Property Tax Lawyers in Kern County

In Kern County, California, the government imposes a tax (a legally-mandated payment made to the government) on real property. "Real property" is defined as any piece of land, or object permanently or semi-permanently adhered to the land (such as buildings, trees, minerals, etc.).

In Kern County, California, property taxes are measured as a percentage of the land's value. They are most frequently paid annually. But in any case, they are paid at some set interval.

Usually, property taxes are not levied by the federal government. This applies to everywhere in the U.S.. Typically, property taxes are imposed by state and local governments.

How Property Tax is Calculated in Kern County, California

Kern County, California calculates its property taxes by requiring property owners to pay a set percentage of the appraised value. While the property tax rate varies considerably across different parts of the country, they fall into the 1-5% range.

To collect the property tax, the authorities of Kern County, California have to first determine the value of a specific piece of land.

In some ways, value is a subjective thing. For example, the home in which you grew up is probably worth far more to you than its market value. To get around this, the government uses nothing but objective factors in determining how much a piece of real property is worth.

To that end, the Kern County, California employees in charge of appraising land look at objective facts to measure value, like the size of the land and any buildings on it, the way in which the land may legally be used (zoning), and the health of the local real estate market.

How A Kern County, California Property Tax Attorney Can Help.

In Kern County, California, property taxes can become pretty confusing. Legal disputes can arise in the property tax context, even if there is no wrongdoing, and the dispute arises from an honest misunderstanding. You might have a good reason to suspect that a mistake was made when your property was appraised, resulting in a higher tax bill than you believe you legally owe, for example.

If you run into any issue with your Kern County, California property taxes, failing to handle it properly can result in anything from unnecessary inconvenience to considerable fines and tax penalties. However, with the help of a Kern County, California tax attorney, your chances of running into a property tax problem can be minimized.