Are reappraisals going to increase your property tax bill?

If you are a property owner in Tipton County you should have recently received a reappraisal from the county’s Property Assessor office.

And, chances are, it’s more than it was the last time you received one.

What does it mean? We’ll try and answer all your questions here.

How often is property reappraised in Tipton County?

Every six years.

Some larger counties do it more often, but Tipton County has been doing it every six years for decades.

Because of the county’s and Property Assessor’s relatively small size, every six years makes the most since here. Plus, Property Assessor Rose Cousar said you get more help from the state, which is necessary with just six people in her office, if you reappraise less often.

Is my property tax bill about to go up?

It shouldn’t.

“A lot of people look at their new appraisal and think they’re taxes are going up, when, in fact, they’re probably not,” Cousar said.

State law does not allow counties to see increased revenue from tax payers after a reappraisal. To counteract increased property value the state will issue a certified tax rate for Tipton County that will be lower than the current rate of $2.42.

During a Tipton County Commission meeting Monday night, County Executive Jeff Huffman said he thinks the rate will drop to about $2.04.

“I stress that’s an estimate,” Huffman said. “That’s speculation, but it will go down. We’re trying to let people know the sky is not falling.”

Why is my property value going up?

Because a lot has changed in six years.

In most cases, because the last reappraisal was done in 2014, property owners’ value has been below market value the last few years. The goal of the reappraisal is for appraisals to be 100 percent of market value.

“That’s one thing I think a lot of people don’t understand,” Cousar said. “They think your tax appraisal should be less than market value, because a lot of the time it is. The market is constantly changing.”

What if I disagree with my reappraisal?

The first step is to call the Tipton County Property Assessor office at 476-0213.

If a mistake was made and you can prove it, the office can make that change and mail you a new reappraisal. If it’s more complicated than that, the office can tell you how to appeal to the Tipton County Board of Equalization.