Time to start thinking about a 2013 property tax appeal

Name: McKirdy & Riskin, P.A.
Address: 136 South Street, Morristown, NJ, 07850
Telephone: 973-539-8900

Home » Uncategorized » Time to start thinking about a 2013 property tax appeal

by: Anthony F. Della Pelle

25 Sep 2012

3^rd Quarter tax bills have gone out. This is a time when people start thinking about filing tax appeal as they feel the pain of yet another increase in their property taxes. But, as so many frustrated taxpayers have learned, it is too late to file a tax appeal for 2012. They must wait until 2013. In between, they have to make their 4^th Quarter tax payments on November 1^st.

However, now is the time to start thinking about 2013. While a tax appeal may not be filed for until January 2013, tax payers, tax appeal counsel and appraisers can get to work as a critical date on the tax appeal calendar is approaching.

October 1^st is just around the corner and this is what is known as the “assessing date.” Under New Jersey law, the primary issue in an appeal that challenges the real property tax assessment is the value of that property as of October 1^st of the pretax year.

This means that a homeowner who just closed on a new home or saw a similar house down the street sell has an excellent indicator of value that will help determine if an appeal is warranted.

An owner of a commercial property who just lost a tenant or made a rent concession to keep space occupied also has recent data that will be critical in determining whether to file an appeal.

If you have any questions about whether a tax appeal may help lessen your local property tax burden, please contact McKirdy & Riskin. One of our tax appeal attorneys will review you matter and help you decide whether a tax appeal makes sense for you. There is no charge for our initial consultation.