Nassau County Assessors Office

(Mineola, NY) To many, the holiday time of the year is a time for giving. Whether it is sending money to charity or buying that special gift for a loved one. But for others, according to Assessor Harvey Levinson, the holiday season also marks that time of year when unprincipled property tax consultants will prey upon a homeowner’s desire to save money on their property taxes by offering to fill out and file a Basic STAR application or assessment challenge for outrageous fees totaling 50-100% of the first year of savings!

“One tax consultant is charging a fee of 100% of the first year of savings to file Basic STAR property tax exemption applications on behalf of homeowners and is also adding the amount of the state’s STAR rebate check to his bill,” stated Assessor Levinson. “This is unconscionable, especially since the application is free and easy to fill out. Unsuspecting homeowners who sign a contract to have this consultant act as their filing agent could find themselves needlessly paying - depending on the school district - anywhere from $568 to $1,435 (based on 2006-2007 figures) plus the amount of the state’s STAR rebate check for simply mailing an application that was already signed by the homeowner.”

The Basic STAR application is a simple one-page form that requires the homeowner to provide proof of residence and a signature. In Nassau County, the average amount of the STAR rebate check is $236.

“I have forwarded this matter to the offices of the State Attorney General and Department of Taxation and Finance and asked them to review my findings regarding the fees being leveled against homeowners by the tax consultant based on the ambiguously crafted contract,” stated Assessor Levinson.

Assessor Levinson went on to note that many of the homeowners who contract to have an attorney or property tax consultant file on their behalf are those who can least afford to pay the excessive fees being charged by these “profiteers.”

Earlier this year, Assessor Levinson and State Attorney General/Governor-elect Eliot Spitzer worked successfully to force an East Hills property tax consulting company to return $400,000 in refunds that it overcharged thousands of homeowners who contracted with the company to file assessment grievance challenges. In addition, the company agreed to pay $250,000 in penalties, $2,000 in costs, and agreed to reform its billing practices.

“I urge homeowners to take full advantage of the property tax exemptions I administer by contacting my office before the January 2, 2007 filing deadline,” concluded Assessor Levinson. “There is no processing fee and my staff will be happy to help homeowners fill out any property tax exemption application.”

For further information on the STAR program or other property tax exemptions, please visit the Department of Assessment Website at www.mynassauproperty.com or call (516) 571-1500.

ASSESSOR LEVINSON URGES HOMEOWNERS NOT TO USE TAX CONSULTANTS TO FILE STAR APPLICATIONS:HELP IS AVAILABLE AT THE DEPARTMENT OF ASSESSMENT

ASSESSOR LEVINSON URGES HOMEOWNERS NOT TO USE TAX CONSULTANTS TO FILE STAR APPLICATIONS:
HELP IS AVAILABLE AT THE DEPARTMENT OF ASSESSMENT