DeKalb deadline to appeal value is July 18

Property owners in DeKalb County, Georgia, received a notice early last month showing their property assessment for 2016. Owners who intend to appeal the assessment must appeal within 45 days, which will end on July 18.  The deadline applies to county residents and residents of cities in DeKalb, including Decatur.

If you did not receive or lost your notice, I recommend that you go to DeKalb’s website. From http://taxassessor.dekalbcountyga.gov:81/PropertyAppraisal/index.html, click on “Real Estate Data,” search for your property, and once your record comes up, and click under the “Assessment Notice” area to see a PDF of your 2016 assessment notice.

An owner whose property has been overvalued and who has evidence to support an appeal, such as lower values of comparable properties, may want to consider appealing their assessment. DeKalb’s website allows for electronic filing of appeals.

To reach the DeKalb tax assessor/property appraisal department, call 404-371-0841. For filing an appeal in person, go to 1300 Commerce Drive in the Maloof Annex. They will have a high volume of calls and foot traffic on Monday.

Reminder about property appeal deadline

DeKalb mailed annual assessment notices to most property owners on May 29.  Property owners have 45 days to file an appeal with DeKalb County if they disagree with their value.  For most property owners that means that today, July 13, is the last day to file an appeal of your 2015 property value.  Follow the instructions or call the staff contacts at the phone numbers listed on your assessment notice, or call the DeKalb assessors main number at 404-371-0841 for further guidance.  If you wait until you get your next tax bill, it will be too late to appeal.

10 days left to reduce your business inventory tax liability for 2015

Businesses are required to file a return annually with the DeKalb County assessor’s office by April 1. Businesses that fail to file are assessed a 10 percent penalty that will increase your tax bill with DeKalb County and the City of Decatur for 2015. Failing to file will also result in DeKalb determining a value for you for 2015 rather than accepting your stated value.

Your return (also known as a “PT50”) should list your business’s property including inventory, equipment, furniture, machinery, fixtures, computers, and other assets. This type of property is known as “personal property.” If your property is worth less than $7,500, you should still file a return, but no personal property taxes are levied.

Personal property tax is different from real property taxes which are taxes on buildings and land. It is also different from occupational taxes which are for business licenses. It is also separate from income taxes, but many accountants or tax professionals who prepare income tax returns for businesses may also notify DeKalb of your business property value on your behalf.

The deadline to apply for a Freeport exemption with DeKalb County (which is like a homestead exemption but for businesses’ personal property) is also April 1. Please visit DeKalb’s website or call them at 404-371-2000 for instructions of filing your return, information on filing for DeKalb’s Freeport exemption, or to notify DeKalb if your business has closed or moved. Taking a moment now to focus on your personal property could help reduce the personal property tax bills that you’ll receive from DeKalb and Decatur later this fall.

Reminder to file business property return

If a business in Georgia has tangible property worth more than $7,500, they are required to pay an annual business personal property tax bill.  Currently this affects about 450 business owners in Decatur, who pay personal property taxes to both the City of Decatur and DeKalb County.

We run into many business owners who either do not know or disagree with the valuation of their personal property.  If you fall into this category, I recommend that you file a return of your business personal property with the DeKalb County tax assessor's office prior to their April 1 deadline to help ensure an accurate value for tax year 2013.

Being familiar with your own taxable property and its value is the best way to prevent surprises later on in the year when you receive your annual bill.  If you or your business purchased property or had any significant changes to your fixed assets or business inventory, please let the county know.

Here are the guidelines from DeKalb County's website:

Georgia statutes and regulations require that all aircraft, boats, and tangible business personal property (furniture, fixtures, equipment, inventory, leaseholds. etc.) be reported annually. Business personal property used or located in DeKalb County should be reported on a "PT50P Business Personal Property Tax Return".

Statutes require that a value be determined even if the owner fails to file a BAR or return of value. Failure to file timely subjects the owner to possible penalties, loss of depreciation, and exemptions, if applicable.

A message from Mayor Bill Floyd

The city manager and I met with several people from the tax appraiser’s office on June 5, 2012. The following information was given to us at that time.

