Deadlines Loom for 2010 Florida Property Taxpayers

OCALA, Fla., Aug. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- August is Property Tax Appeal month in Florida. Notices of annual tax assessments are mailed to taxpayers in August. Value Adjustment Board (VAB) Petition Filing Appeal September Deadlines also are in the Notices.

VAB Notices include three values:  market, assessed, and taxable. Taxpayers can appeal market value if they believe their assessments are too high. If successful, as a result of a VAB Hearing, property taxes may be lowered.

Petitions requesting a Hearing must be received by the VAB not later than the deadline date to be assured of an administrative appeal. Postmarks do not count.

Petitions are one page forms, and can be obtained from the Florida Department of Revenue, the Value Adjustment Board in any Florida county, or the property appraiser in each county. Some important things to know about completing petitions:

• Separate petitions generally are required for each property id or parcel number.
• Fees may be charged for each petition filed. $15 is the maximum fee a VAB can charge per petition.
• Taxpayers can file petitions to appeal their assessments themselves or they can be represented by agents or attorneys of their choosing. Petition forms include requirements for anyone who represents a taxpayer before the VAB.
• Complete petitions include the name of the petitioner (taxpayer or representative), property identification numbers, property addresses, the address of the petitioner, sworn signatures, times requested, and boxes to check requesting information or certain conditions.

Commercial Property Services (CPS) is a Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker appealing property taxes statewide. CPS advises every petitioner to check the box asking for property record cards. Property record cards (prc) identify factual information about each property. Many record cards identify appraisal method used as well as cost calculations for assessment purposes. Some records include income data.

VAB Members, Attorneys, Clerks, and Special Magistrates must comply with newly adopted State laws including Department of Revenue Uniform Rules of Procedure, Forms, Real and Tangible Property Guidelines, and Special Magistrate Training Materials. At CPS web site – floridapropertytaxappeals.com - VAB Compliance Watch identifies where Florida VABs are observed protecting real and tangible property taxpayers' rights to fair and lawful Hearings.

For additional information, contact CPS Principal/Broker Sheila Anderson at 305-372-9200 or 352-245-7441.

SOURCE Commercial Property Services, Inc., Licensed Real Estate Broker