Yes, all personal property accounts are reviewed as part of the revaluation. Each year, prior to March 1, all commercial entities subject to taxation in a city or town must submit a list of all their personal property that is not exempt from taxation by completing a Form of List (FOL). This list is available on our website.
An abatement is a reduction in a real estate valuation based on a correction to the assessed valuation. The only criteria the assessors examine on an abatement application are the accuracy of the property data and the market value of the property.
An exemption is a reduction in a real estate tax based on an individual meeting certain qualifications set forth by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. For example, being a disabled war veteran for a veteran’s exemption, or being blind for a blind exemption.
As a rule, an application may be filed by the person to whom the tax has been assessed, or by the person acquiring title after January 1. The application for abatement must be filed (received by the Assessor) no later than thirty (30) days after the date on which the "actual" tax bill was issued. Application forms are available on our website or at City Hall, Room 209, Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
We encourage you to call us at 508-799-1098 to discuss with an assessor. If a difference of opinion still exists, you may appeal your assessment by filing a timely abatement application. Reasons for filing for an abatement may be:
No. The valuation change will not be indicative of the tax change. Historically, taxes increase without revaluation through levy changes which require additional funding through property taxes. If all assessed values changed at the same rate the subsequent change in the tax rate would adjust the taxes so no increase or decrease would occur. Property values change at varying rates based upon market and physical changes, therefore taxes change relatively based upon the amount of change to each parcel.
Assessments represent 100% of market value as required by Massachusetts General Laws. The assessments for Fiscal Year 2018 present the estimate of market value as of January 1, 2017.
Yes. The assessed value represents the estimate of market value of the property. The real estate market changes constantly. The assessments change based upon these changes in the real estate market. The assessments do not automatically go up or down every year. The changes in the assessment reflect the real estate sales from the appropriate time period.
Once the Department of Revenue notifies the City of preliminary certification, property owners will receive a copy of their parcel information and their assessed value in the mail. It will also be posted online.
The Commissioner of Revenue determines triennially whether assessed values in the City represent full and fair cash valuation for each class of real and personal property. The City cannot implement the levy allocation provisions of the Classification Act unless the Commissioner has certified that local assessments reflect full and fair cash value. When the assessments are completed, the Assessor submits a request for certification review to the Department of Revenue (DOR). The Bureau of Local Assessment within the DOR conducts a statistical analysis and performs a preliminary field review.
The assessment is an estimate of market value. The definition of market value is the price a willing buyer would pay a willing seller in an open, competitive market, without any undue influences. The current assessment represents an estimate of market value as of January 1, 2017, for Fiscal Year 2018.