Property Tax: How to Appeal Tax Assessment in Georgia

Published on April 16, 2024, at 7:22 AM. Video,… This browser does not support the Video element.

How to appeal a property tax assessment

Real estate expert John Adams says it's definitely worth the effort to find out if you're being asked to pay more than your fair property tax.

GWINNETT COUNTY, Georgia - If you own any property in Georgia, paying property tax is an unwelcome part of your responsibilities. But how can you know if you're being asked to pay more than your fair share?

The last time FOX 5 real estate expert John Adams discussed property taxes on Good Day was in March, when he urged all homeowners to file their tax returns. The deadline for filing was April 1. Now we move on to the second part of the property tax process in Georgia, which involves receiving your assessment notice.

According to the laws of the state of Georgia, every property owner in the state is mailed a notice of assessment. When this happens, homeowners have 45 days to file an appeal.

Appealing an assessment notice guarantees your right to meet with county assessors, verify their information, compare it to your own research, and even negotiate with county assessors on your assessment. This could easily save you over $1,000 over the next three years, and Adams believes it's worth all the worry.

Steps to appeal an assessment notice in Georgia

• Keep an eye on your mail for the assessment notice from the county where your property is located.
• Check the assessment notice to see if the county assessors have increased their market value from last year to this year, and if so, by how much.
• As soon as you find the estimated market value for 2024, ask yourself the question: On January 1 of this year, could I realistically sell my property for that amount of money? If not, you should consider filing an appeal.
• To file, go to any search engine and type in "Georgia Form PT-311A." Complete this form, attach a copy of the notice of assessment, and mail it to the address on the notice.

The good news is that by filing an appeal, you give yourself time to meet with the county assessors, review their calculations, and ensure that their valuation is fair.

Appraisers are under immense pressure to quickly resolve these cases and avoid significant costs for the county in presenting their case to the commission, so they are likely to be open to negotiations.

Adams' advice to property owners is as follows: it costs you nothing to appeal your assessment, and it can't hurt you. If you lose, you've only lost the cost of a postage stamp, and some counties even allow you to appeal for free online. In his experience, assuming the data is in your favor, if you just do what you need to file the paperwork, there's about a one in three chance that you'll succeed in getting a reduction.

Originally from Atlanta, John Adams has been working as a broker and investor in residential real estate for the past four decades.