PROTEST BEFORE ANY TEXAS COUNTY CAD
2023 FEE SCHEDULE
Our fees are based on market value per the CAD
$200,000 OR LESS
$250
$200,000 TO $299,999
$300
$300,000 TO $399,999
$360
$400,000 TO $499,999
$480
$500,000 TO $749,999
$750
$750,000 TO $1,000,000
$1,000
$1,000,000 TO $1,499,999
$1,500
$1,500,000 TO $1,999,999
$2,200
$2,000,000 TO $4,999,999
$4,200
$5,000,000 OR MORE
$6,000
ABOUT PROTESTING PROPERTY TAXES
Many property owners received their Notices of Proposed Appraised Value from the various Central Appraisal Districts this week. If you feel this value is in error, we suggest you protest.
A NOTE ABOUT OUR SERVICES
Our pricing is based on proposed assessed value, regardless of the outcome of our negotiations. We are not “neutral” -- we advocate zealously for our client’s position. Price models based on contingency can have a negative impact on the professional trust we develop with the individual appraisers. Because we are not compensated based on “what we get back,” the appraiser is more likely to look upon us as partner in the negotiation, rather than an adversary.
We protest property taxes for all counties in Texas.
HOW ARE PROPERTY TAXES DETERMINED
Government activities in Texas are funded by property and sales taxes. The budgets for these activities are voted on and approved by your elected officials. Sometimes, for example, in the case of bonds, direct approval by voters is required. The primary driver of property tax is the annual budget for the Independent School District in your area. Have you been to a School Board meeting? What about the budget meetings for the other taxing entities in your district? Has your county or city provided a property tax break (tax abatement) to a large manufacturer to attract their business? You are paying that “missing share.”
In other words, your tax rate is not the Appraiser’s fault. The Appraisal District has one job only – to assess the value of property.
Cash Required / Total Taxable Property Value = ad valorem tax rate. Period. Anyone who tells you that this is not the correct model is trying to sell you something.
Everything else is a matter of apportionment, or “how much does each individual taxpayer pay?”
THE PROTEST PROCESS
The two avenues of protest applicable to most individual residential property owners are:
1. protesting the appraised value of the property itself (market), and
2. protesting the value compared to like properties in the neighborhood (economic analysis).
The initial appraisal you receive is largely computer generated. The reason we have some (significant) measure of success at the “informal meetings” is that both the property owner (or representative) and the appraiser jointly evaluate the individual property. This is the time that some evidence can be provided that might reduce the appraised value of the individual property. Bear in mind that when people do not protest, the computerized values go unchallenged, and the valuation of the entire “grid” trends higher than it otherwise would, making next year’s protest that much more difficult.
Commercial property owners – your situation should be similar, but in fact is much less straightforward.