Friday deadline for property tax assessment appeal

Indianapolis - Marion County homeowners have until Friday to appeal the latest property tax assessment.

Reconciliation bills which are the final installment of 2007 property taxes were sent out last month.

Taxpayers may find information about their assessment by using this tool. There is an additional tool available here, which helps taxpayers see how other properties were affected by the reassessment. General information about assessments and property taxes can be found here.

Special relief available to property owners who have suffered losses from disasters. To apply for a reassessment after a disaster, taxpayers should file Form 137R with the county assessor. That form is available at here. More information about the treatment of disaster petitions is available from the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance here.

How to appeal
To appeal your assessment, you must file a notice in writing with your township or county assessor by July 25, 2008. The notice of appeal must include: (1) the name of the taxpayer, (2) the address and parcel or key number of the property, and (3) the address and telephone number of the taxpayer. Appeal notices may be mailed to your township assessor, or to the Marion County Assessor, 200 E Washington St Ste 1121, Indianapolis IN 46204-3319, (317)-327-4907. Taxpayers wishing to appeal more than one parcel must file a separate appeal for each property.

Information on the valuation of your property and a copy of the property record card can be obtained from your Township Assessor. Questions about change of address, ownership, or how your assessed value is determined should be directed to your township assessor. Township Assessors' addresses can be found at www.indygov.org/assessors. Telephone numbers for those township offices are:

Center Twp. - 327-4698
Lawrence Twp. - 547-8625
Warren Twp. - 327-8888
Decatur Twp. - 856-2230
Perry Twp. - 788-4833
Washington Twp. - 327-4821
Franklin Twp. - 327-4191
Pike Twp. - 327-3920
Wayne Twp. - 273-4130

Before you decide to appeal, you should remember that you are entitled to challenge the assessed value of your property, but a challenge to the other components that make up your tax bill, such as the tax rate, local spending, or how much of your tax bill is reduced by state funds, will not be considered.

Please compare the assessed value of your property to what you estimate your property would have sold for on January 1, 2005. If your estimate is similar to your total assessed value, your property is accurately and equitably assessed and an appeal may not be successful. However, if your estimate is below the total assessed value, your property may be assessed too high and you may wish to appeal.

Indiana law does not require a taxpayer to submit an appraisal or any other documentary evidence in order to appeal the assessment. Taxpayers are encouraged, however, to present any form of evidence that will show the value of the appealed property.

Acceptable examples are:
(1) A sale of the subject property adjusted to the valuation date.
(2) A listing for sale of the subject property.
(3) Sales of comparable properties that the taxpayer can demonstrate the similarity between the appealed property and the comparable properties.
(4) An appraisal, either done for the appeal or for some other purpose, trended to the appropriate valuation date.
(5) Income and expense information if the property is an investment. (NOTE: This information will be required for any property that is income producing).

The above list is not limiting; there may be other types of evidence.

Your appeal will first be considered by the assessing official who determined the value of your property. If you and the assessing official are able to reach an agreement, the agreed value will be the new assessment. If you do not agree with the assessing official, the case will be scheduled for a hearing before a hearing examiner, who will make a recommendation to the Property Tax Assessment

Board of Appeals.
You have the right to challenge any clerical or mathematical errors in your assessment.
If you believe a mathematical or clerical error occurred that affects your taxes, you may seek a correction. This process is different than an appeal of your assessed value, and applies only to the following errors:

(1) The description of the real property was in error.
(2) The assessment was against the wrong person.
(3) Taxes on the same property were charged more than one (1) time in the same year.
(4) There was a mathematical error in computing the taxes or penalties on the taxes.
(5) There was an error in carrying delinquent taxes forward from one (1) tax duplicate to another.
(6) The taxes, as a matter of law, were illegal.
(7) There was a mathematical error in computing an assessment.
(8) Through an error of omission by any state or county officer, the taxpayer was not given credit for an exemption or deduction permitted by law.

To demand a correction of error, you must file Form 133 (Form 133). If the error encompasses multiple years, the form may be used to correct up to (3) years. Once the correction is made you may file a Form 17T to apply for a refund of property tax, if one is due. If the correction is not made, you may present the issue to the Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals.

You may appeal any decision of the Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals.
The determination of the Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals will be sent to the taxpayer. A taxpayer who disagrees with the determination may request a review by the Indiana Board of Tax Review by filing a Form 131 (Form 131) with the Indiana Board of Tax Review within 45 days of receipt of the determination.

Once the Indiana Board of Tax Review gives notice of its determination, the taxpayer may seek a review by the Tax Court by petitioning the court with 45 days of the determination. A copy of the appeal should be filed with the Attorney General and the County Assessor in the county in which the property is located.

Contact the assessor's office at:
Marion County Assessor
Greg Bowes
200 E WASHINGTON ST STE 1121
INDIANAPOLIS IN 46204-3319
317-327-4907