1. There are 30 properties that were identified last week with errors. These will be submitted to the BOA for adjustment at their meeting on June 7^th. Revised appraisals will be mailed after the meeting.  Property owners will have 45 days from the date of the revised notice to file an appeal.
2.  The appraisers office has identified an additional 1500 properties in the city that are being adjusted for any of several reasons
3. The list of 1500 will be submitted to he BOA at their meeting on June 21^st for approval
4. If approved ,  these revised notices will be sent out the week of June 25^th.
5. Current appeal deadline is July 13^th.
6. If you receive an adjusted notice, it restarts the clock and you have another 45 days to appeal

Their Recommendation:

1. Wait until July 2^nd to appeal to see if you get a revised notice.  
2. If by that date you have not received a revised assessment, you are probably not going to get one and you have until July 13^th to file an appeal
3. If you have received a revised assessment and it is a satisfactory amount you will not need to appeal. If you receive a revised assessment and are not satisfied, you have 45 days from the new notice to appeal.

Comments:

1. The appraisers are attempting to adjust land values to more realistic(their words not ours) levels  based on market conditions.
2. You can appeal based on land value, house value or both
3. The problems are due in part to a software transition they have been under going for about a year. They are currently operating under two systems. Our appraisals are under the old system that is difficult to manipulate for older more mature communities with varying housing types, styles and ages. Transition is expected to be complete before next year ‘s appraisals.
4. DeKalb County Tax Appraisers office under a tremendous work load now. If you receive an adjusted notice that is acceptable and do not appeal rather than filing an appeal and withdrawing do to a satisfactory adjustment, it will help those who do appeal receive a quicker response.

Our anticipation is that of the 1500 adjustments about ½ will go up and ½ will come down. Some will be satisfied and some not. Our insistence with the appraiser’s office is that all get a fair appraisal.

They also  do not use geographic definitions for neighborhoods in places like the City of Decatur because of the varying types, ages ,conditions and level of renovations of the housing stock.  For example – a house built in the 1930’s that is still a 3 bedroom 1 bath, 1100sf that has never been significantly improved is in an “Effective Age” neighborhood with other similar construction types regardless of the geographic neighborhood (Oakhurst, Winnona Park, Great Lakes); a 1930’s house that has been significantly renovated – added a second floor or new master suites, would be in a different “Effective Age” neighborhood; and a new house that replaced a demolished 1930’s house would be in a different “Effective Age” neighborhood.  Ultimately they want to be using a depreciation type valuation system that provides a reasonable fair market standard value for land and an economic life value for the building and any improvements. This is the system they are trying to transition to but have been hampered in making it work because of the dual software systems.

Tax news round-up

Here are some of the latest commentaries on DeKalb County's property assessment notices:

• DecaturMetro:  "Could Decatur Do Its Own Property Tax Assessments?"

• DeKalb County Commissioner Jeff Rader:  "So Your Tax Appraisal Came in High?"

• DeKalb County Commissioner Elaine Boyer:  "Diligence on assessments could lower your tax bill"

Message about property values

Please visit the City of Decatur's website here for a message about the property assessment notices that were recently sent out by DeKalb County.

Any update will also be posted as soon as it's available.

State rep calls DeKalb's process "absurd"

On his blog yesterday, State Rep. Mike Jacobs criticized DeKalb County's reassessment notices and offered guidance to property owners who have appealed their property values. Here’s an excerpt:

They’re at it again.

The DeKalb County Tax Assessors have sent out reassessment notices. Having received one this year, and having heard from many of my constituents who have received one, it appears that there is a common thread in this year’s crop of reassessments.

The common thread is that, if you filed a Form PT-50R Georgia Real Property Tax Return (click for an article that I previously wrote on how to file this form), the tax assessors included the amount that you provided on your Property Tax Return as the “previous year’s value” for the bygone 2009 tax year. Then, the assessors increased that amount to what had been your 2009 assessment amount, telling you that the old 2009 amount would be the “current year’s value” for the 2010 tax year.

The rest of Rep. Jacob’s commentary is available here.  The City of Decatur receives all its property assessment values from DeKalb County.