Property Tax Lawyers in Longview

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

The property tax in Longview, Washington 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.

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

How Property Tax is Calculated in Longview, Washington

Usually, Longview, Washington property taxes are decided as a percentage of the property's value. Tax rates differentiate widely, but they typically run from less than 1% up to about 5%.

In order to impose this tax, the government of Longview, Washington initially has to decide the taxable value of a piece of property.

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

To that end, the Longview, Washington 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 utilized (zoning), and the health of the local real estate market.

How A Longview, Washington Property Tax Attorney Can Help.

The system of levying property taxes in Longview, Washington can get very perplexing. Disagreements about property taxes, between the taxpayer and the tax authorities, can come up in several different ways. A taxpayer may believe that an error was made in calculating their property's taxable value, resulting in bigger tax bill. Also, 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 involved in a property tax dispute with the tax authorities of Longview, Washington, you should seek the advice of a Longview, 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.