Property Tax Lawyers in Clearfield

The law of Clearfield, Pennsylvania says that everyone who owns real property has to pay taxes on it. The term "real property" refers to land and buildings, as well as anything adhered to the land, like trees and natural resources.

The property tax in Clearfield, Pennsylvania is simply a percentage of a piece of property's appraised value, paid to the state and/or local government on a periodic - usually annual - basis.

Federal authorities do not collect a property tax. Only state and local governments collect property taxes, as a general matter.

How Property Tax is Calculated in Clearfield, Pennsylvania

Usually, Clearfield, Pennsylvania property taxes are determined as a percentage of the property's value. Tax rates vary widely, but they typically run from less than 1% up to about 5%.

To levy this tax, Clearfield, Pennsylvania tax authorities must first figure out how much a house or piece of land is worth.

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 Clearfield, Pennsylvania 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 Clearfield, Pennsylvania Property Tax Attorney Can Help.

Clearfield, Pennsylvania'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 Clearfield, Pennsylvania, you should seek the advice of a Clearfield, Pennsylvania 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.