Litigation

By: John K. Fiorillo

We can easily and quickly assist you in evaluating whether your property is over assessed. Your real estate taxes usually support your local school district, County and in many instances, your local municipality. Two things factor into your real estate taxes; your tax rate and your assessment. The tax rate is a political matter and one that only your local school board, county commissioners and municipal officials can address. The assessment is a different story. Your assessment is supposed to represent a specified percentage of the fair market value of your property. If you are assessed at a higher percentage of your fair market value than the average for your county, you should consider an appeal. You have the right to challenge your assessment on an annual basis. Usually, this is in the late spring or during the summer months. Each county has a different period for filing an annual appeal. We can quickly determine whether your property is over assessed and explain the appeal process. Simply pull out your current or most recent tax bill and call us with your assessment. It will be listed on your bill. If you do not have the bill available, we can look up your assessment for you and help you determine if you are paying too much. A simple phone call could result in significant savings that will compound year after year. Please contact John K. Fiorillo for more information.

By: John K. Fiorillo

In this economic climate, chances are the assessed value of your home is higher than it should be. Your assessment should represent a specified percentage of your property’s fair market value. In Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, properties are supposed to be assessed at 54% of their fair market value. In Chester County, Pennsylvania, properties are supposed to be assessed at 53% of their fair market value. In Delaware County, Pennsylvania, properties are supposed to be assessed at 63.1% of their fair market value. If your current assessment represents a higher percentage of the fair market value, you are a candidate for an annual assessment appeal. An appeal filed now will impact your taxes starting in 2010. The deadline for appealing is rapidly approaching. For Chester and Delaware Counties, the annual appeal deadline is August 1, 2009. The annual appeal deadline for Montgomery County is September 1, 2009. Click here for your county’s assessment website:Delaware County,Pennsylvania, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania,or Chester County, Pennsylvania.

To view an article in the Wall Street Journal on how one property owner in California lowered her tax bill by more than $1,000. Click here.

My office is located in West Chester, Pennsylvania. I am a shareholder in Unruh Turner Burke and Frees. I have successfully helped many Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery County, Pennsylvania residents successfully challenge their property assessments and reduce their real estate tax burden. I would be happy to do the same for you. For more information on whether you are a candidate for an assessment reduction, please contact our office.