Property Tax Experts
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For taxpayers who
may be
experiencing
difficulty in paying
their property taxes,
there may be help.
Most cities in the
United States have
Property Tax
Poverty Exemption
Policy and
Guidelines. You may
be eligible to waive
your annual property
tax for one year
read more
may be
experiencing
difficulty in paying
their property taxes,
there may be help.
Most cities in the
United States have
Property Tax
Poverty Exemption
Policy and
Guidelines. You may
be eligible to waive
your annual property
tax for one year
read more
Homestead Exemption -This program provides a measure of property tax relief for
certain individuals that have owned homestead property in Maine for at least twelve
months and make the property they occupy on April first their permanent residence.
Property owners would receive an exemption of $13,000. Homestead Application
Each year, prior to February 1st, Maine Revenue Services must certify to the Secretary
of State the full equalized value of all real and personal property which is subject to
taxation under the laws of Maine . The State Valuation process, which takes about 18
months to complete, begins with the compilation of a sales ratio study which
measures the assessed value of residential and certain commercial properties
relative to their actual selling price.
Ratio studies are primarily formulated from information reported on the "declaration of
value" that must accompany most deeds that convey fee ownership of real estate and
must be filed with the registry of deeds when the required Real Estate Transfer Tax is
paid.
The State Valuation lags actual market values and municipal assessments by nearly
two years by the time it is final and certified. Accordingly, for the 2005 State Valuation,
work on the sales ratio analysis commenced in the fall of 2003 and utilized actual
sales data from July 2002 to June 2003. In other words, the 2005 SV represents the
full equalized value of all taxable property as of April 1, 2003; the uniform assessment
date for property with 2003 tax status in Maine.
A property owner who believes the property tax is greater than it should be should
first determine whether, in the owner's opinion, the valuation of that property is
equitable in relation to similar property within the town. A property owner can do this
by asking the assessor(s) for permission to examine the valuation book, and by
comparing the valuation of the owner's property with that of similar properties with
which the owner may be familiar. The valuation book is a public record and is
available for public inspection at reasonable times and under reasonable
safeguards. Discussion with the assessor(s) may also be helpful. If the property
owner finds from such examination or discussion that the valuation bears the same
relation to the just value of the owner's property as the average valuation of other
properties bear to their just value, the owner has no sound basis for requesting
abatement. Since variations are apt to be found in the valuation of properties in most
towns, it is necessary to consider the average treatment of other properties; the fact
that some properties may be found to be valued on a higher or lower basis is not
significant if the range of deviation is not excessive.
If, after reviewing the valuation of property in this light, the property owner feels entitled
to relief, the owner should follow the procedure outlined below.
Method of Seeking Abatement . The statutes provide that a property owner who
believes his local property valuation is excessive must seek relief through a written
request to the local assessors, made within 185 days after the date the tax was
committed to the tax collector (which is usually shortly before the tax bill is mailed)
stating the abatement requested, and the reasons for requesting the abatement.
If the taxpayer is dissatisfied with the decision of the local assessors, the taxpayer
may appeal within 60 days to the county commissioners; further appeal may be to the
Superior Court within 30 days. (In those municipalities which have adopted a local
board of assessment review, appeals which elsewhere could be made to the county
commissioners must be made to the local board of assessment review.) Except that
appeal pursuant to assessment under Current Use Law is to the State Board of
Property Tax Review.
A taxpayer does not lose the right to request abatement because of failure to file a list
of the taxpayer's taxable property with the assessors unless taxpayer was specifically
requested by mail by the assessors to furnish a list, and failed to do so.
Please note that neither the State Tax Assessor nor the Maine Revenue Services is
authorized to abate taxes assessed in municipalities. Please note also that requests
for abatement should not be made to the local tax collector. Tax collectors have no
authority to make abatements. Requests for abatement must always be addressed,
in the first instance, to the local assessing authority, and then to the appropriate
appeals body.
certain individuals that have owned homestead property in Maine for at least twelve
months and make the property they occupy on April first their permanent residence.
Property owners would receive an exemption of $13,000. Homestead Application
Each year, prior to February 1st, Maine Revenue Services must certify to the Secretary
of State the full equalized value of all real and personal property which is subject to
taxation under the laws of Maine . The State Valuation process, which takes about 18
months to complete, begins with the compilation of a sales ratio study which
measures the assessed value of residential and certain commercial properties
relative to their actual selling price.
Ratio studies are primarily formulated from information reported on the "declaration of
value" that must accompany most deeds that convey fee ownership of real estate and
must be filed with the registry of deeds when the required Real Estate Transfer Tax is
paid.
The State Valuation lags actual market values and municipal assessments by nearly
two years by the time it is final and certified. Accordingly, for the 2005 State Valuation,
work on the sales ratio analysis commenced in the fall of 2003 and utilized actual
sales data from July 2002 to June 2003. In other words, the 2005 SV represents the
full equalized value of all taxable property as of April 1, 2003; the uniform assessment
date for property with 2003 tax status in Maine.
A property owner who believes the property tax is greater than it should be should
first determine whether, in the owner's opinion, the valuation of that property is
equitable in relation to similar property within the town. A property owner can do this
by asking the assessor(s) for permission to examine the valuation book, and by
comparing the valuation of the owner's property with that of similar properties with
which the owner may be familiar. The valuation book is a public record and is
available for public inspection at reasonable times and under reasonable
safeguards. Discussion with the assessor(s) may also be helpful. If the property
owner finds from such examination or discussion that the valuation bears the same
relation to the just value of the owner's property as the average valuation of other
properties bear to their just value, the owner has no sound basis for requesting
abatement. Since variations are apt to be found in the valuation of properties in most
towns, it is necessary to consider the average treatment of other properties; the fact
that some properties may be found to be valued on a higher or lower basis is not
significant if the range of deviation is not excessive.
If, after reviewing the valuation of property in this light, the property owner feels entitled
to relief, the owner should follow the procedure outlined below.
- Abatement . Abatement is the process by which valuation that is found to be
excessive, in error or illegal may be corrected.
Method of Seeking Abatement . The statutes provide that a property owner who
believes his local property valuation is excessive must seek relief through a written
request to the local assessors, made within 185 days after the date the tax was
committed to the tax collector (which is usually shortly before the tax bill is mailed)
stating the abatement requested, and the reasons for requesting the abatement.
If the taxpayer is dissatisfied with the decision of the local assessors, the taxpayer
may appeal within 60 days to the county commissioners; further appeal may be to the
Superior Court within 30 days. (In those municipalities which have adopted a local
board of assessment review, appeals which elsewhere could be made to the county
commissioners must be made to the local board of assessment review.) Except that
appeal pursuant to assessment under Current Use Law is to the State Board of
Property Tax Review.
A taxpayer does not lose the right to request abatement because of failure to file a list
of the taxpayer's taxable property with the assessors unless taxpayer was specifically
requested by mail by the assessors to furnish a list, and failed to do so.
Please note that neither the State Tax Assessor nor the Maine Revenue Services is
authorized to abate taxes assessed in municipalities. Please note also that requests
for abatement should not be made to the local tax collector. Tax collectors have no
authority to make abatements. Requests for abatement must always be addressed,
in the first instance, to the local assessing authority, and then to the appropriate
appeals body.
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