Pennsylvania Tax Assessment Attorneys

Last updated on February 10, 2025

Many taxpayers do not pay much attention to their county and local real estate tax bills because they are a fraction of the bill they receive each July for the real estate taxes owed to the local school district. Furthermore, many people confuse the “assessed value” of their property with the “fair market value” of their property. An attorney can help you understand the process, and O'Donnell, Weiss & Mattei, P.C., is a particularly experienced firm.

What To Know About Assessment Appeals

Your tax bills provide you with the assessed value of your property, which today is a fraction of the true fair market value of your property. When individuals see the assessed value, which is far less than what they believe the fair market value of their property is, they often believe they should not appeal their tax assessment, because if they bring it to the attention of the County Board of Assessments, their taxes could increase. However, research of many of the neighborhoods in both Chester and Montgomery counties indicates that many taxpayers are overpaying their real estate taxes by more than $1,600 per year.

The process to appeal your tax assessment is relatively simple. Since our office handles all of the details with the County Board of Assessments, the process requires very little of your time and in most cases, the entire cost of the appeal can be paid for with just a few months of the permanent annual tax savings that result from a successful appeal.

Should You Appeal Property Tax Assessment?

An experienced tax assessment attorney can help property owners decide whether to appeal. Understanding when to pursue county property tax appeals can save you thousands of dollars on your property tax bills.

Some signs that you should consult a tax assessment lawyer about your assessment:

Increases in your property’s assessed value when you have not made significant improvements. If your assessment increases without justification, this can signal an over-assessment.

Documentation errors in your property records can also lead to inflated assessments. If similar properties in your neighborhood have lower sales prices, your property’s value could be overstated. This may give you grounds for appeal. Our team analyzes multiple sources to build strong evidence for assessment reductions.

Market analysis provides another important indicator. If comparable properties in your neighborhood have lower assessments or recent sales prices suggest your property’s value is overstated, you may have grounds for appeal. Our team analyzes data from multiple sources to build strong evidence for assessment reductions.

Additional factors that may justify an appeal include:

• Recent damage or deterioration that affects property value. Foundation issues, structural problems, flood damage or deferred maintenance impacts the market price.
• Zoning changes impacting property use or value, including new restrictions on development, changes in permitted uses or environmental regulations that limit property potential.
• Economic conditions affecting your neighborhood, such as major employer closures, increased vacancy rates, declining sale prices or infrastructure deterioration.
• Outdated assessments that don’t account for current market conditions, construction costs or depreciation.
• Special circumstances affecting marketability, including proximity to new commercial development, changes in traffic patterns or environmental concerns.

The key is acting promptly when you spot potential issues. Assessment appeal deadlines are strict; missing them means waiting another year for possible tax relief. Our experienced tax assessment attorneys can evaluate your situation, gather supporting evidence and guide you through the appeal process.

Don’t Procrastinate On Your Appeal

Counties limit the time when you can file an annual tax assessment appeal. The annual appeal period begins May 1 and runs until Aug. 1 in Chester, Montgomery, Delaware, Bucks and Lancaster counties and Aug. 15 in Berks County.

If you would care to discuss your particular real estate tax assessment in detail, please call tax assessment lawyer Mike Murray at 610-323-2800 or email Mike.