How to Appeal Tax Assessment in Maryland

If you are a resident of the State of Maryland and have been confused by your tax assessment, then you are not alone. Tax assessment, in general, is a perplexing topic for many homeowners and is not helped by the fact that the rules are constantly changing; it can feel like you are trying to hit a moving target at times. If you are a Maryland homeowner and feel that the amount of your tax assessment is not in line with the current market value of your home, then read on to find out how you can appeal your tax assessment.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• A recent Assessment Notice
• An Appeal Form
• A Worksheet provided by the Department of Assessments and Taxation
• Supporting Documentation

How to appeal a tax assessment in Maryland

1. Determine if you home is eligible for appeal. Appeals may be filed on three occasions:1. upon receipt of an assessment notice,2. by a petition for review, and3. upon purchase of property between January 1 and June 30

2. Gather together supporting documentation to make your case. Supporting documentation should include recently sold properties which are comparable to your property. This data can be gathered with the help of a real estate professional. A lot of other supporting documentation can be found using the website "Zillow" and reviewing the State's tax records.

3. Present your case to a tax assessor. The tax assessor will be appointed by the Supervisor of Assessments. This will be an informal meeting that normally lasts about 15 minutes. This meeting is critical to making a case that the assessment is incorrect; it is important that you provide solid documentation to support your position.

4. Appeal to the Property Tax Assessment Appeal Board. Once you have received a "final notice" from the tax assessment office and you are in disagreement with the findings, then you would have the opportunity to go the next level of the appeal process. This second step appeal must be filed within 30 days from the date of the final notice from the Supervisor of Assessments.

5. Go to Maryland Tax Court. If, after going through levels one and two of the appeals process and you are still not satisfied that your assessment is correct, you would then have the opportunity to go to Maryland Tax Court.You would need to file an appeal within 30 days of receiving the decision from the property Tax Assessment Appeal Board. The Maryland Tax Court is an independent body appointed by the Governor.

Tips & Warnings

• Be prepared to support your argument with ample documentation.

• Pinpoint items that affect the value of your home.

• Bring any errors to the attention of the assessor such as the square footage of the home and the number of bedrooms or bathrooms.

• For best results, avoid the following: focusing on a past value, the percentage amount of the tax increase, additional metropolitan costs, the amount of the tax bill, properties in other taxing jurisdictions, and services rendered or not rendered.

Resources

• Maryland Resources