Assessor: Kimberly Smith
The Assessor will be out of the office the week of September 9, 2024- September 13, 2024, as well as September 23, 2024 – September 27, 2024.
Hours:
Monday afternoon by appointment
Wednesday 8:00AM – 12:00 PM Assessor
Location: Downstairs on right, Town Hall
Address:
PO Box 459
Canaan, NY 12029
E-mail: assessor@canaannewyork.org
Phone: (518) 781-3433
If you have reassessment questions, most answers can be found below. If you cannot find the answer, you can email or call the Assessor. Please do not call the Town Clerks office.
TAXES – The Assessor does not determine tax rates or collect taxes. For information regarding TAXES please call the TAX COLLECTOR. You can view or print your tax bill by following this LINK.
Canaan Town and County Tax Collector (January Bills) – 518-781-3144
Town and County Bills – http://egov.basny.com/Canaan/
New Lebanon School Tax Collector (September Bills) – 518-794-9016
New Lebanon School Tax Bills – http://tax.neric.org/Search.aspx?district=104801
Chatham School Tax Bills (September Bills) – (518) 392-1508
Chatham School Tax Bills – http://infotaxonline.com/FindProperty.aspx
LINKS
Town of Canaan Assessment Rolls
NYS Office of Real Property Tax Services (ORPTS)
Columbia County NY Real Property
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INFORMAL REVIEW PROCESS – These reviews are provided as a courtesy during the year and prior to April 1st. To qualify for an informal review, you must provide the following items.
- Both interior and exterior photos of home and any outbuildings.
- Your opinion of value with supporting documentation. Such as, 3 – 5 comparable sales, or a Broker price opinion/comparative market analysis or appraisal using the VALUATION DATE of July 1 2024.
- For convenience you can print an informal review sheet
Residential Comparable Sales Worksheet not required but can be useful
Completed informal review paperwork can be mailed or dropped off at the Town Hall up until March 15.
Grievances are heard based on VALUE complaints. TAX complaints are not heard. If you are filing a grievance you must state your estimate of Full Value. You can and should supply additional information that supports your determination of value. This is usually done by providing recent sales up to the valuation date.
What is market value?
Market value is how much a home would sell for under normal conditions. This excludes sales where the buyer or seller is under pressure to act, perhaps due to career relocation, death of a family member, or divorce.
GRIEVANCE DAY INFORMATION
JUNE 4th 2024
This years hours will be between 1pm and 4pm and 5pm – 8 pm.
Grievance will be held in person in the meeting room at the Town Hall.
You may appear in person before the Board of Assessment Review.
However, you do not need to be present, a written summary of your complaint is always suggested.
No appointment is needed. First come first serve.
Grievance forms should be submitted at least 3 days prior to Grievance Day to allow the Assessor time to review and avoid an adjournment. However, all forms MUST be received (NOT POSTMARKED) by 8pm on Grievance Day.
A physical copy of your forms may be dropped off at the Town Hall or mailed. NO EMAILED FORMS.
HELPFUL HINTS WHEN FILING A GRIEVANCE
Only one parcel per form
Answer all pertinent questions on the form
Provide a complete description of the property: Style, lot size, bathrooms, condition, barns, garages, etc.
Furnish photos of the subject property interior and exterior
You must state your estimate of Full Value on line 7
You can and should supply additional information that supports your determination of value.
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What Is the Property Tax?
The real property tax is a tax based on the value of real property. Counties, cities, towns, villages, school districts, and special districts each raise money through the real property tax. The money funds schools, pays for police and fire protection, maintains roads, and funds other municipal services enjoyed by residents.
What Determines the Amount of a Property Tax Bill?
The amount of a particular property’s tax bill is determined by two things: the property’s taxable assessment and the tax rates of the taxing jurisdictions in which the property is located. The tax rate is determined by the amount of the tax levy to be raised from all, or part, of an assessing unit, and the unit’s taxable assessed value. The assessment is determined by the assessor and is based on the value of the property less any applicable property tax exemptions.
What Kind of Property Is Assessed?
Every parcel of real property in an assessing unit, no matter how big or how small, is assessed. Real property is defined as land and any permanent structures attached to it. Examples of real property are houses, gas stations, office buildings, vacant land, shopping centers, saleable natural resources (e.g. oil, gas, timber), farms, apartments, factories, restaurants, and, in most instances, mobile homes.
Though all real property in an assessing unit is assessed, not all of it is taxable. Some, such as religious or government owned property, are completely exempt from property taxes. Others are partially exempt, such as veterans who qualify for an exemption on part of the property tax on their homes.
What Is an Assessment?
A property’s assessment is a percentage of its market value. Market value is how much a property would sell for under normal conditions. Assessments are determined by the assessor, an elected or appointed local official who independently estimates the value of real property in an assessing unit. Assessing units follow municipal boundaries — county, city, town, or village.
The assessor can estimate the market value of property based on the sale prices of similar properties. A property can also be valued based on the depreciated cost of materials and labor required to replace it. Commercial property may be valued on its potential to produce rental income for its owners. In other words, the assessor can use whatever approach provides the best estimate of a property s market value. Properties in suboptimal uses generally may not be assessed at market value; they must be assessed at their current-use value.
How Do I Know If My Assessment Is Right?
It is up to individual property owners to monitor their own assessments. Taxpayers should bring any questions about assessments to the assessor before the tentative roll is established (contact your assessor for the tentative roll date). In an informal setting the assessor can explain how the assessment was determined and the rationale behind it.
What Determines the Tax Rate?
The tax rate is determined by the amount of the tax levy. There are several steps involved in determining the tax levy. First, the taxing jurisdiction ( a school district, town, county, etc.) develops and adopts a budget. Revenue from all sources other than the property tax (State aid, sales tax revenue, user fees, etc.) is determined. These revenues are subtracted from the original budget and the remainder becomes the tax levy. It is the amount of the tax levy that is raised through the property tax.
(Do you have more questions about how the property tax works? The information above was excerpted from a pamphlet published by New York State: How the Property Tax Works. Read the entire pamphlet or talk to the Assessor.)
