Select here for answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the property assessment process:
Select here for answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the property assessment process:
Page updated June 15, 2011 .
 | What are the major duties of a Property Assessor? |
A Property Assessor has three major duties: to discover, list and estimate the value of all taxable property within a municipality. To insure that all property is treated uniformly, the Assessor must follow State of Wisconsin laws that regulates property assessments and use commonly accepted appraisal practices.
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| What goes into determining how much I will be paying in property taxes and who is responsible for levying the property taxes? |
It is the Assessor's primary responsibility to determine the fair market value of your property, so that you and other taxpayers may contribute a fair share of support for the community services you receive based on the market value of your property. It is NOT the Assessor's responsibility to set budgets or tax rates.
Annual budgets and the tax levy needed to support these budgets are determined by the municipality, the school district, the fire department, the county government, and any other local taxing districts that serves the municipality. The local tax rate is calculated in December by the municipality and is based on these budgets. The tax bill that you receive in December includes the taxes levied by these other jurisdictions in addition to the local taxes. The tax rate is calculated by dividing the amount of taxes needed to support the budget (levy) by the total assessed value of all taxable property in the municipality.
Tax Rate = Levy divided by Total Assessed Value
Once the rate is set, the assessed value of your property is used to determine your portion of the levy. The tax rate when multiplied by the assessed value of your property, equals what you owe in property taxes. The tax rate is often expressed in terms of dollars per thousand, or as a "mill rate."
Taxes Owed = Assessed Value times Tax Rate
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| Is my property always assessed at full market value? |
No. Usually property is assessed at some percentage of market value. The State Department of Revenue, however adjusts total assessed value in every municipality in the state up to 100% of market value each year. This is called the Estimated Fair Market Value that appears on your tax bill. This is done so that all property in the state is paying taxes based on 100% value every year. This keeps the allocation of taxes to individual properties equitable. Most municipalities adjust their values to 100% every 5 years or so. The decision of when this will be done is made by the local governing board.
Any new construction done in a year that the property is assessed at less than 100% will be similarly assessed at a value less than 100%.
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| If I own agricultural land, how is it assessed? |
Land used for growing crops or grazing animals is assessed according to the income producing value of the property, not its market value. These ag. use values are determined each year based on the grade of land and 5 year averages of interest rates for farm loans and corn prices. Farm buildings and land used for buildings, forests, and swamp & waste lands are still assessed at market value.
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| What if I discontinue using my land for raising crops or grazing animals? |
The local government will administer a penalty to the person who changes the use of the land. This penalty is the difference in taxes between ag. use & market value for the last 2 years. If you sell property that is assessed as agricultural land, you must inform the buyer that the land is assessed by the ag. use method.
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| If my property assessment increases due to a municipal wide revaluation, will my taxes increase? |
Maybe, but they will probably be close to the previous year. After a revaluation, almost all assessments increase dramatically. This is because property values increase each year, but assessed values are not adjusted for this increase each year. At the time of a revaluation, value is added for several years of market increase all in one year. After a revaluation, the tax rate will decrease to compensate for the increased assessed values. If the taxing jurisdictions levy the same taxes, most individual tax bills will stay about the same. Some taxes will increase and some will decrease. This depends on your actual assessment. If a property has increased in value more than most others in the municipality, the tax will increase. If a property has increased in value less than most others in the municipality, the tax will decrease.
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| The tax rate in one municipality is higher than the tax rate in another municipality. Does that mean the taxes will be higher in that municipality? |
No. Taxes due on a property depends on 2 things, the tax rate and the assessed value. They are multiplied to determine the amount of the tax due.
Taxes Due = Tax Rate times Assessed Value
Assume the market value of 2 properties is the same at $100,000. In one municipality, it is assessed at $80,000, because all property in the municipality is assessed at 80% of market value. The tax rate is .024 ($24.00 per thousand). The tax due is $1,920.
In the second municipality, the $100,000 property is assessed at $95,000, because all property in the municipality is assessed at 95% of market value. The tax rate is .022 ($22.00 per thousand). The tax due is $2,090.
In this situation, both properties have the same market value, but the property with the lower tax rate has the higher taxes due.
