FAQs • Smithtown, NY • CivicEngage

Why do taxes vary on similar looking houses?

There are numerous reasons why taxes vary from property to property. Several reasons could be:

A property owner may have filed a grievance or a small claims petition granting a reduction in the assessed value.
The overall condition of the property, location, square footage, lot size, amenities and school district.
A property owner may have applied for and been granted a property tax exemption which will reduce the overall property taxes.

Further or more detailed information may be obtained from Town Assessor’s Office at (631) 360-7560.

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Assessor's Office

1. Does my property lose exemption if I transfer it into a life estate?: If the property is transferred into an unconditional life estate for the holder of the exemption, the exemption should remain in effect. However, for more specific information, please contact the Town Assessor’s Office at (631) 360-7560.

2. How do I obtain a copy of my property deed?: Property deeds are recorded in the Suffolk County Clerk’s Office in Riverhead, NY. The direct phone number is (631) 852-2000.

3. How can I find out the square footage of my home and when it was built?: Information regarding a property’s square footage and the year the property was built can usually be obtained by contacting the Assessor’s Office at (631) 360-7560.

4. What does the town assessor do?: The Town’s Department of Assessment is responsible for placing an assessment on each parcel of land in the Town for the purpose of apportioning the tax base.

The Assessor’s Office sets the fair market value of your property. If you agree, essentially, that you could get that amount if you were to sell your home, the Assessor’s job is done. If you don’t agree, there are ways to appeal through the grievance process. This office does not raise taxes.

Elected officials on the school board and in the county, town, village or fire district determine the size of their municipal budgets and how much tax revenue they need to allow them to provide the services you demand.

The Receiver of Taxes sends out the tax bills and, as the name implies, receives the payments.

Here is where people get confused: Your assessment determines what share of a tax levy you will bear. Think of a pie. That’s the total amount of taxes a school district or other taxing entity votes to bring in over the course of a year. The assessment determines only how big or small a piece of that pie the property owner will bear – not the tax itself.

5. What is the deadline to file an application for property tax exemption?: Applications must be received by the Department of Assessment by the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on March 1 or for STAR exemptions, they may be postmarked by the U.S. Post Office on March 1. If March 1 falls on a weekend, the application must be received the following Monday.

If the application is received on time and the exemption is approved, it will appear on the succeeding December tax bill. Determination letters should be received by the applicant by May 1.

6. When can I expect a reduction in my tax bill as a result of my small claims?: If a property owner was awarded a reduction on their assessed value due to the filing of a small claims petition, that reduction would generally be reflected in the property tax bill. If that reduction occurred later in the year, then the second half of the tax bill (in May) may be adjusted to reflect the adjustment. If it is too late to adjust the second half of the bill, Suffolk County will issue a refund directly to the property owner.

7. Why are my property taxes so high?: A property’s tax rate is determined by many variables and taxing districts including school, county police, lighting and village districts. In most cases, the largest portion of the tax bill is the school district tax. This tax is determined by the school budget voted on by the residents of that district each May.

There are many reasons why taxes increase year to year, including:

An increase in the tax rate of a particular taxing district
An increase in the property’s assessed value
An exemption that had been previously applied to a property may have expired or the applicant may have failed to renew the exemption
New owners may not qualify for present exemptions on property

There are numerous reasons why taxes vary from property to property. Several reasons could be:

A property owner may have filed a grievance or a small claims petition granting a reduction in the assessed value.
The overall condition of the property, location, square footage, lot size, amenities and school district.
A property owner may have applied for and been granted a property tax exemption which will reduce the overall property taxes.

Further or more detailed information may be obtained from Town Assessor’s Office at (631) 360-7560.

10. Why isn’t my exemption reflected on my tax bill?: Exemptions should always be reflected on the tax bill of the year that the exemption is in effect. If applications are received by the due date, and approved, the exemption will appear on the December tax bill.

If the exemption is denied, the applicant will receive a denial letter by May 1st of that year and will have sufficient time to file for a grievance by Grievance Day (third Tuesday of May).

If your exemption does not appear on the tax bill, callers should contact the Department of Assessment (631) 360-7560 to inquire as to the specific reason it does not appear.