2010 Assesments

[Jim Garrettson]

2010 Assessments

2010 Pay 2011 Assessments are out

Next years assessments are out and can be viewed at:
http://maps.indy.gov/PropertyAssessmentViewer/
most of Meridian Kessler's Assessments remained unchanged from last
year, with the notable exception of an area roughly bordered by 55th
Street on the North, Beverly on the South, and from the East side of
Pennsyllvania to the West Side of Central, all of which saw a
substantial increase.




What's Up with Property Taxes

What’s up with Property Taxes?

ASSESSMENTS
Updated assessments for 2010/ pay 2011 are now available. These
assessed values (AVs) are the result of annual trending to update AVs
to reflect market values as of Jan. 1st, 2009. Neighborhood sales
values from 2007 and 2008 were used in the process.

The following website allows you to look up assessed values:
http://cms.indygov.org/MyAssessedValue/Search.aspx

This website shows, via color coded parcels on a map, how assessed
values have changed: http://maps.indy.gov/propertyassessmentviewer//

APPEALS

If you feel the assessed value of your home does not reflect its’
market value as of January, 2009, you have 45 days from your receipt
of the tax bill to appeal. An appeal form can be found on the
Assessor’s website:
http://www.indy.gov/eGov/County/Assessor/Marion/Pages/home.aspx

For more information about the appeal process, see below

WHAT WILL I PAY THIS TIME?
Many things could impact our bottom-line bills this year. The new
property tax rates were not available as of this writing, but rates
should be down from last year (tax district 801 was 3.5055). As part
of property tax reform, the state took over funding of schools’
general operating funds, child welfare programs, juvenile
incarceration, and police and fire pensions (not including old debt on
these

items).


For more information about the Circuit Breaker Tax Caps, go to
http://www.in.gov/dlgf/files/CircuitBreakerFactSheet.pdf



If the application of the tax rate times the net assessed value
created a tax liability over the tax cap, then an additional credit
was applied. Here in tax district 801, we had no ‘over-the-cap’ levies
this year, but could next year (IPS Bond Issue).

Please leave any questions you have on this forum and we will check
periodically.



APPEALING your Property Tax Assessment

You cannot appeal your property taxes; you can only appeal the
assessed value of your property.

If you feel that the assessed value (A.V.) does not reflect the market
value as of January, 2009, you have 45 days from your receipt of the
tax bill to appeal. You may want to consider the effort and potential
cost vs. the amount of tax you may

Check Your Property Record Card
You may also want to phone or go into the office and ask for a copy of
your property record card to verify the general accuracy of the data.
Note, not all data on the card is used in assessing (such as number of
rooms, baths). The important parts are the square footage, plumbing
fixtures, finished attics or basements and additional exterior
features such as patios, decks, or pools. If there is an error in this
data, you will need to file for a Correction of Error, a Form 133.
This form can be found online at http://www.in.gov/icpr/webfile/formsdiv/12483.pdf,
or ask at the assessor’s office..

To Appeal your Assessed Value
Go to the North District Assessor Office (old Washington Township
office at 2188 East 54th, phone 327-4821), and fill out a short form
they have there.

OR

Go online to www.indygov.org/assessor, and then select the ‘Property
Tax Appeals’ header in the blue menu bar, then select ‘Appeal Forms’
on the right. You will need to complete Form 130 and submit it to the
Assessor’s Office.

Form 130:
• For type of property, check ‘Real.’
• Complete County, Township, parcel number, and legal description
(found on your bill)
• Complete your name, telephone and address.
• Under Reason for Appeal, most will fill in ‘Residential’ for Current
Use, Designed Use, and Classification. Note whether the property has
been sold in the last 3 years, and if so, the price. In the
Justification Section, you may state that the assessed value is higher
than the market value on 1/1/2007, and may want to list examples of
comparable properties. If you do not have access to sales prices, the
assessor’s office will help review these when they process the
appeal.
• Sign the top of the second page and review the checklist. (More on
the forms mentioned after 11/3.)

