Hearings and Appeals Process
The State of Missouri mandates re-assessment every two years (odd numbered year) at which time the County Assessor must estimate the Market Value of each parcel. At the completion of the appraisal process, if the value of a parcel has increased, a Change in Assessment Notice is mailed to each property owner. The Change in Assessment Notice will contain the owner’s name, the short legal description, the previous appraised and assessed value, and the current appraised and assessed value. Also, the Change in Assessment Notice will contain important appeal rights information.
Many times the difference of opinion of the market value may be settled informally with the Assessor or a member of the Assessor’s staff. If you have a question on your assessed value you may call 573-317-3865 or 573-317-3896. To discuss a condominium value you may call 573-317-3838.
The appeal process is comprised of four steps:
Informal Appeal: this step is the most causal of the appeal process. The property owner calls the Assessor’s Office to talk informally or to make an appointment to speak with the Assessor or a member of the Assessor’s Staff to discuss the assessed value of the property. At that time the particular property card will be reviewed to see if any errors have been made and a field review may be scheduled. Many times the concerns of the property owner may be remedied at this level of the appeal process. Informal Appeal hearings are typically completed in April and May after the Change in Assessment Notices have been mailed.
Board of Equalization (BOE): is comprised of a three member panel of local taxpayers, appointed by the Camden County Commission and is completely independent of the Camden County Assessor’s Office. The purpose of the Board of Equalization is to hear disputes between property owners and the Assessor as far as Fair Market Value is concerned. Each party to the dispute is given time to present her/his case and the Board will either render a decision, will take the information under advisement, or request further information from one party or both. An appellant may discuss any issue desired, but you must remember that the BOE is only considering what is the Fair Market Value of the property under appeal. A decision by the BOE will be made in writing to the taxpayer.
The Camden County Board of Equalization meets the months of June and July. Appointments with the BOE must be made through the Camden County Clerk’s Office and all appeals must be filed on or before the third (3rd) Monday of June. At the time the appointment is set, the County Clerk will forward an application for appeal that needs to be filled out and returned prior to the BOE appointment. You may contact the Camden County Clerk at 573-346-4440, Ext. 1220.
Missouri State Tax Commission (STC): if a taxpayer is not satisfied with the decision of the Board of Equalization, one may appeal to the Missouri State Tax Commission. At this level the process becomes more formal and typically one may be required to present his/her appeal with a certified real estate appraisal(s), and in some cases, property owned in a trust or if the property is classified commercial you will need to be represented by an attorney. The deadline for filing an appeal with the Missouri State Tax Commission is August 15 or thirty (30) days following the decision of the County Board of Equalization.
For more information you may contact the Missouri State Tax Commission at 573-751-2414 or you may access the web site at http://www.stc.mo.gov.
Circuit Court: at this level or at a higher level of appeal, a taxpayer will need to consult an attorney for further information.