Property Tax Lawyers in Spokane

Laws of Spokane, 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 Spokane, 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 Spokane, Washington

Usually, Spokane, 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%.

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

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

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

How A Spokane, Washington Property Tax Attorney Can Help.

In Spokane, Washington, property taxes can become pretty perplexing. Legal disagreements can arise in the property tax context, even if there is no wrongdoing, and the dispute arises from an honest misunderstanding. You might have a good reason to suspect that a mistake was made when your property was appraised, resulting in a higher tax bill than you believe you legally owe, for instance.

If one of these issues affects you and your property in Spokane, Washington, you should make every effort to correctly handle it. This can keep small issues from growing into large ones. The best way to do this is to seek the advice of a reputable Spokane, Washington tax attorney who concentrates in property tax law.