Property Tax Lawyers in Cumberland County

The law of Cumberland County, 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 attached to the land, like trees and natural resources.

The property tax in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania is simply a percentage of a piece of property's appraised value, paid to the state and/or local government on a periodic - typically 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 Cumberland County, Pennsylvania

Most often, property taxes in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania 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%.

In order to impose this tax, the government of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania first has to determine the taxable value of a piece of property.

Value is subjective in many respects. The home that you grew up in is probably worth more to you than its going market rate. Thus, to ensure that property taxes are fair and uniform, tax collectors have to use purely objective factors when appraising property.

To that end, the Cumberland County, Pennsylvania employees in charge of appraising land look at objective facts to measure 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 Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Property Tax Attorney Can Help.

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

If you are engaged in a property tax dispute with the tax authorities of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, you should seek the assistance of a Cumberland County, 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.