Property Taxes

Can you qualify the property for any type of land use exemption in your state? I reduce my taxes significantly by either being in a "Farm use" or "Forestry use" program. Land that is valued a $8K per acre has $7.6K deferred leaving $400/acre as the basis for which taxes are levied on treed property.

To address the separate parcel problem you could go to the expense of having a lawyer to combine the property under one deed and have that recorded and the problem should disappear.

 

Well, I still consider the tax bill I just paid today of $315 for 120 acres,house,barns,ponds,fenced pretty darn cheap considering in MI we paid over $1000 a year for 20 acres and a dumpy trailer. And most of that is school tax...we homeschooled ours so that was purely a donation to the area kids! DEE

 

When you go in to gripe, what do they tell you? Do they do something? Get it in writing. Get the right documentation then refuse to pay until they fix it. Most places have a right to arbitration if there is a conflict.

 

In West Virginia you have to apply at the assessor's office for the property to be considered agricultural every year. The key is how much is produced each year. They require that you produce at least a $1,000 worth of product to be considered agricultural. That doesn't mean you have to sell $1,000 worth. You can use it all yourself. That includes bales of hay or other crops and the livestock. We've never had trouble meeting the test.

FWIW, the feds use the same citeria if you ever fill out an ag census. That subdivision thing sounds flakey. You need to ask how to apply for an agricultural exemption.

 

BR, if I recall you are in Arkansas, right? I can only speak for Missouri, where I live. Even with the lowest land value, agricultural, we spend almost $700 in taxes on about 40 acres and an older house. The part that gets me a bit miffed is that the majority of the land is either ravine or hill slope and is mostly rock with a bit of clay and some paper-thin soil. No modern commerical farmer or rancher would be able to use the land for agricultural means. It is also timber-covered.

As for land being split, here in Missouri once land is divided, it can never be united again. Even if you were able to buy up an entire section of individual parcels (good luck where I live), you would pay the taxes for each individual parcel, not the taxes on a section of land even though you owned the entire section.

I don't like it at all, but that is how the law works here. I am not sure how things are where you are at. You might try looking at real estate and land law for where are at and see if you can find any legal work to help support your arguement.

 

I read your posts & HAD to laugh! :haha: Just be glad you DON'T live in CA!!! :waa:

 

In Wisconsin, property owners have the right to present their case to a "Board of Adjustment" and present facts as to why their property taxes should be lower than they are.
In 99.9% out of 100 cases, the original assessment goes.
I would imagine Missouri has a similar process.


Your situation is hilarious. You are paying a measly $150/year in property taxes for 20 acres and some sort of dwelling........and seem to think you are being overtaxed. Wow. Seems to me you should leave well enough alone.

 

Now we live in Misery I mean Missouri, which has a (relatively) low cost of living. I know Most areas pay a lot more taxes. but come on. Around here $150 may be as hard to come by as the $1000 someone else pays elseware.

If it were me I'd be taking the deed to the tax assessors office and showing it to them. Then they would be signing something saying they acknowledge the acerage is one parcel and will be taxed as such. Come tax time if its assessed differently, back to the assessor I'd go with the paperwork THEY signed. Of course that is over simplification. You may need a lawyer involved if they get snotty.

 

You should have received a tax evaluation earlier in the year. This has the appeal process included in the mailing. That is the time to complain, not at the end of the year when taxes are due.

If you are in Missouri, your taxes are LOW. Get done what you can to improve your situation, but don't complain about high taxes.

I own a three bedroom two bath home in Austin on a small lot. Taxes are $3,000.

 

That is one of the main reasons we moved from the great state of Taxes.

They waste more money there. 27 million dollars for a high school stadium is a waste of money and irresponsible government but there is no stopping it now. I want I want I want Giveme Giveme Giveme

Everything is bigger in Texas especially the taxes.

 

Geez. I have 5.95 ac and a house. No water, sewer, trash pick up or anything else and my taxes are almost $1,600. Maryland says you have to have 6 tillable ac (they say a house takes 1 ac) or show sales of at least $2,500 each year to qualify for Ag rates.

 

big rockpile,
send you accessor a certified letter with a copy of your deed that shows the land as one property... Keep a copy of what you send for proof later. I would also write a letter to the editor of the local newspaper...
and dont forget that that position is a voted position (at least it is here) and they can be voted out...

Belinda

 

Move to WI...this state is insanely overtaxed(everything)...Our 60acres taxes would be over a grand if not for several state programs(forest management & CRP) that drops them down to hardly anything. BUT we have no dwellings on the property/NONE...so once we decide to build, we can expect a healthy increase.
This land is considered REC, so if you can get it AGricultural, then you can save a lot...

Who knows how long these "welfare" programs will last With the state gov in debt and the federal gov in huge debt, something will have to give...or our children will pay it off! (yeah right)...

good luck on those taxes...

OH yeah...deer hunting(gun) fees are going from 20(?) to 32 bucks...nice increase...what a joke

 

I always run into the same thing. I have some property further north. I own the entire block (10 lots) but they send me three seperate bills. Lots 1-5, Lot 6, and Lots 7-10. I've been in there three years running asking them to combine it all, but nodda. I don't think they charge me more...just two extra stamps and envelopes that my taxes pay for.

 

Sorry, not much sympathy here Rockpile. We payed more in excise tax to register our 1993 Ford Taurus than you payed in total taxes