Property Tax Lawyers in Sequim

Laws of Sequim, 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 Sequim, 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 Sequim, Washington

Typically, Sequim, Washington property taxes are determined as a percentage of the property's value. Tax rates vary widely, but they normally run from less than 1% up to about 5%.

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

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 Sequim, Washington 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 Sequim, Washington Property Tax Attorney Can Help.

The property tax system in Sequim, Washington can get pretty intricate. There are many reasons why you might run into a legal dispute regarding your property tax. For example, 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 encounter a legal issue with your Sequim, Washington property taxes, and don't handle it properly, unnecessary inconvenience and expense can result. If you have the assistance of a skilled tax attorney in Sequim, Washington, however, the odds of encountering such a problem will be small.