Welcome to property taxes Guide
Powered by Mortgage Calculator
Unpaid Property Taxes Article
. For a permanent link to this article, or to bookmark it for further reading, click here.
You may also listen to this article by using the following controls.
California Property Taxes – What You Need to Know
from: www.TaxesExposed.comCalifornia property taxes, like those in many other states, do not fund the budget of the state of California. Rather, California property taxes are assessed at the local government levels, and all the money collected is used for funding local governments. Fifty three percent of the money collected in California property taxes is used to fund schools. Another eighteen percent is used for county governments, eleven percent goes to city governments and the rest funds special districts.
California property taxes are some of the lowest in the country, ranging from 3.61% per $1000 in assessed value to 6.48% per $1000 of assessed value. Property values are assessed by the county assessor, a locally elected official. Once property values are determined, the taxes are assessed to each home based on the value determined by the tax assessor. California law states that property taxes be no more than 1% of the assessed value of the home plus the following:
1) the amount necessary to make annual payments due on general obligation bonds or other indebtedness incurred prior to July 1, 1978
2) any bond indebtedness for the acquisition or improvement of real property approved by a two-thirds majority of voters after July 1, 1978
3) certain bond indebtedness for school facilities approved by 55% of voters
The law allows for certain exemptions from California property taxes. A homeowner’s exemption is available to all homeowners on their primary residence. The homeowner’s exemption reduces your home’s taxable value by $7000. To get your homeowner’s exemption, you simply make a one time filing with the tax assessor’s office. The homeowner’s exemption only applies on your primary residence; you must reside in the home to qualify.
Disabled veterans also receive an exemption in California. According to California law, a disabled veteran is eligible to receive a basic exemption of $100,000 on the principal place of residence if he or she has specified disabilities. This exemption also applies to the surviving spouse of a disabled veteran, provided that spouse has not remarried. The exemption is raised to $150,000 if the veteran’s income is $40,000 or less per year. Amounts of the exemption and of the income limits are adjusted annually for inflation.
Farmers are also eligible to receive tax exemptions on property used for growing crops. Grapevines are exempt for the first three years after planting and orchards are exempt for the first four years after planting. Standing timber is exempt, but is taxed when harvested.
If you live in California and are the victim of a natural disaster, you will also gain relief from property taxes. Check with your local taxing agency to determine how this will affect you.
Christine Gray is a recognized authority on the subject of Online Taxes. Her website Taxes Exposed provides a wealth of information on everything you will need to know about Property Taxes. All rights reserved. Articles may be reprinted as long as the content and links remains intact and unchanged.
Unpaid Property Taxes News
Unpaid taxes rise to $15.5M in county
SPRINGFIELD — Property tax delinquencies in Clark County have increased from more than $14.7 million in 2010 to more than $15.5 million last year.The amount of delinquent property taxes has continued to increase for the past few years due in part to the sluggish economy, Clark County Treasurer Stephen T. Metzger said.
Read more...Bossier Parish Sheriff holds annual tax sale
About 400 properties with unpaid taxes were up for grabs at the Bossier Parish Courthouse today.
Read more...Unpaid taxes puts Renaissance Festival in jeopardy
The Cayuga County IDA is ready to drop the PILOT agreement it has with the owner of the Sterling Renaissance Festival. The move would mean the property hosting the festival...
Read more...