A good business owner knows the best way to access special skills they lack is to enlist help from an experienced professional. With the complexities of property tax, having a good property tax advisor by your side can make the difference between effective tax reductions or hikes in tax bills.
Now, it’s one thing to understand the necessity of partnering with a proper tax specialist, and it’s another to identify valuable traits that would ensure a profitable partnership.
Here are five traits to look for in a property tax expert.
They are suitably qualified.
When searching for a property tax advisor, you need someone with the required certification. While experience is an equally determining factor, credentials indicate that individuals have undergone extensive training and testing to acquire knowledge.
It is also a pointer towards their ability to stay updated with tax laws and regulations within and outside your jurisdiction.
They understand your goals.
Even without extensive knowledge of property tax, you must have a general idea of your financial goals and how you expect your tax assessment to read.
For example, when you discover that your tax bill’s assessed value is much higher than it should be, your property tax advisor should understand the need to begin the appeal process immediately and implement effective strategies to ensure its success.
They are effective communicators.
A partnership cannot be sustained without effective communication.
A good property tax advisor isn’t hesitant to engage in conversations about potential opportunities for tax reductions, initiatives that can help simplify your taxation problems, and one who is always on hand to answer your questions.
Suppose your tax advisor appears impatient when you ask questions about complicated terms or has trouble simplifying such complexities so you can easily understand. In that case, they are probably not a good match.
They are always available.
You do not want a tax specialist who’s only ever around when your tax assessment rolls in. Such unreliability does not bode well for you or your business.
Tax management is a year-long responsibility, and any specialist worth his salt would always be available to handle any requests at any time of the day.
The availability of your property tax advisor is also crucial for occasions when tax officials in your jurisdiction request data on your portfolio or inspections at the drop of a hat.
They are ethical
While most of the traits above relate to the services your tax advisor can render, it’s equally important to determine what lengths they would go to ensure that your needs are met.
Reviewing client reviews of potential property tax specialists can help you clarify whether they’ve been subject to disciplinary actions or complaints due to unethical behavior.
A good tax advisor operates with integrity, full knowledge, and respect for the law, so irrespective of your financial situation or goals, you must always be willing to toe the line.