Photo Credit: Kelly Youngblood
By Kelly Youngblood
If real estate property tax bills make you
a. break out in a cold sweat
b. wish you had paid attention during tax class in high school (wait, was that an elective?)
c. envy those around you who rent condos
d. regret ever becoming a grown-up
then you are not alone.
Real estate property tax bills can be confusing for a lot of us. The only thing that’s clear on one of those bills is the amount of taxes due and where to mail your check to. (That seems kind of convenient don’t you think?)
So here are a few tips to keep in mind when reviewing your Champaign County Real Estate Tax Bill this year.
Joe Meents, Chief Deputy of the Champaign County Assessor’s Office, says there are two important things to note when reviewing your tax bill.
One is whether the Fair Market Value of your house (on my bill, it’s called Estimated Fair Cash Value) is about the same as what you paid for it.
If the purchase price or recent appraisal doesn’t match the assessed value or if you think the value of your home is lower based on recent sales in your neighborhood, you should consider appealing your property taxes (more about that later).
Meents also recommends checking to make sure you have all of the exemptions you are entitled to- they will be listed at the bottom of the tax bill.
Even homeowners who have escrow accounts should look over their property tax bills. According to Meents, banks won’t likely review each property owners’ tax bills for inconsistencies.
If you feel like your tax bill is not correct and you want to appeal it before the Champaign County Board of Review, homeowners have until September 1 to do so.
However, Meents suggests meeting one on one with someone in the assessor’s office before officially filing a complaint.
“It’s always in a tax payers benefit to meet with somebody to review and understand the whole process of what the board will be looking at,” he said.
Many times the reason for the assessment can be explained or any errors in the property record can be corrected without filing an appeal.
If you’re still unable to remedy the situation, homeowners can file an assessment complaint with the Champaign County Board of Review. Forms and instructions for filing a complaint can be found here.
For more information about how to review your tax bill or to schedule a meeting with the Champaign County Assessment Office, call 217-384-3760.
Kelly is a freelance writer and a mom to three wild and wonderful children. She has lived in the C-U area for most of her life but is still finding new and interesting things to do in the area.
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