Understanding Property Tax Assessments: The Key to Saving Money on Taxes

 

Property taxes can be a significant expense for any homeowner, and it's essential to understand how they're assessed to ensure you're paying a fair amount. On Long Island, property taxes are among the highest in the United States. Therefore, it's crucial to understand the process of property tax assessment to save money and prevent overpaying.

 

Property Tax Assessment on Long Island

On Long Island, property tax assessments are determined by the local government assessing your home's value and multiplying it by the current tax rate. The tax rate varies from one county to another and is based on the local governments' expenses and budget. Your home's assessed value is typically calculated as a percentage of its market value. Every year, the provincial government estimates each property's value as of a particular date, known as Assessment Day.

Protesting Your Property Tax Assessment

If you believe your property taxes are too high or if you think your property's assessed value is incorrect, you have the right to protest the appraisal. To do so, you can file a grievance claim. Filing an appeal is a lot of work and can take several months to resolve.

Our team can help you with the process at your local assessor's office, where we'll present evidence to support your claim. This evidence could include comparable recently sold homes, structural damage, and any depreciation or wear and tear since the last assessment.

Property Tax Exemptions

Several types of property tax exemptions are available to homeowners on Long Island. The STAR (School Tax Relief) exemption is the most common, open to homeowners who use their home as their primary residence. Other common exemptions include the Senior Citizen Exemption, the Veterans Exemption, and the Disability Exemption. Each exemption has its requirements, and it's essential to research and apply for the ones you qualify for to save money on your property taxes.

Property Tax Grievance Services

If you want to avoid filing an appeal and doing this process yourself, you can trust our team to do it for you. P.T.R.C., Inc. is knowledgeable about local properties and can provide evidence to support your case and handle all the complex paperwork during the process.

Contact Us For Property Tax Reduction on Long Island

Are you feeling the burden of your high property taxes? We want to help. Here at P.T.R.C., Inc., we are determined to help our clients pay the lowest amount of property tax as required by law. Contact us today to see how we can help you save money and a headache.