you need to do is look at the Assessment Roll and see if you have any legitimate grievance. With a legitimate grievance, you simply need to fill in all the necessary paperwork and demonstrate that you have a legitimate case to the municipality by the Grievance Day deadline.
Of course, though, this process can be quite a bit of work for you to handle on your own. This is why Heller & Consultants is to help you throughout this process. After scheduling a free consultation, we will tell you if you have a legitimate case. Most importantly, you will not pay a dime unless we successfully have your grievance petition approved!
For your reference, here are some additional resources for you to explore before making your decision and during the grievance:
Form RP-524: Complaint on Real Property Assessment:
http://www.tax.ny.gov/pdf/current_forms/orpts/rp524_fill_in.pdf
New York’s Official Property Tax Assessment Website:
http://www.tax.ny.gov/pdf/current_forms/orpts/rp524_fill_in.pdf
Instructions for Completing Grievance Complaint Form:
http://www.tax.ny.gov/pdf/current_forms/orpts/rp524_fill_in.pdf
If you are ready to schedule your free consultation, contact us today:
www.hellertaxgrievance.com/applications
Suffolk County: (631) 302-1940
Nassau County: (516) 342-4849