Assessment Notices and the Deadline

While most Fulton County property taxes appeal deadlines will pass on July 31, this is not universal. The time you have to appeal is tied to your notice of assessment and when it was mailed. While the majority of Fulton County can expect a cutoff date of July 31, many others will have more time. You have 45 days to appeal from when your notice is mailed, which means many taxpayers could have more time. However, it is best to file as early as possible, so that you can have the best case possible.

The assessment notice is vital for many reasons, not just its implications for the deadline. This document contains many pieces of information that could justify an appeal for a home or business. When received, it should be looked over thoroughly. First, it should be checked for basic errors, such as the wrong owner being listed or missing exemptions. These can be challenged by an appeal if needed. Next, the values on the notice should be carefully assessed. Fair market value is the first number listed and is what the Fulton Board of Assessors believes your property would sell for on the open market. This is determined by studying the last three years of property sales. The next is the assessed value, which is the market value that has been lowered by the assessment ratio. The Georgia property tax assessment ratio is 40% of a property’s fair market value. This is what exemptions are applied to.

Reasons to Appeal

In order to file an appeal, you must have a justification. While no one likes high taxes, simply having a large tax bill is not grounds for an appeal. Factual errors, such as an incorrect owner’s name, are one reason to appeal. Another is overassessment, when your market value is higher than what your home or business could realistically be sold for. By Georgia law, all properties in the same location with similar characteristics should be uniformly assessed, so instances of unfair assessment should be protested. If you were denied an exemption, you can also appeal this decision. If you study your notice and see any of these errors, then you should consider an appeal.

Businesses and Rental Properties See the Most Benefit

While appeals are important for homeowners, they can be vital for other types of real estate. That is because recent laws have brought a universal homestead exemption and assessment cap for homestead properties, but have left other types of real estate open for increases. While businesses see few exemptions, they can be expected to shoulder more of the tax burden than ever before, as taxing bodies such as school districts look for more sources of revenue. By appealing your business’ taxes, you can both get a reduction and gain an edge on your competition. Many businesses file appeals every year, as it helps control costs.

Rental homes are another prime user of appeals. Homestead exemptions can only be used for a primary residence, meaning a home used to generate revenue is not protected. Virtually the only option that a rental owner has to reduce their property taxes is to use property tax appeals. This can be especially true for those holding a portfolio of rental properties. With rents and property values both skyrocketing in Fulton County, being able to lower your bottom line can lead to higher profits. By reducing property taxes, tenants can also expect lower rents.

Georgia Assessment Freeze

One reason that appeals are so important in Georgia is the assessment freeze. A goldmine for both homeowners and businesses, the assessment freeze will pause the assessment of a property for three years. In order to get this benefit, an appeal must be successful. Until 2024, simply filing an appeal enabled any property owner to get a freeze. However, after consistent abuse of the system, it was changed to only successful protests. This puts a lot of added pressure on both businesses and homeowners, as landing a freeze in Fulton County’s competitive real estate market can lead to massive savings.

The Importance of Evidence

Once solid grounds for appeal have been established, you will still need to build evidence. For cases of factual errors, documents and private assessments can be used to show that the Board of Assessors is using the wrong information. For cases of overassessment, you will have to gather sales records for properties dating back three years, as this mirrors what the assessor does. For cases of unequal assessment, you will need to gather assessments from around your area. For all of these comparable properties, you will need to ensure that they are in your location and share similar ages, sizes, and other features to match your home or business.

O’Connor Helps Georgia Homes and Businesses

For over 50 years, we at O’Connor have been helping clients across the nation get cost-effective tax reduction through appeals, protests, and exemptions. We have already helped homeowners and businesses in the other major Atlanta-area counties before their appeal windows closed and are now focused on Fulton County. We believe that every property owner has the right to protest, and we do everything we can to get you a reduction. We do this by providing a premium, full-service approach.

When you sign up with us, we give you a client success consultant who will guide you through the process and act as your constant advocate. Next, we analyze your assessment with proven data-driven techniques, looking for any issues. We then use our proprietary databases to find the best comparable properties, whether these are property sales or assessments. Finally, we file an appeal on your behalf and will represent you at every hearing. This professional evidence and representation give you the best chance to win, securing you a reduction and an assessment freeze. There is no cost to join, and you will only pay if we can lower your taxes.