When was the last time you pulled up your property tax card to read it? If you are like most people, you have never seen your property tax card. And yet, we guarantee you pay your property taxes on time every year. Well, this is the year to check out your property tax card and see what is on it. You might learn a thing or two about your property. You may even learn that there are a couple of errors that need to be fixed on this card.
How to Read a Property Tax Card
Years ago, you needed to head over to the Assessor’s Office in your town or city and ask to see your property tax card. All of the cards were kept in filing cabinets back then. Each card was a piece of heavy cardstock paper. Handwritten notes would be everywhere on the card. Some of those marks were faded. Others might be crossed out. And once in a while there would be handwriting you simply couldn’t read.
Of course, since you were at the Assessor’s Office, you could ask questions about your property tax card and get the answers you needed.
Nowadays, it isn’t that simple. At least not in the sense that all of your questions can be answered. It is much easier to view your property tax card though.
All you need to do is pull up your town or county’s website and view your property tax card from the comfort of your own home or office. Some areas have typed all of the information for you, making it much easier to read. Other areas simply scanned the cards, so you still need to deal with pencil and pen marks.
At least it’s a step in the right direction for those times you want to check out your property tax card.
What is Listed
If you have never seen your property tax card before, you may be wondering what is listed on there. Well, this little card contains a wealth of information about your property.
Some of the things you will see listed on your property tax card include:
- Street Road
- Location
- Property Address
- Name and Purchase Price
- Neighborhood
- Size and Frontage
- Building Permits
- Utilities
- Topography
- Construction Details
- Property or Land Use
- Cost and Market Valuation
It is important to verify all of the information listed on your property tax card to make sure it is accurate. You should report any errors to your Assessor’s Office immediately, so they can investigate and change them if needed.
Reasons to Read Your Property Tax Card
There are many reasons why you should know how to read your property tax card the right way. The potential errors we just discussed above are the main reasons why you should read your property card. Those errors could cause you to be paying more in taxes than you should.
The common errors we see the most on property tax cards include:
- Property Size
- Land Size
- Land Use Code
- Age of Improvements
- Size of All of the Improvements
- Assessing Neighborhood and Location
If any of these things are wrong on your tax card, you may be paying more than you should for your property taxes. When you receive your property tax bill, you should always look at the assessed value. This value should be the amount you would be willing to pay for your home if you were to purchase it again right now.
Reviewing your property tax card is something you should do if you haven’t done it yet. You may discover a few errors that could result in you paying less in property taxes next year. And even if you don’t find any errors, you may learn something new about your property.
Still struggling with your property tax card? Or did you find errors you are having a difficult time disputing? Contact our office today to schedule a consultation.