Homeowners Seeing Increase in Property Taxes

Every six years property values are reassessed. The last the Montana Department of Revenue conducted a reappraisal was in 2002. So in July 2008, new assessments were due. But homeowners have just received their appraisals. And some people, like West Glacier resident Terry Divoky, have found that they’ve gone up. Realtors Kevin and Monica Ray say they’ve seen concern from a number of clients who feel that the value of their homes don’t match up with the tax assessment. But according to Wes Reeden of the Department of Revenue, that’s because the assessments were conducted on July 7^th, 2008. And the Ray’s say in August 2008, the average home in the city of Missoula was $20,000 more than this past August. So the current value of your home, won’t match your tax value.

But if you think your property tax assessment is too high, there are three things you can do.
Request an informal review within 30 days after receiving your notice. That form's available through your local Department of Revenue, or mt.gov/revenue. Or you can file an appeal directly to your County Tax Appeal Board. Or pay your taxes under protest, that means if you don’t hear a response by the time taxes are due, pay them, but write a formal letter explaining why you’re protesting them. If your appeal is successful, you’ll get a refund in the mail.