Property Tax Lawyers in Palos Verdes Estates

In Palos Verdes Estates, 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 Palos Verdes Estates, California, property taxes are measured as a percentage of the land's value. They are most commonly 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 gathered nearly always by state, county, and local governments.

How Property Tax is Calculated in Palos Verdes Estates, California

Property tax in Palos Verdes Estates, California almost exclusively 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, Palos Verdes Estates, California tax authorities need to have an objective formula for deciding the value of land under its jurisdiction.

Value, in some ways, is not an objective thing. For instance, your childhood home is likely worth much more to you than its simple market value. Nonetheless, the tax authorities use only objective factors in calculating a home's taxable value.

To this end, the Palos Verdes Estates, California appraiser will look at things like the state of the real estate market, the size of the land, the existence of additions to the land such as buildings, and the way in which the property is zoned.

How A Palos Verdes Estates, California Property Tax Attorney Can Help.

The property tax system in Palos Verdes Estates, California can get pretty difficult. There are various reasons why you might run into a legal dispute regarding your property tax. For instance, you may believe that the appraised value of your property was too high, increasing your tax burden unjustly. Or, the state might accuse you of failing to pay your property tax.

If you are immersed in a property tax dispute with the tax authorities of Palos Verdes Estates, California, you should seek the help of a Palos Verdes Estates, California tax attorney. Your attorney can help you prevent a small tax problem from turning into something much bigger and more expensive than it needs to be.