Property Tax Lawyers in La Plata

The government of La Plata, Maryland requires most people who own real property to pay taxes on its value. "Real property" refers to land and buildings, as well as anything else which is permanently adhered to a piece of land, including trees, oil, groundwater, minerals, and the like.

La Plata, Maryland determines property taxes simply by taking a percentage of the property's value. Usually, they are paid on a yearly or monthly basis.

Usually, the federal government does not collect property taxes anywhere in the U.S. Property taxes are collected almost exclusively by state and local authorities.

How Property Tax is Calculated in La Plata, Maryland

Property tax in La Plata, Maryland 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, La Plata, Maryland tax authorities need to have an objective formula for determining the value of land under its jurisdiction.

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

To this end, the La Plata, Maryland appraiser will look at things like the state of the real estate market, the size of the land, the presence of additions to the land such as buildings, and the way in which the property is zoned.

How A La Plata, Maryland Property Tax Attorney Can Help.

The system of levying property taxes in La Plata, Maryland can get fairly complex. Disputes about property taxes, between the taxpayer and the tax authorities, can come up in several different ways. A taxpayer may believe that an error was made in calculating their property's taxable value, resulting in bigger tax bill. Also, the state or city government might allege that you have failed to pay your property taxes, while you believe that you have.

If one of these issues affects you and your property in La Plata, Maryland, you should make every effort to properly handle it. This can prevent small issues from growing into large ones. The best way to do this is to seek the advice of a good La Plata, Maryland tax attorney who specializes in property tax law.