Berrien County
Berrien County, Michigan
811 Port Street
St. Joseph, Michigan 49085
Tel: 269-983-7111
County Website: Berrien county
Berrien County Property Assessment Adjustment Instructions
- First things first, find out when the deadline is to file an appeal. This is usually 30 days from when you get your tax bill. You can check with the Berrien County Equalization Department or the Michigan Department of Treasury's website for more info.
- Get a copy of your property tax assessment. This will tell you how much your taxes are and what your property is valued at. You can request a copy from the Equalization Department or find it online.
- Take a look at your assessment and see if there are any mistakes or discrepancies. This might include incorrect information about the size or value of your property, or the classification of your property.
- Gather any evidence that can support your appeal, like comparable sales data for similar properties in the area or documentation of any damage to your property.
- File your appeal with the Berrien County Board of Review. You can do this in person or online through the Michigan Department of Treasury's website.
- Attend the appeal hearing. This is where you'll present your evidence and make your case for why your property taxes should be lowered.
Berrien County Equalization Department: https://www.berriencounty.org/equalization/
Michigan Department of Treasury: https://www.michigan.gov/treasury/
Berrien County Board of Review: https://www.berriencounty.org/boardofreview/
Here's how to lower your property taxes in Berrien county
Contact the county assessor
Contact the Berrien county tax assessor's office and ask for a review of the property's value. Call Berrien county at 269-983-7111 and ask to be connected to the county assessor. If the assessor determines that your property is worth less than the value on which your taxes are based, your property taxes may be lowered.
Tax exemptions
Start by finding what your tax bill is. Typically you will find your tax bill information on your mortgage statement. Look for tax exemptions or credits that you may be eligible for. Many states and localities offer exemptions or credits for homeowners who meet certain criteria, information such as being over a certain age or having a low income. Berrien county may have these types of exemptions available for homeowners. These exemptions and credits can lower the property tax you owe.
Appeal tax assessment
Appeal the property tax assessment. If you believe that your property's value has been overestimated, you can typically appeal the assessment to your Berrien county tax assessor's office. This is part of the services that your assessor's office provides. You will need to provide evidence to support your claim, such as a recent appraisal or sales data for comparable properties and homes in your area. Usually, you will meet with the Board of Equalization. If your appeal is successful, your property taxes may be lowered.
Challenge the tax rate
Consider challenging the tax rate. In some cases, the amount of property taxes you owe is not based on the value of your property, but on the tax rate set by your local government. If you believe that the tax rate is too high, you can contact your Berrien county government and ask them to consider reducing it.
Property Tax Rules
Stay up-to-date on your property's value and property tax rules. For the purpose of lowering your Berrien county property tax, property value is the assessed property value and not the market property value. Assessed property value is used for taxation purposes while market property value is what a buyer and seller would likely agree on. Typically the assessed value is lower than the market value. Your property's value can change over time due to a variety of factors, such as changes in the local real estate market or improvements you make to your property. To ensure that your property taxes are accurate and fair, it is important to stay informed about your property's value and contact Berrien county local tax assessor's office if you believe there has been a significant change.
Keep in mind that property tax laws and regulations can vary, so it is important to consult with your Berrien county Michigan tax assessor's office for specific information about how to reduce your property taxes.
About Berrien County
Homes in Berrien county have a median home value of $157,294.
Berrien county home values are ranked 21 out of 83 counties in the state of Michigan for median home price. The average median home value in Michigan is $126,319. Ontonagon county has the lowest median price at $73,407. Leelanau county has the highest median price at $288,641.
Compared to the rest of the United States, Berrien county homes have a median home value that is above the national median value of $130,626 by ~20%.
The median household income in Berrien county is $52,500.
Compared to the state of Michigan and the United States, Berrien county's median household income is lower than the state of Michigan's average median household income of $53,504 and the United States average median household income of $54,172.
Berrien county's population has decreased from 161,378 in 1990 to 154,316 in 2020, a decrease of -4.4% over that time frame.
For comparison, the state of Michigan's population has grown from 9,295,287 in 1990 to 10,077,331 in 2020, an increase of 8.4% over that time frame.
In the United States, the population has grown from 248,790,925 in 1990 to 331,449,281 in 2020, an increase of 33% over that time frame.
Berrien county's population change from 1990 to 2020 is less than the population change for Michigan and the United States.
Berrien County Michigan Cities
Baroda, Benton Harbor, Berrien Center, Berrien Springs, Bridgman, Buchanan, Coloma, Eau Claire, Galien, Grand Beach, Harbert, Lakeside, New Troy, Niles, Saint Joseph, Sawyer, Sodus, Stevensville, Three Oaks, Union Pier, Watervliet
Berrien County Michigan Zipcodes
49022 / 49038 / 49085 / 49098 / 49101 / 49102 / 49103 / 49106 / 49107 / 49111 / 49113 / 49115 / 49116 / 49117 / 49119 / 49120 / 49125 / 49126 / 49127 / 49128 / 49129 /
Michigan Counties
Alcona / Alger / Allegan / Alpena / Antrim / Arenac / Baraga / Barry / Bay / Benzie / Berrien / Branch / Calhoun / Cass / Charlevoix / Cheboygan / Chippewa / Clare / Clinton / Crawford / Delta / Dickinson / Eaton / Emmet / Genesee / Gladwin / Gogebic / Grand Traverse / Gratiot / Hillsdale / Houghton / Huron / Ingham / Ionia / Iosco / Iron / Isabella / Jackson / Kalamazoo / Kalkaska / Kent / Keweenaw / Lake / Lapeer / Leelanau / Lenawee / Livingston / Luce / Mackinac / Macomb / Manistee / Marquette / Mason / Mecosta / Menominee / Midland / Missaukee / Monroe / Montcalm / Montmorency / Muskegon / Newaygo / Oakland / Oceana / Ogemaw / Ontonagon / Osceola / Oscoda / Otsego / Ottawa / Presque Isle / Roscommon / Saginaw / Sanilac / Schoolcraft / Shiawassee / St. Clair / St. Joseph / Tuscola / Van Buren / Washtenaw / Wayne / Wexford
States
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