Why Are Your Property Taxes So Darn High?
While the majority of people pay the most attention to the taxes they see regularly, i.e. income and sales tax, there are other taxes that cost you a lot of money that you may tend to forget about. One of those taxes that cost a lot, but that kind of goes unnoticed is property tax. In fact, depending on where you live and how much property you own, your property taxes can be huge. For some people, like residents of New Jersey for example, property taxes seem extreme.
A 2014 study by Monmouth University found that 26 percent of New Jersey residents said that they were “very likely” to move to a different state, with the most common reason being the high price of housing and property taxes – with property taxes being the main culprit. Residents of Connecticut and New York are also often on the list of highest property taxes. Why is that some locations have much higher property taxes than others?
There are several reasons that property taxes vary from state to state and city to city. Here are just a few of the main causes:
- State employees make a lot of money – if your state pays its workers well, like New Jersey does, then chances are your property taxes are higher in order to help foot that bill.
- Not Much Tourism – if your state lacks a lot of out-of-town visitors then property taxes could be higher to make up for lost revenue.
- Good schools – in order to have the best schools you have to pay for the best teachers and education services. The funds for those expenses often come from property taxes.
- Valuable property – no matter where you live, if you have a valuable home then you will almost assuredly pay more in property taxes. That’s because your property tax is based on the assessed value of your home times the local tax rate. A higher value home equals higher property taxes.
There are other possible reasons for high property taxes, but these are some of the most common. If you want to avoid outrageous property taxes, then your best bet is to simply move to a state where property taxes are lower.
Where Should You Retire if You’re Wealthy?
Where Should You Retire if You’re Wealthy? Best Places Retire in USA if You’re Wealthy You’ve spent your lifetime accumulating wealth through your employment and other business endeavors. You have been successful at what you do and now the time has finally come when you’re ready to ride off into the sunset, so-to-speak. It’s time for…
Automatic Penalties for Late Form 5471s and Related Forms
Automatic Penalties for Late Form 5471s and Related Forms On January 1, 2009, the IRS will begin to automatically assess section 6038 penalties for each late-filed Form 5471, Information Return of U.S. Persons With Respect to Certain Foreign Corporations, and late filing penalties under section 6651 for related forms. IRS is now sending out letters…
Selecting a Good Trustee – Factors to Consider When Choosing a Trustee
Selecting a Good Trustee – Factors to Consider When Choosing a Trustee By Rocco Beatrice WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A TRUSTEE When selecting a Trustee the most important qualities of a trustee are honesty, stability, dependability, organization, financial experience, and ability to devote time and energy on an impartial basis for the benefit of…
Tax Strategies Under Obama Tax Plan
Tax Strategies Under Obama Tax Plan Everyone is aware that President-elect Barack Obama has stated his case clearly that there will be a major tax bill for 2009. As our experience shows, a first-term tax law will probably not see passage by both houses until as late as July; however, it is more than likely…