Property Tax Lawyers in Burlington

Laws of Burlington, Washington require all property owners to pay a tax on the value of their property. Property taxes only apply to real property (as opposed to personal property). This includes land, buildings, and assets that are permanently or semi-permanently attached to the land.

The property tax in Burlington, Washington 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.

The federal government almost never imposes property taxes directly. Property taxes are collected nearly exclusively by state, county, and local governments.

How Property Tax is Calculated in Burlington, Washington

Burlington, Washington property taxes are typically calculated as a percentage of the value of the taxable property. Rates vary widely across the country, typically ranging from less than 1% at the low end, to about 5% at the high end.

In order to impose this tax, the government of Burlington, Washington first has to determine the taxable value of a piece of property.

Value, in some ways, is not an objective thing. For example, your childhood home is probably worth much more to you than its simple market value. However, the tax authorities use only objective factors in calculating a home's taxable value.

To this end, the Burlington, Washington appraiser will look at things like the state of the real estate market, the size of the land, the presence of additions to the land such as buildings, and the way in which the property is zoned.

How A Burlington, Washington Property Tax Attorney Can Help.

The system of levying property taxes in Burlington, Washington 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 Burlington, Washington, you should seek the assistance of a Burlington, Washington 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.