Everything You Need To Know About Property Tax Appeals in Georgia

If you feel like you need to pay more in property tax in the state of Georgia than what your commercial property is worth, do not worry! There are steps you can take to lower your tax obligations on your property. Read on to learn more about the steps you should take to appeal your tax amount in the State of Georgia to the Department of Revenue and the deadlines that you need to know.

What is a Georgia Property Tax Appeal?

An assessment appeal is a due process- or the legal process that a tax-paying citizen in Georgia is entitled to, a taxpayer may initiate if the assessed value of his or her property cannot be agreed upon with the county assessor. In other words, a property tax appeal is the process you can take as a Georgia state citizen to ensure you are not paying a higher property tax than you have to. You can think of a property tax appeal as the ability to obtain the correct assessment for the amount of tax you owe.

What steps must you take for a property tax appeal in Georgia?

1. You must review the “Assessment Notice” that your county sends you in the mail.

2. Then, within 45 days, you must file “PT-311A Appeal of Assessment Form.”

3. Base your appeal on an acceptable appeal reason: taxability - the property is exempt from taxation; uniformity of assessment - values are the same within the same class of property; value - if the county board of tax assessors changed the appraised value of the owner's property this year, and denials of the homestead exemption.

4. If your appeal is denied, or you are not happy with the State's answer, you can appeal this issue to the Superior Courts in the State of Georgia.

5. You must wait several months for the result of your appeal. At this time, you still have to pay the temporary tax bill that the County issued you, or you risk having late fees and other penalties added to your tax bill.

It is always best to discuss your options with a knowledgeable and experienced tax appeal attorney, like the ones at Lovett Property Tax Advisors. Call them today at 912.335.4467 to utilize Lovett Property Tax Advisors ability to leverage technology, law, and persistence to achieve the best possible results for our clients.

How do you file a Property Tax Appeal in Georgia?

According to the Georgia Department of Revenue, Taxpayers may file a property tax return (declaration of value) in one of two ways, by either paying taxes in the prior year on their property, the value which was the basis for tax becomes the declaration of value for the current tax year (O.C.G.A. 48-5-20), or by filing a PT-50R, PT50P, PT50A or PT50M return of value between January 1 and April 1. In some counties, property tax returns are filed with the county tax commissioner, and in other counties, returns are filed with the county board of tax assessor.

Who do you Appeal your Property Tax Assessment to in Georgia?

In the State of Georgia, there are three departments to which you can appeal your property tax. These three departments include the County Board of Equalization, a Hearing Officer, and an Appeal to an Arbitrator. You appeal to the department based on your individual facts and circumstances.

● You should appeal to a hearing officer when the issue of the appeal is the value or uniformity of value of the non-homestead real property, but only if the value is more excellent than $500,000 USD.

● If you file an appeal to an arbitrator, you have 45 days from the date of the transmittal of the acknowledgment of receipt of the appeal, which the board of assessors may accept or reject.

● Lastly, suppose your appeal is based on the value, taxability, uniformity, or denial of an exception. In that case, you can file an appeal as a property owner and have a Board of Equalization review it.

It is always best to discuss your options with a knowledgeable and experienced tax appeal attorney, like the ones at Lovett Property Tax Advisors. Call them today at 912.335.4467 to utilize Lovett Property Tax Advisor’s ability to leverage technology, law, and persistence to achieve the best possible results for our clients.

What does the Georgia Property Taxpayer's Bill of Rights say about Property Tax?

The Senate Bill 177, Act 431 states that “there is a prevention of indirect tax increases resulting from increases to existing property values in a county due to inflation, and that there is an enhancement of an individual property owner’s rights when objecting to and appealing an increase made by a county board of tax assessors to the value of the owner’s property.

How are Georgia’s Property Tax Amounts Calculated?

Property taxes are considered an Ad Valorem Tax, or a tax based on the assessed value of a certain item, in this case, real property. This means that your county officials in Georgia conduct periodic reviews to determine how much taxes are owed on your property based on the perceived value of your property or your real estate.

The specific amount owed for your property is determined by your county’s property tax rate and the current market value of your property. Each municipality and county in the state of Georgia will charge different amounts for the property tax rate, which is determined by the municipalities or counties' monetary needs for property taxes.

What happens if I do not appeal within 45 days?

If you do not send in your appeal for your property tax assessment within 45 days of receiving the assessment notice, you are no longer eligible to appeal what you believe is the incorrect tax assessment. However, you can plan your appeal for the next year’s assessment. That way, when you receive the next year’s tax bills, you will be ready to submit your appeal.