Property Tax Lawyers in Lancaster

The law of Lancaster, South Carolina says that everybody who owns real property has to pay taxes on it. The term "real property" refers to land and buildings, as well as anything fixed to the land, like trees and natural resources.

Property taxes in Lancaster, South Carolina are determined as a percentage of the appraised value of the property. Property taxes are paid to the state or local government at regular (generally yearly) intervals.

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

How Property Tax is Calculated in Lancaster, South Carolina

Most often, property taxes in Lancaster, South Carolina are simply a set percentage of the property's value. Across the country, state authorities impose a wide range of various 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 Lancaster, South Carolina have to first decide the value of an individual piece of land.

As you probably know, value is not always objective. For example, the owners of family heirlooms normally 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 Lancaster, South Carolina 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 Lancaster, South Carolina Property Tax Attorney Can Help.

The property tax system in Lancaster, South Carolina can get pretty difficult. There are numerous reasons why you might run into a legal dispute regarding your property tax. For instance, you may believe that the appraised value of your property was too high, increasing your tax burden unjustly. Or, the state might accuse you of failing to pay your property tax.

If you are immersed in a property tax dispute with the tax authorities of Lancaster, South Carolina, you should seek the help of a Lancaster, South Carolina 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.