WHEN Will The Appeal Be Processed?
The North District is still working the backlog of appeals from
2006/07, and will then have to process 2007/08 appeals. Estimating
when they will process new appeals is impossible at this point. When
the appeal is heard and if the assessed value is changed, you will be
issued a refund of overpaid taxes plus 4% interest (can’t get that
anywhere else!)

Can’t Pay your Property Taxes/ Danger of Foreclosure?

Call the Marion County Treasurer’s Office (327-4040) and ask about
applying for the installment payment plan.

If you are in danger of foreclosure, and have filed an appeal, and it
is not heard in 160 days, call the Assessor’s office and ask about
expediting the process. Obviously they cannot do this for everyone.
Appeals are generally processed in the order received

Remember, Three Property Tax Bills This Year

1) Be advised that there will be three property tax bills in 2010,
as we will have to "catch up" from the previous tax bill delays and
pay the 2010 bill as well. Therefore,
February 10, 2010 we will pay the second half of the 2009 bill
May 10, 2010 we will pay the first half of the 2010 bill
November 10, 2010 we will pay the second half of the 2010 bill
So, taxpayers, be sure to budget for that "extra" tax bill in 2010!!

2) It is our understanding that the Indiana House of Representatives
will be voting next week on whether or not to allow the Property Tax
Cap Amendment bill to be placed on the November 2010 ballot. If it
fails this vote, the amendment process will have to begin anew,
delaying a ballot referendum by several years. If you would like to
contact your state representative directly, you may do so by
telephoning them at 232-9600, or you may e-mail them at:
Ed DeLaney e...@eddelaney.org
Cindy Noe H...@in.gov

3) Watch our website for responses from our state legislators, to the
remaining insightful audience questions which time did not permit our
asking at our Dec 1 Property Tax Panel Discussion. We anticipate
having their comments ready to post by next week.


New Property Tax Form

Hello Friends,

This is extremely important information regarding the pink form
included with your tax notices. For your primary residences, you are
allowed the large homestead deduction. While that may have been
deducted in your tax billing all along, it will be removed if you do
not fill out and turn in this form.

It is an easy process, but it was not publicized much and unless you
read all of it, you may not realize you must do something with this
form. Read below:

Pay Attention to the Pink Slip!

Not all pink slips bear bad news. The pink “Homestead Verification
Form” that will be enclosed with your property tax bill is very
important and can save you and your clients thousands!



A bill in the legislature has required that these forms be mailed out
with the property tax bills in 2010, 2011 and 2012 and they must be
completed and returned by every homeowner who wishes to claim a
homestead deduction on their property. Property owners have until
January 1, 2013 to return the card.

Why? These cards and the legislation requiring them are aimed at
cracking down and preventing homestead fraud. This form has not been
widely publicized and can easily be overlooked as bureaucratic
paperwork, so please pay extra attention when opening your property
tax bills.
I didn’t find the form in my property tax bill?
Though some counties may choose to, they are only required to include
the form to taxpayers already claiming the homestead deduction.

I did not know it was important and I threw it out, can I get a new
copy?
Yes, you can download the form here :
http://www.in.gov/dlgf/files/TS-1_2010_Homestead_Certification_Non-Filled.pdf

If I don’t fill it out by January 1, 2013, will I automatically lose
my deduction?
If you don’t complete the form by the deadline, you will receive a
final notification letter from the county and your deduction could be
removed on your 2012 – pay – 2013 property tax bill.

The form I was sent has a different – much sooner – deadline, what
does that deadline mean?
Counties are permitted to establish internal deadlines to help
streamline the processing of the forms. Missing the county’s internal
deadline will not result in losing your homestead deduction; however
it is best to return the forms to the County Auditor right away.

More questions: Check out the Homestead Verification Form Fact Sheet
and FAQ sheet http://www.in.gov/dlgf/files/100215-_Fact_Sheet-_Homestead_Verification_Form.pdf

AND KEEP A COPY OF YOUR COMPLETED FORM!!! We all know how things can
get "lost in the shuffle".