Well, I just received the most enjoyable piece of mail today… My credit union sent out my new set of coupons for paying my mortgage for 2008 and, much to my bewilderment, the amount went up by almost $50 per month! That means my taxes for last year were more than $400 higher than the bank expected. My taxes went up by over 10%! Well, so much for me getting ahead… Now I’ll have to have an extra $25 pulled for each paycheck to cover the difference.
On top of that, when the assessment of my property arrived in the mail earlier this month, I immediately sent notice that I would be contesting it. The county apparently decided that, even with falling house prices around me, my house increased in value by about 15%. They pegged the assessment at $50,000 higher than the highest appraisal I received a year and a half ago when I purchased the property. I was incensed! My hearing is on January 9 and you can be sure I’m going to write more on it.
Fortunately, property taxes in this area are something that can be contested. And, in cases such as these, it makes sense to. I would encourage everyone to take advantage of that opportunity and not just sit back and take it if your government is treating you in a way you believe to be unfair.
