County officials emphasize the assessment notice is not a bill, and that a notice will be sent to all Forsyth property owners. Chief Appraiser Mary Kirkpatrick said the dollar amount included on this informational notice is purely an estimate, and will be based on the previous year's millage rate.
Property owners should not send in payments upon receipt of the tax notices, Kirkpatrick added. . Property owners should note that the estimate is based on the previous year's millage rate, which is subject to change before the actual tax bill goes out later in the year.
In past years, only property owners whose property was reassessed received assessment notices. But state law now requires notices be sent annually to all owners, regardless of whether or not their property was reassessed.
You can learn more about the assessment notices by watching a brief informational video, available online at www.forsythco.com.
APPEAL PROCESS
Property owners will have the opportunity to appeal their property value as shown in the assessment notice for 45 days after the date of the notice.
The appeal process contains three different options for property owners. One option is the Board of Equalization, which is comprised of three citizens appointed by the Grand Jury to hear property tax appeals. There is no charge for this option of the appeal process.
Other appeal options contain fees. In one such option, a property owner may choose to move forward with the process of arbitration without an appeal to Superior Court. Another appeal option would involve an owner of a Non-Homestead property valued at more than $1,000,000 deciding to appeal to a hearing officer with appeal rights to Superior Court.
Property owners wishing to appeal their property value must submit the appeal in writing. Appeal process details can be found on the Tax Assessors Office department page at www.forsythco.com.
Taxpayers desiring to appeal the estimated property value shown on the assessment notice should indicate which appeal process they elect to utilize, Kirkpatrick said.
Filing a property tax return between January 1 and April 1 is not an appeal. This return is for the purpose of informing the Forsyth County Tax Assessors Office about changes in your property, to request a value adjustment or to provide any information the Assessors may need to arrive at the correct value.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2011/4/237961