What happens when you open your tax bill for February 1st and it is an unexpectedly large number?
There can be several different reasons that your taxes went up. One reason could’ve been an override in the town (ex: a new high school). Another is that the tax rate could’ve gone up. But the one reason that will be discussed is the possibility that the rate of your own home goes up.
In order to find out if that is the reason, look at your bill or check your property card. Your property card can be found online or at the assessor’s office in your town. A property card has info from last year to this year and will tell you how much your home is assessed for and how much your property is assessed for. Assessed value is the value that the town gives it.
If a home was purchased in your neighborhood for a lot of money, sometimes that then increases the property values for the whole neighborhood. If you don’t think that number is fair, then you can file an abatement with the town. You have to file the tax abatement before February 1st and it has to be thorough. The abatement is essentially a long application trying to prove the value of your house.
Before you file that abatement, you’ll want to compare your house to other houses that are in your neighborhood and are the same type of house. You can pull up all other properties in the town near you to get an idea of what similar houses are worth.
If you have any questions about your home, contact Stiles Law by calling (781) 319-1900.
Copyright © 2019 Stiles Law, All rights reserved. Stiles Law is a Massachusetts licensed law firm and all content is based on Massachusetts law. The information presented above is meant to be used for general informational purposes and it should not be construed as legal advice or legal opinion on any specific facts.