Property Tax Appeals | Williamston Tax Attorney

December 31, 2022 is Tax Day for 2023. On Tax Day, your assessor will set your property’s value, and we know what that means- higher taxes! You must act now to obtain a fair value of your property. Let us lower your taxes for 2023.

Tom will use of his professional experience by negotiating in good faith to lower your property taxes.
His goal: obtain an equitable value that reduces your cost of doing business- making your business more competitive.
He will do his best to help you avoid the costs of hearings, and court reporters.

The filing deadline for industrial/commercial appeals with the Michigan Tax Tribunal is May 31, 2023. The deadline is July 31, 2023 for all agricultural and residential property tax appeals.

Small Claims- For those appeals with no more than $100,000 of values in dispute and the tax in dispute is $20,000 or less- Tom can help you prepare for an informal Small Claims Property Tax Appeal.

Tom can also help you obtain and present evidence (appraisals) you need for a successful appeal. However, time is of the essence. Plan for success and begin your appeal today. Tom presided over 1,000 property tax cases for the Michigan Tax Tribunal.

As a practicing attorney, he reduced taxes pertaining to many properties including: 30 Detroit area fast food restaurants, Bel Mar II Bowling Center- Trenton, Huron Crest Plaza (retail), 2521 LLC medical office building, Pro-MEC Engineering (industrial), County Manor of Ile (apartment buildings), Round Realty (night club), Property 101 (Flint), USM building-100,000 square feet of manufacturing in Bad Axe, a medical office building in Dearborn, three Detroit gas stations/convenience stores, a Troy manufacturing facility, a Flint office building, and several Michigan farms.

Entire Tribunal Fees (as summarized).

Rule 217.The following fees shall be paid to the clerk in all entire tribunal proceedings upon filing, unless otherwise provided by the tribunal:
(a) The fee for filing property tax appeal petitions:
(i) Allocation, apportionment, and equalization appeals…………………………….$250.00.
(ii) Valuation appeals.

Value in contention* Filing fee
$100,000 or less……………………………………………………………………………$250.00.
$100,000.01 to $500,000……………………………………………………………….$400.00.
More than $500,000……………………………………………………………………..$600.00.

*Value in contention is the difference between the assessed value as established by the board of review and the state equalized value contended by the petitioner or the difference between the taxable value as established by the board of review and the taxable value contended by the petitioner, whichever is greater.

Small Claims Fees (as summarized).

Rule 267. (1) There is no fee for the filing of a property tax appeal petition, a motion, or a stipulation for entry of consent judgment in a small claims division proceeding contesting a property’s state equalized or taxable value, if the property has, at the time of the filing of the petition, a principal residence exemption of at least 50% for all tax years at issue.
(2) There is no fee for the filing of a property tax appeal petition, a motion, or a stipulation for entry of consent judgment in a small claims division proceeding contesting the denial of a poverty exemption only.
(3) For all other small claims appeals, the following fees shall be paid to the clerk upon filing:
(a) The fee for filing a property tax appeal petition contesting a property’s state equalized or taxable value for property classified as residential real is 50% of the filing fee provided in R 792.10217(a). If the petition contains multiple, contiguous parcels of property owned by the same person, there shall be an additional $25.00 fee for each additional parcel, not to exceed a total filing fee of $1,000.00.
(b) The fee for filing a property tax appeal petition contesting a property’s state equalized or taxable value for property that is not classified as residential real is the fee provided in R 792.10217(a).
(c) The fee for filing a property tax appeal petition contesting the denial of a principal residence or qualified agricultural exemption is $25.00.
(d) The fee for filing a property tax appeal petition contesting a special assessment or a non-property tax appeal petition is $100.00.
(e) The fee for filing a property tax appeal petition contesting the classification of property is $75.00.
(f) The fee for filing a stipulation for entry of consent judgment instead of a property tax appeal or non-property tax appeal petition is $25.00.

"Tom Fredericks has spoken for our company (Park Avenue Presentations, Inc., on the Web at parkavenuepresentations.com at webinars devoted to teaching corporate executives how to keep their workplace union-free. Tom is a lively and very professional speaker who gives a tremendous amount of useful information to our webinar participants. They have uniformly enjoyed his course and have praised his thorough presentation and engaging speaking style. We would be delighted to feature Tom in future webinars."

Anthony Dreyspool, Park Avenue Presentations, Inc.

"Tom always achieves our corporate objectives. He negotiated 5 labor agreements on behalf of the C. J. Link Lumber Company, Warren Michigan, with the Teamsters, and has served us as our labor and employment attorney with excellence since 1987. Tom has negotiated a wage freeze, health care cost savings, two-tier compensation plans, and a flexible temporary employment program for us which make Link Lumber a super competitive employer and business."

- Richard Mergel, President, C. J. Link Lumber Company.

"Tom has effectively served many clients as chief spokesperson during labor negotiations with the Teamsters, UAW, SEIU, UAW, and unions; reaching voluntary agreements without strikes or lockouts. He has both public and private sector experience, and I have often called upon Tom to be a guest lecturer for my Labor Relations and Labor Law courses. I recommend Tom to employers as an effective labor and employment attorney."
- James W. Statham, Federal Mediator, FMCS, U.S. Department of Labor.

"After getting no support for my 5 children from my ex in years, Tom got the Friend of the Court to put my ex in jail within 5 days, and I got a check within one week."
- Alicia C., Williamston, Mi.

"The reputation of both of my tire stores in our community is critical to our success. When I had to deal with a problem employee and protect the reputation of both stores, I called the employer's attorney- Tom Fredericks. His extensive professional knowledge and excellent presentation skills were super effective. Within minutes, the problem employee saw the light, chose to resign, and is on good terms with me- but as a former employee.

Tom has provided me with up to date policies and forms to best protect and manage my business. Tom kept me out of court and in business- doing what I do best- serving our customers and selling tires! I strongly recommend Tom to you."

Thanks, Tom.

- Kurt Boegner
Owner
Value Tire, Okemos, MI,
Tasmanian Tire, Holt, MI