The BRT has extended hours until Tax Day

Extended telephone and office hours are:

Monday-Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Along with the ability to pay their taxes and water bills, taxpayers will be able to:

•Print bills or payment coupons;

• Print and accept completed tax returns;

• Set up new tax accounts;

• Make adjustments to existing accounts (e.g., address change, closing accounts, etc.); and

• Resolve account disputes /answer specific questions (e.g., missing payments, adjustments, filing errors, payment details, etc.

Paying your AVI Tax while your BRT appeal is pending

1.Most large out of town banks (Citizens, TD Bank, PNC, Bank of America) are using a contractor to pay real estate tax bills. Wells Fargo and the local banks are working directly with Revenue.

2. BRT has already provided the banks or their contractor with data files of property owners who filed appeals with the BRT and are eligible to pay the same amount of tax they paid last year, pending the outcome of their appeal.

3. BRT will provide the banks or their contractors data files of property owners who are eligible for reduced payments under the LOOP program in April 2014 (after all of the applications have been processed)

4. Property owners who have filed with the BRT can approach their bank and ask that they escrow based on last year’s bill pending the outcome of the appeal.  Be aware that this could lead to a large increase in the escrow if the appeal is denied. The alternative is to pay the higher escrow now and file for a refund if BRT reduces the assessment.

5. Revenue is finding that, in some cases, the banks have not educated their call center employees on these details. BRT staff has already spoken with some banks when they learn that their staff members are giving incorrect information

6. If you are contacted by property owners with specifics on incorrect information they received from their bank, please forward the property owner name, a way to contact them, their bank, and their specific problem. BRT has offered to speak with banks where there is a legitimate issue.

7. Property owners or their mortgage holders can apply for a Refund using the attached form. If the bank pays a pre-LOOP bill and won’t adjust the escrow to reflect the reduced amount owed, property owners should file for the refund.

8. Decisions on escrow payments are made by the mortgage holder and not the City. Property owners should appeal to supervisors at their bank if they are dissatisfied with the answers they are receiving

Daily News audit finds 1000 ineligible properties may be getting Homestead Exemption from AVI

But city records show that numerous properties that would seem ineligible for the tax break have received it anyway. They include:

*  1,222 properties with rental licenses.

*  234 vacant residential units.

*  189 parcels of vacant land.

*  116 properties owned by companies.

*  19 industrial properties.

Find the full article here:  http://ow.ly/tdJyw

Rep. Mike O’Brien warns residents about inaccurate information from City

From Rep. O’Brien’s email:

I was recently informed that the Philadelphia Revenue Department sent its 2014 tax bills with the new AVI assessment amounts, even to residents who appealed their assessment with the Board of Revision of Taxes.

City Council Bill #130591, authored by Councilman Mark Squilla, mandated the city to send out the previous year tax amount if a person appeals to the BRT. However, the revenue department did not send the correct amount to those under appeal.

I understand the city is sending out new bills to correct the error. However, if you do not receive a new, corrected bill, you can still send in the amount of your 2013 tax. I recommend you include a copy of your appeal with the 2013 tax assessment payment. 

Under Councilman Squilla’s bill, you will have 30 days after your hearing decision to pay any balance owed without interest or penalty.

It is unfortunate the city made this error because it is causing so much confusion for homeowners who remain in appeal status with BRT. Please contact my office if you need help with this issue, or any state related matter. 

Is your appeal pending with the BRT? Important information

More home owners than anticipated have filed appeals with the Board of Revision of Taxes.  This increase in appeals has raised concerns regarding the BRT’s capacity to address all appeals in a timely manner.
 
On October 17, 2013, City Council passed legislation to address this situation with Bill # 130591.  This bill permits property owners who have filed appeals to continue to pay the same real estate tax as they paid in 2013 UNTIL the appeal process is completed.  According to the bill introduced by Councilman Squilla, this arrangement will continue regardless of how long it takes the BRT to address all pending appeals.
 
Once the appeal is completed, the property owner only has 30 days from the date of that decision to pay the difference between what they have already paid and the amount actually due after the appeal is resolved, before incurring interest and penalties.

Incorrect tax bills issued by the OPA

Several thousand property owners have received reductions in their assessments as a result of a First Level Review with the Office of Property Assessment.

Some of these changes were not reflected in the tax bills that property owners received from the City.  

The City will be issuing corrected bills to the affected property owners.  If you have a bill based on an assessment higher than the reduced assessment from the first level review, we suggest that you wait for a revised bill.  If you do not receive a revised bill by February 15, contact the Revenue Department at 215-686-6442.

Sample Email from City regarding LOOP (Gentrification Protection)
Dear Homeowner,

In the beginning of December, you will receive a letter in the mail from the City of Philadelphia describing a new Real Estate Tax relief program for longtime homeowners, called LOOP, the Longtime Owner Occupants Program.

To see how much you can save or to get more information, call 215-686-9200 or visit www.phila.gov/LOOP.

You have been pre-selected for this program based on your property’s change in assessed value but, please, read the paperwork carefully to see if you meet the other qualifications.  If you do, fill out the enclosed LOOP application and return it by January 15th, 2014.

Don’t throw away valuable real estate tax savings.  Apply for LOOP.

Sincerely,

City of Philadelphia

Department of Revenue