It’s mid-July, and even if you are thinking about tax assessment appeals, you are probably thinking about the deadline to file in counties surrounding Philadelphia (August 1st!). However, you should take a minute to mark on your calendar the deadline to appeal in Philadelphia (this year, October 6th), especially if you are expecting to complete a project on which you have been approved for a 10-year tax abatement.
Why?
Well, in Philadelphia, you can appeal denial of a 10-year tax abatement when you first apply for it, but after it’s complete, when it’s ready to be implemented and you know the full cost of the project, there is no appeal process. There is only the standard process to challenge your annual assessment. But what if, as so often happens, the OPA takes a year or two and backdates the implementation? You then have no appeal as of right.
Appealing, now, when construction is or is expected to be complete, preserves your right to both supplement your abatement package with the actual cost of the project and challenge any adjustments to the taxable value OPA might make when implementing your abatement.
If you have questions about the Philadelphia Tax Assessment Appeal deadline, or need help filing, please contact Amanda by phone at (215) 714-1219 or via email at amanda.dougherty@nochumson.com.