Property Tax Lawyers in Sterling Heights
The government of Sterling Heights, Michigan 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 attached to a piece of land, including trees, oil, groundwater, minerals, and the like.
Property tax in Sterling Heights, Michigan is derived by taking a percentage of the appraised value of the property in question. They are usually collected on an annual or monthly schedule.
In general, the federal government does not impose any property tax. Typically, property tax is imposed by state, county, and municipal governments.
How Property Tax is Calculated in Sterling Heights, Michigan
Most often, property taxes in Sterling Heights, Michigan are simply a set percentage of the property's value. Across the country, state authorities impose a wide range of different 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, the authorities of Sterling Heights, Michigan have to first determine the value of a particular piece of land.
As you probably know, value is not always objective. For instance, the owners of family heirlooms usually place far more value on them than their objective monetary value. So tax officials have to be careful to only use objective criteria in valuing property for tax purposes.
To that end, the Sterling Heights, Michigan employees in charge of appraising land look at objective facts to calculate 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 Sterling Heights, Michigan Property Tax Attorney Can Help.
Sterling Heights, Michigan's property tax system is somewhat complicated. 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 actually have. Conversely, a homeowner might believe that the value of their property was appraised inaccurately, resulting in a higher tax bill.
If you are involved in a property tax dispute with the tax authorities of Sterling Heights, Michigan, you should seek the advice of a Sterling Heights, Michigan 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.