This is your property classification and appraisal notice

[4ohSick]

Next time when the State reappraises your house and you think it is out of line, here is the process to appeal it.

Property Tax Appeal Form

mtab.mt.gov

I did it once about 8 years ago, and had the rate of increase cut in half. The assessor lady was not fun to deal with, but that's what it takes sometimes to keep them honest.

I can't speak for the entire state, but in the Helena area tax assessed value has been WAY below sale prices for the entire 8 years I've lived here. Tax assessed value would climb percentage-wise with the market, but was consistently 60% of the sale price of any given house. Then this year it suddenly jumped up to matching. I can't imagine winning an appeal when the value is suddenly a real number. If they were going to try to tie assessed value to real value, they should have done so incrementally instead of hammering everyone at once and giving a one-time $600 bandaid to try to smooth it over.

 

[BigHornRam]

I can't speak for the entire state, but in the Helena area tax assessed value has been WAY below sale prices for the entire 8 years I've lived here. Tax assessed value would climb percentage-wise with the market, but was consistently 60% of the sale price of any given house. Then this year it suddenly jumped up to matching. I can't imagine winning an appeal when the value is suddenly a real number. If they were going to try to tie assessed value to real value, they should have done so incrementally instead of hammering everyone at once and giving a one-time $600 bandaid to try to smooth it over.

Ravalli County typically runs at about 80% of the sale price. If they double the valuation of my property, I would have definitely appealed it. If enough people had appealed these valuations they would have been overwhelmed and forced to come to their senses.

 

[rogerthat]

Ravalli County typically runs at about 80% of the sale price. If they double the valuation of my property, I would have definitely appealed it. If enough people had appealed these valuations they would have been overwhelmed and forced to come to their senses.

What’s your justification for appeal?

 

[4ohSick]

Ravalli County typically runs at about 80% of the sale price. If they double the valuation of my property, I would have definitely appealed it. If enough people had appealed these valuations they would have been overwhelmed and forced to come to their senses.

I built a shop that wasn't quite finished when they came through, but would've increased my valuation further so I stayed away from the appeal process.

 

[BigHornRam]

I built a shop that wasn't quite finished when they came through, but would've increased my valuation further so I stayed away from the appeal process.

Smart decision. It would have definitely added value to your property.

 

[BigHornRam]

What’s your justification for appeal?

Show me the comps.

 

[BigHornRam]

I can't speak for the entire state, but in the Helena area tax assessed value has been WAY below sale prices for the entire 8 years I've lived here. Tax assessed value would climb percentage-wise with the market, but was consistently 60% of the sale price of any given house. Then this year it suddenly jumped up to matching. I can't imagine winning an appeal when the value is suddenly a real number. If they were going to try to tie assessed value to real value, they should have done so incrementally instead of hammering everyone at once and giving a one-time $600 bandaid to try to smooth it over.

My understanding is the $675 bandaid is available next year as well. So that's a 2 time bandaid. Hopefully they fix this mess next session. It's government, so I'm skeptical.

 

[YukonGold]

Show me the comps.

I am appealing for next tax year (too late for this year but deadline is June 2024 for next year).

I based my appeal on comps. I had a few recent sales of similar homes, and also compared the appraised values of my neighbor's homes, which are in much better shape than mine and yet somehow appraised lower. (I like my neighbors, so I hope it doesn't result in THEIR taxes going up...)

 

[SAJ-99]

I am appealing for next tax year (too late for this year but deadline is June 2024 for next year).

I based my appeal on comps. I had a few recent sales of similar homes, and also compared the appraised values of my neighbor's homes, which are in much better shape than mine and yet somehow appraised lower. (I like my neighbors, so I hope it doesn't result in THEIR taxes going up...)

If I remember correctly, MT charges on market value. I appealed a valuation Pre 2015 and the state sent me a jump drive with all the sales as comps. If you don’t live in a more urban area, determining a comp can be hard. This was pre Covid so the next step was to have the guy come walk the house. I too was building a shop so I just dropped it. Also it felt weird to try to convince someone how “cheap” my house was.

It can be hard because market value has a lot to do with interior and finishes. My example is having solid gold floors. Jacks up the value of the house but the state doesn’t know about it until it is sold. Other states might charge on square footage, so they have a lower tax value but higher mil rates. If I remember correctly, the taxable value of my IL home was 1/3 of estimated market. It’s all super confusing.

 

[YukonGold]

If I remember correctly, MT charges on market value. I appealed a valuation Pre 2015 and the state sent me a jump drive with all the sales as comps. If you don’t live in a more urban area, determining a comp can be hard. This was pre Covid so the next step was to have the guy come walk the house. I too was building a shop so I just dropped it. Also it felt weird to try to convince someone how “cheap” my house was.

