Property Tax Lawyers in Lackawanna County

The law of Lackawanna 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.

Property taxes in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania are measured as a percentage of the appraised value of the property. Property taxes are paid to the state or local government at regular (often yearly) intervals.

In general, the federal government does not impose any property tax. Normally, property tax is imposed by state, county, and municipal governments.

How Property Tax is Calculated in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania

Most often, property taxes in Lackawanna 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%.

To collect the property tax in a fair and consistent manner, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania tax authorities need to have an objective formula for determining the value of land under its jurisdiction.

In some ways, value is a subjective thing. For example, 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 determining how much a piece of real property is worth.

To that end, the Lackawanna 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 Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania Property Tax Attorney Can Help.

Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania's property tax system is somewhat intricate. 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 truly have. Conversely, a homeowner might believe that the value of their property was appraised inaccurately, resulting in a higher tax bill.

If you are affected by one of these, or any other, property tax legal issues in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, you should deal with it properly. If you fail to do so, a relatively minor issue can become much more expensive and inconvenient than it might otherwise have been. Thus, the assistance of a knowledgeable tax attorney in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania is highly useful in avoiding these issues in the first place, or handling them if they do arise.