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| If I get a building permit, will my property assessment increase? |
Assessed values are based on the market value of the property. So, if the improvement you make increases the amount of money you would likely be able to sell your property for, the assessed value would increase. Some types of improvements are mainly for maintenance purposes and will likely not result in an increase in the assessed value of your property.
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| What types of improvements will increase my property assessment? |
Increases to assessments typically occur for such things as additions, new decks, patios, sheds, air conditioning, finished basements, new siding, remodeling kitchens, bathrooms, or other rooms, and substantially improving the overall condition of the property. All structures and buildings are assessable, including free standing decks and movable sheds.
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| What types of improvements will not effect my property assessment? |
Usually no increases occur for minor repairs and alterations, new carpeting, painting, roof or furnace replacement, and storage buildings under 100 square feet.
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| I made changes to my property. How long will it take for any changes to be made to my assessed value and when are taxes due on that change? |
Any changes made to your property, such as remodeling, additions, creating new lots, or destruction of property will not be reflected in your property assessment until the following year. The assessment date of all property is January 1 of each year. All changes in property during one calendar year will first be a part of the assessment completed in May or June of the following year. The taxes based on those new assessments will not be due until the following year. For example, if you make a change to your property in 2010, the change will be reflected in the 2011 assessed value completed in the spring or summer of 2011. You will receive a tax bill based on that changed assessment in December of 2011 and the tax bill is payable in January and July of 2012.
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| How does the assessor know if an adjustment to the assessed value is necessary? |
The assessor needs to inspect the changes made to the property to determine if an adjustment is necessary. This process will begin in the fall of each year.
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| How will the assessor make inspections to my property? |
The assessor may need to enter your property to measure the buildings and additions to the buildings, such as decks, attached garages, sheds, and patios. Permission to enter onto lands, including lands around buildings is assumed, unless written notice is provided to the assessor to keep off your land.
Sometimes the assessor will need to view the inside of the property and will stop to see if you are home. If you want to set up a specific appointment, you may contact the assessor when the work is completed. No entry into a building, other than public buildings, will ever be made without your consent or the consent of a renter of the property. However, if an assessor is not allowed access for viewing property, the value set by the assessor cannot be contested by the owner at the Board of Review.
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| How do I know what my new assessed value will be? |
If a change is needed to your assessed value, the assessor will adjust the value and send you notification of the change usually in May of each year. You may contact the assessor with questions about your assessment at that time, and you also have the opportunity to appear at a Board of Review to contest your assessed value. An appeal to Board of Review must be based on the market value of the property.
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| What if I start a building or remodeling project in one year, but do not finish until the next year? |
Since the assessment date is January 1 of each year, you will be assessed for the property as it exists on that date. If a building project is unfinished on January 1, there will be a partial assessment on the property, based on the estimated value when the project is completed and the percentage of completion. If you are not finished with a project on January 1, you may want to contact the assessor about your particular situation.
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| What do I do if I disagree with the assessment notice that I receive? |
First, you may contact the assessor by phone or meet with the assessor at Open Book, usually scheduled in May or early June or each year. During this time, you can learn how the assessor arrived at your assessment, what factors were used in determining a value, and what types of records are kept regarding your property. At this time, you may provide evidence to the assessor on why you feel your assessment is incorrect. If you are still unsatisfied after discussing your assessment with the assessor, you may file an objection to appeal the assessment to the Board of Review.
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| What is the Board of Review and what purpose does this board serve? |
The Board of Review acts like a court and makes its determination on the evidence presented. All evidence must be given as sworn, oral testimony. You must present evidence to explain your reasoning of what you think your property is worth. Evidence can include:
*Recent sale of the subject property
*Recent sales of similar properties in your neighborhood, if any
*Other factors showing why you feel the assessment is incorrect, such as cost approach to value, income approach to value, outside appraisals, and assessments of comparable properties.
The assessor will provide evidence in defense of the assessment. Then the board will determine the market value of your property based on the oral testimony presented from both sides. A written notice of the board's decision will be mailed to you before the board adjourns.
To appear before the Board of Review, you will need to fill out a formal objection form available from the municipal clerk. This should be done 48 hours before the first Board of Review meeting.
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