Making the Most of Property Assessors Offices - Rhode Island

Save on taxes with property assessors in Rhode Island
By Emmet McMahan Making the most of property assessors offices in Rhode Island will require the office to assess the market value of a property. This value is then multiplied by the tax rate to determine the actual tax that the owner must pay on the property each year. Property tax rates may be set by organizations such as cities, counties or school districts.

Rhode Island property assessors offices use factors like location and size to determine the value of a property. This assessment is usually accurate and requires a property value appeal only on rare occasions. There are three things you need to do when evaluating the property value as determined by the assessor’s office:

1. Obtain the information the property assessors offices in Rhode Island use to make the assessment. You should already know the size and location of the property, but the assessor also will be able to provide the value of other properties in your area.
2. Get professional appraisals so you may compare them to the official Rhode Island property assessments.
3. Appeal the assessor’s valuation of your property if needed. Rhode Island assessors have a specific procedure for accomplishing this.

Learn more about the laws regarding Rhode Island property assessments

Each state has laws that provide guidelines on the way that property values are assessed. There also may be laws that specify what property tax information is publicly available.
Try:  The Division of Taxation has a number of documents on state taxes including the regulations on property tax credits. The OLR Research Report provides a legal analysis of the Rhode Island property tax cap and a link to the most recent legislation regarding property taxes in Rhode Island.

Find out how professional appraisers determine Rhode Island property values

Appraisers may use different methods to estimate the value of your property. You will want to ensure the professional appraiser considers the same factors as the property assessor.
Try:  Appraisal Offices in Narragansett has a FAQ on its property appraisal procedure. Enwright Appraisal Service covers several approaches for performing an appraisal.

Learn how your county performs a Rhode Island property assessment

Many counties have online resources available to help you with your property tax assessment. You should be able to locate this information on your county's website in addition to other information regarding property taxes.
Try:  The City of Warwick Assessor's Office provides an overview of its assessment procedure. The Hopkinton Tax Assessor provides city-specific information on property assessments including exemption guidelines.

• Check with your Rhode Island property assessor to see if you qualify for any exemptions on your property assessment. Exemptions may be recognized for disabled veterans, senior citizens or non-profit organizations. File any appeals to your current tax assessment before the tax deadline. It will be more difficult to obtain a favorable ruling on an appeal after the deadline.