Why Appealing Your California Property Taxes Is Essential After Damage

In the aftermath of devastating wildfires, many California homeowners are grappling with the emotional and financial toll of rebuilding their lives. Recent legislation passed this month has provided some relief by ensuring property tax reassessments to consider fire damage, in addition to other benefits.

However, it's crucial to understand that while the value of your home may be adjusted, the land value remains unaffected. These conditions can lead to potential overtaxation if not addressed.

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How Reassessments Work After Natural Disasters

When your home suffers significant damage, the assessor is required to temporarily reduce the assessed value of the structures on your property. The land value, however, generally remains unchanged.

The reduction is designed to ensure that your taxes reflect the current state of your property. In theory, this means you shouldn’t be overpaying during the period of damage. But in practice, errors, miscalculations, or overlooked damages can result in assessments that aren’t fully accurate.

This is where a proactive appeal comes in: even though the assessor is supposed to adjust your taxes, reviewing the assessment and filing an appeal ensures that the reduction is calculated correctly and reflects the true condition of your property.

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Why Appealing Matters

Appealing property taxes in California isn’t just a “nice-to-have” step; it’s essential protection for homeowners in disaster-affected areas. By filing an appeal, you can:

• Verify accuracy: Ensure the assessor properly accounted for all fire-related damage to your home.
  
  
• Prevent overpayment: Even small miscalculations can add up to hundreds or thousands of dollars in unnecessary property taxes.
  
  
• Hold assessors accountable: Regular property tax appeals help maintain fair and consistent property valuations across your community, especially for those who’ve already suffered significant loss.

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How Abode Money Can Help

The property tax appeal process can be confusing and time-consuming. That’s where Abode Money comes in. We help homeowners in California:

• Understand their assessments: Learn exactly how your property value was calculated.
  
  
• File property tax appeals confidently: An expert team files an accurate, thorough, and timely appeal to save you money.
  
  
• Monitor future changes: Keep track of market fluctuations and ensure your property remains fairly assessed year after year.

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Take Action Today

Whether your home has been affected by a disaster or not, you should never assume the assessor’s valuation is automatically correct. A proactive appeal ensures your property taxes truly reflect the current value of your home.

At Abode Money, we’re committed to helping Californians navigate the complexities of property tax assessments, so you can focus more on what matters most.

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Learn more at: https://www.abodemoney.com/insights/property-tax/california

Or get your savings estimate at: https://www.abodemoney.com/save 

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FAQ

How much are property taxes in California?

California property taxes vary county to county. On average, California homeowners pay just 0.71% of their actual home value in real estate taxes each year despite the state having some of the highest tax rates in the country. Use our property tax calculator to estimate yours.

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When are property taxes due in California?

California property taxes are paid in two installments each year, from July 1 to June 30. The first installment is due on November 1 and becomes delinquent after December 10. The second installment is due on February 1 and becomes delinquent after April 10.

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Are property taxes deductible in California?

Property taxes in California are deductible on your federal tax return if you itemize deductions instead of taking the standard deduction. However, the total amount you can deduct for all state and local taxes, including property taxes and state income taxes, is capped at $10,000 per year.