Unlike virtually every other tax, property taxes are one of the few based on an opinion of value; the opportunity, therefore, is that certain fact patterns weigh more heavily early in the tax calendar.

At Silver Oak Advisors, we believe in benchmarking the opinion of taxable market value during the return process. Our professionals have found this to be both highly effective in reducing tax liabilities and well received with assessing jurisdictions for working “up front” on potential issues.

Proactive property tax strategies can reduce liabilities

Assessors have greater leeway and authority to reduce values and assessments on a pre-notice basis than they do on an appeal basis. Also, property tax assessors are more likely to make a positive change under appeal than in a correction motion for a requested refund of tax. In short, we firmly believe that being proactive with the property tax function is the best practice in order to reduce your property tax liability.

Property Tax Services

Our property tax team provides advisory and consulting services to assist in the reduction of property tax liabilities through exemption, negotiations and appeals.

Our experience extends to property tax compliance to all types of companies, including those within complex and unique industries. Our services include the complete scope of property tax areas in all domestic jurisdictions.

• Compliance—renditions/returns, notice & tax bill tracking & review & accruals
• Consulting—field inspections, value analysis, assessor negotiations, informal & formal appeals & audits
• Advisory Services—property tax administration functional analysis, effect of company new product or service offerings, property tax merger analysis, third-party reimbursement requests & industrial district agreements
• Exemption Analysis—Environmental/Pollution Control, Intangible Assets, Freeport/In-transit Goods, Foreign Trade Zone & Agricultural
• Functional & Economic Obsolescence Analysis
• Replacement/Reproduction Cost New (RCN) Studies
• Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) Studies
• Service Life Studies
• Salvage/Residual Value Studies
• Tax Abatement & Other Incentives
• Property Tax Staff Training
• Expert Testimony & Litigation Support