i need some help in reducing our very high property taxes in wisconsin. we own 11 acres and a small run down 150 years old farmhouse. we did some work in the house in order to live in it but not much else was done. our taxes were $2,300.00. What are ways to reduce this. Thank you.

-- judy (evergreens2000@hotmail.com), January 12, 2002

Answers

First of all, go to the courthouse and ask WHY your taxes are so high. Ask to see the information sheet they have on your property. I'm sure you realize that Wisconsin taxes are astronomical anyway. Ask if they have a "protest" sheet that you can fill out. You may have to scour the countryside to see if there are any properties comparable to yours, and ask to see the assessed value on those properties also, and see how they compare to yours. I'm sure the assessor's office can help you. Sometimes it's a losing battle! Greed is the name of the game in EVERYTHING today. Good Luck!

-- Bonnie (chilton@stateline-isp.com), January 12, 2002.

Judy, I can relate. I am from PA and my taxes run 1700.00 for 4 acres, 1900 sq ft house and 1 out building. All my neighbors taxes are 1/2 of what we pay. I asked for a reassesment and just recieved a notice that there would be no change. NOW IT IS TIME TO RAISE HELL. I am going to the tax assesment office and finding anything that is remotley simmilar to our property and house. I know for a fact that people in this area have way less tax then we do. I will keep you informed, because I will win.

-- tracy (murfette@stargate.net), January 12, 2002.

You can also try to find comparable properties through a friendly real estate agent that you've dealt with before--they usually don't mind helping a former (and source of referrals) customer with things like this.

Also, depending on your age and health, you may qualify for various exemptions, which will reduce your taxes (by way of deferring them to your estate). If you're not leaving the property to anyone, this may be the way to go.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), January 12, 2002.

Bonnie, Would you please change your *sometimes* to; More often than not it's a losing battle!! Once little hitler [read tax ass-sesser] makes his all knowing decision your gonn'a play hell changing it!...But don't dress him/her down...that would be a no no.....

judy..can you tell you've struck a nerve..............rant off.

-- Jim-mi (hartalteng@voyager.net), January 12, 2002.

Does Wisconsin still have a Woodlands Act? It's where you could take 10 of those 11 acres and put them in a conservation program and pay less tax on the property until it's sold or transferred to another relative. Thus you'd only pay tax on the farmhouse and one acre.

-- matt johnson (wyo_cowboy_us@yahoo.com), January 12, 2002.

Move to WV.

-- chuck in md (woah@mission4me.com), January 12, 2002.

Wisconsin is a nice place to live. I'd live there if I could afford the taxes. Since I can not afford the taxes, I do Minnesota-120 acres 5 barns, and a 3 bedroom house, 2 car garage, etc....taxes are less than $300.00/yr

-- Gary from Mn (hpysheep@midwestinfo.com), January 12, 2002.

Judy in most states,you can go to the property appraisers officer and look at comparble sales. Also at certain times of the year you can petition a group of special masters to get taxes lowerd. also look into greenbelts, the one thing for sure is you have to prove the gov wrong. Good luck. Ansel

-- Ansel P. Briggs (ansel@xtalwind.net), January 12, 2002.

The power to tax is the power to destroy. And the government has had way too much power for way too long.

-- fred (fred@mddc.com), January 13, 2002.

Fred, How true!

Question is, since its gotten out of hand per say what to do????????

-- Jim-mi (hartalteng@voyager.net), January 13, 2002.

we have 5 acres and a beat up place with 2 buildings and pay about $550 a year here in wisconsin.

but, someone else and i were writing about this, and she brought it to my attention that you can get a lower tax rate if it is zoned "agricultural." ie, make some money off your land, and you can get the zoning changed. i don't know much about it and only began looking into it last week.

-- marcee (thathope@mwt.net), January 14, 2002.

I challenged my assesment a few years back. What they did was to split the difference between the new assesment and the comparable properties I showed them. Not exactly a resounding victory, but it was better than it was.

-- Terri (hooperterri@prodigy.net), January 14, 2002.