Congratulations if you filed your 2023/24 Nassau County property tax grievance! We hope you used Maidenbaum; regardless, we hope you find the information in this article valuable.
So, what should you expect to happen in the next few weeks and months?
The Ball is Now in ARC’s Court
The wheels of ARC (the Assessment Review Commission) — the independent agency charged with processing and reviewing property tax grievances and assessments — turn slowly, but hopefully justly. According to its web site, ARC’s review of your grievance may take up to 15 months. In April 2023, the Department of Assessment will publish the final 2023/24 assessment roll, which will reflect any reductions in assessments obtained during ARC’s review process.
Will ARC Contact Me Directly?
If you’ve elected to have Maidenbaum or another representative handle your property tax challenge, ARC won’t communicate directly with you – only with your representative. We will keep you posted on the status of your tax grievance and any change in the status of your case and/or settlement offer from the County in a timely manner.
When Will My Assessment Reduction Appear on My Tax Bills?
For the 2023/2024 tax year, a successful assessment reduction may be reflected in 3 possible ways. If the reduction is implemented before the tax bills are issued, it will first be reflected on the October 2023 (1st half) School Tax bill and the January 2024 (1st half) General Tax bill. Alternatively, if the reduction is implemented after the tax bills are issued, it can be reflected by way of corrected tax bills and/or a refund of overpayment.
What If My Case Goes to SCAR (Small Claims Assessment Review)?
SCAR (Small Claims Assessment Review) is an optional form of judicial review that is only available to you if you filed a grievance with the Assessment Review Commission and did not stipulate to a reduction.
According to SCAR’s website,
If you own and live in a one, two or three-family house or a condominium unit in a development of three stories or less and you are not satisfied with the Assessment Review Commission’s (ARC) decision, you may go to a special small claims court. There, for a modest filing fee, you can seek further review of your assessment. A court-appointed referee holds the small claims hearings. He or she may order the Department to lower your assessment but cannot order it raised. Once the Department of Assessment publishes the assessment roll (usually April 1st), you must start a Small Claims Assessment Review by the last business day in April. However, if the Assessment Review Commission has not rendered a decision until after April 1, the property owner may file a Small Claims Assessment Review within 30 days of ARC’s decision.
The court-imposed filing fee mentioned above is currently $30. The deadline for filing for judicial review of your 2023/24 assessment is May 1, 2023. If you filed with Maidenbaum, and we determine that your case is best suited to continue to SCAR, we’ll handle all SCAR-related filings/communications so that you’re fully informed about the results.
You Can Relax (Especially If You Let Us Handle Your Tax Grievance)
If you’ve filed your 2023/24 tax grievance with Maidenbaum, you can relax. Know that your grievance is in the best, most competent hands possible. Again, we’ll keep you in the loop with regular communications as your case makes its way through ARC’s review process, and, if necessary, through a SCAR proceeding.
For more information on the property tax grievance process in Nassau County, please see our Frequently Asked Questions area at: https://www.maidenbaumtax.com/faqs/.
To get in touch with Maidenbaum directly, please visit our contact page directly at: https://www.maidenbaumtax.com/contact-us/
We thank all of you who chose to put your trust in us this tax season.