Time to File Ohio 2017 Real Property Tax Complaints

The State of Ohio requires counties to reappraise properties for tax purposes every six years and update those values in the middle of that cycle.  This cycle is not evenly distributed between Ohio’s 88 counties. In fact, for tax year 2017, 28 of Ohio’s counties were required to conduct a reappraisal. There are 13 counties that updated value for the January 1, 2017 lien date. The value of real property with a valuation date of January 1, 2017 is the basis for the tax bills paid during calendar year 2018. For tax year 2018, auditor’s reappraised properties in Columbus and Cincinnati, with other counties scattered throughout the state.

Given the challenge of re-valuing all properties in a county, it can be difficult for the county to fully understand specific challenges facing a particular property or property type.  Property owners need to be proactive and review any change in value and determine how the potential changes affect property tax expenses.

Real estate taxes are frequently the largest non-productive expense incurred by property owners, and proactive management of this expense can result in increased profitability.  Now is the time to review your tax assessments to make sure that each property is valued appropriately and that you are paying your fair share of the property tax burden.  All complaints must be filed on or before April 2, 2018 to contest the value of property for tax year 2017.

While valuations can be challenged in any county, the following counties are those required to reappraise or update the tax values as of January 1, 2017:

Vorys has significant experience in analyzing real property tax assessments and securing real property tax savings for property owners across Ohio and the nation.  To discuss an analysis of the opinions of value assigned by your county auditor, please contact us for a complimentary review.