Property Tax Lawyers in Orange
In Orange, 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 affixed to the land (such as buildings, trees, minerals, etc.).
In Orange, 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.
The federal government almost never imposes property taxes directly. Property taxes are collected nearly exclusively by state, county, and local governments.
How Property Tax is Calculated in Orange, California
Property tax in Orange, California almost always takes the form of a tax levied on the appraised value of the property in question. Property tax rates in the U.S. range from 0.2% to around 5% of the property's value.
To collect the property tax in a fair and consistent manner, Orange, California tax authorities need to have an objective formula for determining the value of land under its jurisdiction.
Value is subjective in many respects. The home that you grew up in is probably worth more to you than its going market rate. Thus, to ensure that property taxes are fair and uniform, tax collectors have to use purely objective factors when appraising property.
To that end, the Orange, 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 Orange, California Property Tax Attorney Can Help.
In Orange, 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 are affected by one of these, or any other, property tax legal issues in Orange, California, you should deal with it properly. If you fail to do so, a relatively minor issue can become much more expensive and inconvenient than it might otherwise have been. Thus, the assistance of a knowledgeable tax attorney in Orange, California is highly useful in avoiding these issues in the first place, or handling them if they do arise.