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.
5 Ways to Successfully Network
5 Ways to Successfully Network Word of mouth is no longer the only networking option. As technology and the business world develop, so do networking opportunities. As consequence of our current recession, the recent rise of unemployment rates has caused many individuals to turn to more self-sufficient ways of making a living by starting their…
7 Tax Tips for Starting Your Own Business
7 Tax Tips for Starting Your Own Business Have you ever considered starting your own business? According to a recent survey, the rates of early-stage entrepreneurial activity surged in 2011, jumping nearly 60% in the U.S. More than 12% of U.S. adults reported starting a business or running new businesses last year. This is an…
Choosing a Business Entity that is Right for You
Choosing a Business Entity that is Right for You Have you decided to venture out on an entrepreneurial limb? If yes, there is an array of business structures that you can choose from. There are different tax liabilities dependent upon which business structure that you choose. Below, we briefly explore the different entity options. 1.…
Creating a Positive Work Environment
Creating a Positive Work Environment “BEEP…BEEP…BEEP…BE-.” Hit the snooze on the alarm for the fifth time. Shower. Breakfast. Read the latest news headline on your iPad. Race off to work to begin another day in the cubicle. Since most people see their lives as highly repetitious, how do you create an environment where your employees…