Qualifications for farm taxation in Indiana

[Agent Iron]

I am trying to find out what animals or how much land I must have to qualify my property as farm use, or something that would bring down my property taxes. Does anyone know Indiana law, or have a source I can turn to for correct information?

Thanks
AI

[mzzlisa]

Its probably here somewhere....

http://www.in.gov/isda/

[daytrader]

I would call your state ag agency. They can get you what you need.

[uncle Will in In.]

It needs to be zoned ag. Most rural land is zoned this way unless someone has a commercial business outside of towns. A call to your county assesers office in the county office building (courthouse) will get the answers you want to know about how your property is taxed, and the procedure you need to take to get your assesment changed.

[Agent Iron]

Thanks, I will call the asseser tomarow.

[lonelyfarmgirl]

there is a new forestry program in some parts of indiana, where if you follow the DNR's rules of sustaining your forest, they will (for tax purposes only) value your forest at 1$ per acre so your taxes remain very low.

this has no effect on value for selling, and the DNR has no ownership or useage rights to the land. They are just trying to stop forest destruction.

I got a phamplet in the mail about it, recently.

[Gailann Schrader]

http://www.in.gov/dnr/forestry/index.../clasfor.htm&2

[Agent Iron]

I have not been able to get a hold of my asseser yet.

Has anyone seen this info below where there appears to be a strong movement in IN to eliminate property tax! Wow would this be a giant step toward freedom!

http://www.americanfreepress.net/htm...rty_taxes.html

[uncle Will in In.]

Everyone here is pushing to eliminate property taxes. They are going to pay the same money to support the Gov. and largely the schools who now get the largest share of the property taxes. The choice alternative tax would be to raise the already 6 percent sales tax. This will put a heavier load on the people who don't own real estate. Also on the lower income familys because they are paying out a larger percent off their income on taxable goods than those with big incomes.
However it turns out they are going to have their hand in one of our pockets. (DEEPER)

[Agent Iron]

Will

I agree they will always keep coming for more of our money. I think I see the benifit in the no property tax for some of the folks like us who may raise a greater percentage of our food so are not spending so much at the store. We also may not be spending as much on energy as we are producing some of our own. We also may not be the types who live as extravagently so we may not spend as much on "frivolous" items. I also fee the big one is for low income people or people in a time of recession may be able to keep their homes where they may not with property tax in place. I just can't believe how much they can raise property tax without your say, and potentially remove the most valuable physical asset/investment of your life. Their are places near me that had their property taxes go from $2,000 to $10,000 per year! These are not large houses either. This is pretty tough to take for a fixed income senior. To me property tax is very dangerous, and is a primary tool of a totalitarian regime.

[Gailann Schrader]

I just heard reported on the radio this morning (and almost drove off the road in horror) that the governor will most likely sign the bill/whatever that will cease property taxes levied by the STATE.

INSTEAD, the local counties and municipalities will levy property taxes if they want!

OMG!!! So, let's say Tippecanoe County wants extra parks (Prophetstown, WHATEVER) and needs some extra cash? They can milk the property owners for it. If they need $400 million in whatever renovations? Yeah. They can use property taxes.

THAT way the STATE isn't the bad guy. And us property owners will get the CRAP knocked out of us whenever the locals want money for that pet widget.

I SURE hope I misunderstood. Pray that I did.

[Agent Iron]

I bet that is what you heard! From what I have read we are more dependent on property tax for funding then many other states. I could not figure out how they would coordinate the elimination of property tax without a very involved process of changes to raise sales tax or something else to make up for the lost funds. No doubt they will not make a decision that will save the people money. It will be very intersting!

[Mel-]

I'm in indiana also, spent most of my life here. but lived in michigan in the mid 90s. they also went through this with property taxes skyrocketing and people selling and moving out of state because they couldn't afford to live there. retirees with paid off houses who couldn't afford their monthly property tax bill of several hundred dollars.

they went with no property tax at all for a while. I'm not sure for how long because I moved back to indiana. the situation there was dire. my county is already there. 6 fricking people on the school board decided we need a 110 million dollar new high school. and not a single other person got to vote on either the price or the need. that needs to be changed.

[Agent Iron]

Wow! 110 million!

Got to love the arbitrary use of our money! We were also aproved for a new school, and additions to another. We home school so I am really not fond of forking out a bundle in property tax to fund these schools. I am all for good schools, but maybe privatizing the schools might be a good idea. Maybe the quality of education might actually improve.