It can be hard because market value has a lot to do with interior and finishes. My example is having solid gold floors. Jacks up the value of the house but the state doesn’t know about it until it is sold. Other states might charge on square footage, so they have a lower tax value but higher mil rates. If I remember correctly, the taxable value of my IL home was 1/3 of estimated market. It’s all super confusing.

Yeah and this is frustrating to me. My house has had some cosmetic upgrades, but they're entirely superficial. The important things--plumbing, electrical, insulation--have not been upgraded. I thought that was the point of permitting--that the city stays abreast of major upgrades. Like my neighbors, who took their entire interior down to the studs and upgraded everything, but none of that shows up until they list it for sale. So they get to enjoy a much lower taxable value than the poor sap (me) who bought the lemon house that had been pig-lipsticked in the last decade.

 

[SAJ-99]

Yeah and this is frustrating to me. My house has had some cosmetic upgrades, but they're entirely superficial. The important things--plumbing, electrical, insulation--have not been upgraded. I thought that was the point of permitting--that the city stays abreast of major upgrades. Like my neighbors, who took their entire interior down to the studs and upgraded everything, but none of that shows up until they list it for sale. So they get to enjoy a much lower taxable value than the poor sap (me) who bought the lemon house that had been pig-lipsticked in the last decade.

Yeah, MT's system never made sense, but I'm not sure IL's did either. I was always nervous in MT where there seemed to be no inspectors for anything. I like to think that inspectors can be useful in their hinderance. Image if people were allowed to coat their downstairs plaster walls in liquid rubber.

# @AvidIndoorsman

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Yeah, MT's system never made sense, but I'm not sure IL's did either. I was always nervous in MT where there seemed to be no inspectors for anything. I like to think that inspectors can be useful in their hinderance. Image if people were allowed to coat their downstairs plaster walls in liquid rubber.

# @AvidIndoorsman

6’1 ceilings so it never can be considered “finished”

#loophole

 

[SAJ-99]

6’1 ceilings so it never can be considered “finished”

#loophole

MT would still increase your tax value on "creativity".
Hopefully you have a sign listing concussion protocol somewhere. Even the corgi is barely safe.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

MT would still increase your tax value on "creativity".
Hopefully you have a sign listing concussion protocol somewhere. Even the corgi is barely safe.

My home office is not OSHA approved

 

[BigHornRam]

Yeah and this is frustrating to me. My house has had some cosmetic upgrades, but they're entirely superficial. The important things--plumbing, electrical, insulation--have not been upgraded. I thought that was the point of permitting--that the city stays abreast of major upgrades. Like my neighbors, who took their entire interior down to the studs and upgraded everything, but none of that shows up until they list it for sale. So they get to enjoy a much lower taxable value than the poor sap (me) who bought the lemon house that had been pig-lipsticked in the last decade.

Your city building inspector rarely shows up to inspect, and got a DUI in the city vehicle while "working". (not sure if he is still working for the city, it's been a few years since I worked there)

 

[noisy]

My taxes increased 17% over last year.

 

[longbow51]

I'm so used to getting screwed by the IRS I just decided to not care. I have a good accountant, otherwise, I'm not wasting the energy.

 

[SAJ-99]

My taxes increased 17% over last year.

Mine increase about 5%. They might not be comparable if your county goes on a 3yr cycle and mine every year, but taxes are going up.
My insurance rates increase 62%. But yeah, to some the government sucks and capitalism is great.

 

[Fire*guy]

Looks like we are going back to original mill rate.. Happy Thanksgiving...
https://dailymontanan.com/2023/11/2...rs-counties-levy-full-statewide-school-mills/

 

[Big Fin]

Looks we are going back to original mill rate.. Happy Thanksgiving...
https://dailymontanan.com/2023/11/2...rs-counties-levy-full-statewide-school-mills/

This will cost me a decent chunk of money. Yet, it is the "Education Equalization" portion that counties decided (incorrectly) was optional and that's the part of the property taxes that got shorted. It is a financial hit for some who are already struggling with the amount of property tax burden in a place like Gallatin County.

This equalization system is a huge amount of money that goes from the wealthier Montana counties/school districts to improve school funding to rural schools. I was lucky to graduate from a rural school that averaged about 25 graduates per year. I benefitted from a similar reallocation system.

I support a program like this. I hope all our rural Montana schools get adequate funding. Smaller rural school education provides some life skills that are not a found/possible in a larger school setting. Those students deserve as good of an education as we can provide.

Not sure how the 49 counties thought this was an "optional" law. All seven SC judges found it not to be "optional."