Property Tax Lawyers in Fresno
In Fresno, California, the government imposes a tax (a legally-mandated payment made to the government) on real property. "Real property" is specified as any piece of land, or object permanently or semi-permanently fixed to the land (such as buildings, trees, minerals, etc.).
In Fresno, 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 Fresno, California
Most often, property taxes in Fresno, California are simply a set percentage of the property's value. Across the country, state authorities impose a wide range of various tax rates. The highest rates in the country are in the area of 5% of the property's value, and the lowest are less than 1%.
To collect the property tax in a fair and consistent manner, Fresno, California tax authorities need to have an objective formula for deciding the value of land under its jurisdiction.
In some ways, value is a subjective thing. For instance, 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 deciding how much a piece of real property is worth.
To that end, the Fresno, 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 utilized (zoning), and the health of the local real estate market.
How A Fresno, California Property Tax Attorney Can Help.
Fresno, California's property tax system is somewhat confusing. Legal disputes arising from property taxes can arise in a number of ways. For instance, the state might accuse a homeowner of failing to pay their property taxes, when they truly have. Conversely, a homeowner might believe that the value of their property was appraised inaccurately, resulting in a higher tax bill.
If you are affected by one of these, or any other, property tax legal issues in Fresno, California, you should deal with it correctly. If you fail to do so, a relatively minor issue can become much more costly and inconvenient than it might otherwise have been. Thus, the assistance of a reliable tax attorney in Fresno, California is highly useful in avoiding these issues in the first place, or handling them if they do arise.