New York Commercial and Residential Property Tax Law Firm Handles Grievances in Hudson Valley

Attorneys deliver results with more than 60 combined years of experience and superior service Property tax rates in Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland and Orange Counties are among the highest in the nation. However, you have the legal right to file a grievance and challenge your property tax assessment through the process known as tax certiorari. To successfully reduce your property tax, you need experienced legal representation from a law firm concentrating in property tax grievances. At Watkins & Watkins, we can help you file a property tax grievance and appeal an unfavorable property tax assessment or other decision or action by an assessor.  We have successfully represented both owners of residential and commercial properties (such as shopping centers, retail stores, restaurants, office buildings, apartment buildings, condominiums, cooperatives, warehouses, industrial facilities, and vacant land).

Why you need an attorney to help you fight your property tax assessment and reduce your property tax bill
When you work with our law firm, an experienced real property tax attorney guides you through each legal step that may be necessary to review and correct your assessment, including:

• Filing a grievance with the local Board of Assessment Review (BAR): The Tax Certiorari process begins with filing a complaint (also known as a grievance) with the Board of Assessment Review (BAR) on or before the respective municipality’s Grievance Day.  The BAR may request additional information and may require an appearance at a hearing.  Following a determination by the BAR, a property owner has 30 days to commence either an Article 7 proceeding or a small claims assessment review (SCAR).  Some property owners may have to go through separate filings with a Town and a Village.
• Compliance with deadlines is critical:  The Tax Certiorari process requires compliance with strict deadlines and procedures, which can differ from Town to Village and from Westchester County to other counties such as Putnam, Orange, Rockland and Dutchess.  The legal team at Watkins and Watkins is familiar with the process and deadlines involved in each of these areas.  You must exhaust your administrative remedies by first filing a grievance with the BAR. These grievances are often unsuccessful, thus requiring further action in the form of judicial review of the assessment.
• Commencing an Article 7 tax certiorari or Small Claims Assessment Review (SCAR) proceeding and filing a state lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court: If you are denied a reduction by the BAR, you must appeal that denial by commencing a certiorari proceeding in New York State Supreme Court.

How our property tax grievance attorneys help you get relief
We move quickly to correct your property assessment so it properly reflects market values. We thoroughly review the assessment of your property by reviewing public records that include deeds, county tax maps and assessor property record cards, reviewing all pertinent financial data including but not limited to leases and income and expenses (for leased properties), market rental and sales data, as well as the review of existing appraisals, site plans and surveys.

At Watkins & Watkins, we have an extensive background in property tax grievance cases and property tax-related matters and a solid and productive working relationship with the various town assessors. When we successfully obtain your property tax reduction, we make application to the appropriate municipal authorities to obtain refunds of the overpaid taxes and corrected property tax bills.

Contact an experienced property assessment law firm to schedule a free consultation
We work swiftly to avoid an accumulation of costs, and you do not pay a fee until you receive a settlement. For a free consultation, call us at 914.428.1292 or contact us online.