Help! Tax burning holes in my pocket

jhikers · 03-21-2009, 06:03 AM

I am a retired person in California, aged 67. How do I decrease my property taxes? The amount of tax appears to be increasing year after year, whereas the property prices are falling. The high taxes are burning out my savings too! I need help.

clutchy · 03-22-2009, 05:53 PM

you have to request a reassessment from your tax collector. Prop tax increases are limited by prop 13 passed by your friendly conservatives back in the late 70's i believe.

it limits the increases the counties can assess to a very marginal amount, however californians have somehow gotten into the habit of passing huge spending increases for schools and other public projects so bonds are issued which become supplemental assessments and bypass the prop 13 limits.

contact your tax assessor and have them reassess your house. They won't be too happy about it, but that's what happens i guess.

i work in public accounting but i am neither a cpa or certified to give you this advice, so just keep that in mind.

zippyjuan · 03-23-2009, 03:50 PM

Unless you made any major modifications to the home or recently bought it, I believe the maximum annual property tax increase is limited to two percent. If you are interested in trying to get your home reapraised to lower its assessment, you may want to read Section 10 in this article (it is PDF format). http://www.boe.ca.gov/proptaxes/pdf/pub29.pdf It outlines some of the steps you need to take as well as important dates. It is published by the State of California. \

Welcome to the forum!

Chgoman · 03-24-2009, 09:01 PM

Each county handles things differently in todays market. Check with you county assessor/tax collector. You can usually find it ont he website as well. There's a reassessment request form in most counties that you can fill out now giving 3 comps. They usually give you some of what you ask for but not all. Then you can do a formal appeal and get more.

03-22-2009, 05:53 PM	#2
clutchy Rear Admiral Lower Half Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Yucaipa, CA Posts: 2,863	you have to request a reassessment from your tax collector. Prop tax increases are limited by prop 13 passed by your friendly conservatives back in the late 70's i believe. it limits the increases the counties can assess to a very marginal amount, however californians have somehow gotten into the habit of passing huge spending increases for schools and other public projects so bonds are issued which become supplemental assessments and bypass the prop 13 limits. contact your tax assessor and have them reassess your house. They won't be too happy about it, but that's what happens i guess. i work in public accounting but i am neither a cpa or certified to give you this advice, so just keep that in mind. __________________ LK was treated unfairly thanks X

03-23-2009, 03:50 PM	#3
zippyjuan Picture of the Day Guru Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Sunny San Diego Posts: 8,756	Unless you made any major modifications to the home or recently bought it, I believe the maximum annual property tax increase is limited to two percent. If you are interested in trying to get your home reapraised to lower its assessment, you may want to read Section 10 in this article (it is PDF format). http://www.boe.ca.gov/proptaxes/pdf/pub29.pdf It outlines some of the steps you need to take as well as important dates. It is published by the State of California. \ Welcome to the forum! __________________ I add new pictures to my photo gallery pretty regularly. You can see them here if you are interested: http://www.pbase.com/jeffryz

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

03-21-2009, 06:03 AM	#1
jhikers Plebe Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 1	I am a retired person in California, aged 67. How do I decrease my property taxes? The amount of tax appears to be increasing year after year, whereas the property prices are falling. The high taxes are burning out my savings too! I need help.

03-24-2009, 09:01 PM	#4
Chgoman Lieutenant Commander Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Mission Viejo, CA Posts: 696	Each county handles things differently in todays market. Check with you county assessor/tax collector. You can usually find it ont he website as well. There's a reassessment request form in most counties that you can fill out now giving 3 comps. They usually give you some of what you ask for but not all. Then you can do a formal appeal and get more.

User Name
Password
Remember Me?