The Indiana Tax Court in Lake County Trust Co., Trust No. 6 v. St. Joseph County Assessor on October 17th reversed the dismissal of an exemption appeal by a 501(c)(3) non-profit, Flowers for Heaven, Inc., operating a pro-life ministry in South Bend for the 2013 assessment date. The Ministry filed an exemption … [Read more...]
Understanding Property Tax Delinquency in Indiana Law
October 2, 2017 Leave a Comment
What happens if an Indiana property owner fails to pay property tax? If this is a persistent failure, the property owner will be subject to sanctions under Indiana Code §§ 6-1.1-24 and 25 et seq. The ultimate sanction — the “death penalty” — includes sale of the property at a tax sale, where title will be issued … [Read more...]
Delaware Court unlocks opportunities to reduce property tax burden
September 1, 2017 Leave a Comment
Reducing property tax assessments can be challenging under the best of circumstances, and distinctions between state tax systems make minimizing that burden across a commercial or industrial portfolio especially daunting. Delaware's property tax regime is amongst the most difficult systems in the United States, … [Read more...]
Prescription for success: Indiana Tax Court again affirms property tax reduction for retail property used as CVS
June 30, 2017 Leave a Comment
On May 25, 2017, the Indiana Tax Court affirmed the assessment reduction for a 10,800 square foot retail store used as a CVS in Monroe County. In Monroe County Assessor v. SCP 2002 E19 LLC 6697 a/k/a CVS 6697-02, the Tax Court considered an appeal by the Assessor for the 2007 to 2013 tax years. The Indiana Board … [Read more...]
Property Tax: Add Value Through Correct Valuation of Student Housing
June 1, 2017 Leave a Comment
Even in a booming market, managing expenses is the best way to ensure the long-term profitability of investment properties. For most student housing, the largest expense after debt service is property tax. Assessors in college towns are happy to shift the tax burden onto out-of-town students and investors in … [Read more...]
Indiana Tax Court reverses classification of an apartment complex’s common area, modifying application of the 2% v. 3% tax caps
January 2, 2017 Leave a Comment
The Tax Court in Hamilton Square Investment, LLC v Hamilton County Assessor (Oct. 5, 2016) explained, “Indiana’s property tax caps provide taxpayers with credits against their Indiana property tax liabilities” and the “amount of a credit depends on, among other things, a property’s classification (e.g., homestead, … [Read more...]