Property Tax Lawyers in Silver Spring
The government of Silver Spring, Maryland requires most individuals 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 fixed to a piece of land, including trees, oil, groundwater, minerals, and the like.
Silver Spring, Maryland calculates property taxes simply by taking a percentage of the property's value. Normally, they are paid on a yearly or monthly basis.
Normally, the federal government does not collect property taxes anywhere in the U.S. Property taxes are gathered almost always by state and local authorities.
How Property Tax is Calculated in Silver Spring, Maryland
Silver Spring, Maryland property taxes are normally calculated as a percentage of the value of the taxable property. Rates differentiate widely across the country, normally ranging from less than 1% at the low end, to about 5% at the high end.
To collect the property tax in a fair and consistent manner, Silver Spring, Maryland 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 Silver Spring, Maryland employees in charge of appraising land look at objective facts to determine 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 Silver Spring, Maryland Property Tax Attorney Can Help.
Silver Spring, Maryland's property tax system is somewhat difficult. 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 really have. Conversely, a homeowner might believe that the value of their property was appraised inaccurately, resulting in a higher tax bill.
If you are immersed in a property tax dispute with the tax authorities of Silver Spring, Maryland, you should seek the help of a Silver Spring, Maryland 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.