Tax Appeals
On June 16th the Fulton County tax assessments were released online and mailed. The deadline to submit an appeal is Friday, July 31st. Every single property owner has the right and opportunity to appeal their tax assessment and should take full advantage if interested.
State Legislators passed SB566 which removed the rollback millage rates (last years millage rates) from the assessment notice and only stated to “list” the applicable exemptions, but not the credit associated with the exemptions. I am hopeful that this was an unintended consequence and the legislature will fix it next year but for now all you are offered to help estimate your 2026 tax bill for 2026 is the 2026 value and what they are calling “Estimated Tax Savings.” While, in theory, I appreciate the desire to show you are saving taxpayers on their property taxes, it is meaningless without knowing the total value you began with to determine the savings. I have been emailing and submitting open record requests to Fulton County asking for the math that was used on my property assessment but have not received the information yet.
Tax Appeal Workshop - Zoom
I am holding several workshops on the tax assessment process including:
✅ Understanding the assessment notice
✅ A cheat sheet to estimate your tax amount
✅ How to appeal
✅ Explaining how the 3% cap works to regulate your taxes no matter what your value increases to
Tuesday, July 7, 2026 at 12:00 noon
Tax Appeal Workshop - Zoom
I am holding several workshops on the tax assessment process including:
✅ Understanding the assessment notice
✅ A cheat sheet to estimate your tax amount
✅ How to appeal
✅ Explaining how the 3% cap works to regulate your taxes no matter what your value increases to
Thursday, July 9, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Testimonials
“When the Fulton Co dramatically increased the assessed value of our home, we initially didn’t know what to do. After searching the internet, the most useful advice came from Maggie's detailed information on her website and social media. I reached out to her not really expecting any personal help. I was quite surprised when suddenly there was a knock on my door and Maggie was there with the list of houses that were comparable to ours that we can use to argue for a lower assessment. It was completely unexpected but incredibly appreciated!
We used the comps that Maggie provided to argue our case during the in-person hearing and the assessed value was reduced. Three years later, Maggie again came through with another set of comps and we were able to lower the assessed value of our house even further!”
Lucy P. - Fulton County Resident
"I was a novice about the appeal process and Maggie walked me through the process, making it easy to understand. Her guidance resulted in the criteria used to assess my property being updated and my value was reduced by $100,000."
Stephen S. - Fulton County Resident
“Our property taxes increased over 50% in one year. It was confusing, and a bit frustrating, to figure out what exactly the county was looking for in the appeals process, i.e. data and comps used in our reassessment.
Maggie helped to clarify the appeals process and what the Board of Assessors considers. She guided us through the process step-by-step; the reason for appeal, where to request comps used by Fulton County, and tips on completing a Residential Equity Comparable Sheet. We decided to personally appear before the board prepared with excellent backup data/pictures resulting in a win of our appeal. We saved the information Maggie shared, and this year passed it along to our daughter and son-in-law who are appealing their 2022 assessment!”
Valerie W. - Fulton County Resident
" I was so impressed and happy with how Maggie helped me through the tax appeal process. I had never been through the process and didn't know what to expect. She made it super easy for me by telling me step by step what I needed to do. Then she did the heavy lifting. She found comps to support my case, showed me how to obtain the comps from the county appraiser, and put together a comprehensive script of why my number was fair and correct. She then advised me on how to put together the package to present to the Board for my appeal appointment. As if that wasn't enough, I was super lucky that she actually came with me to the hearing! With her guidance and understanding of the process, I was able to save thousands on my assessed value and was able to get my taxes frozen for 3 years. This saved me an enormous amount of money over time. I couldn't be more grateful for her time and knowledge. Maggie truly cares about helping people."
Sean C. - Fulton County Resident
“I wanted to appeal my property tax value, and was unsure exactly how to do it.
I reached out to Maggie to see if she could give me any tips on the process. More than just tips, she guided me through every step in a completely clear and thoughtful way. And finally, the appraiser sent a revised appraisal at a fair price. I couldn’t have done it without her. I was honestly shocked by how much time and effort she put in for me. Thanks Maggie!”
Natasha P. - Fulton County Resident
“The city raised my taxes to a breathtaking percentage. How is this fair? Maggie Goldman helped me lower my assessed value, not just once but twice in the last five years. She guided me through the process with clear, easy to understand steps.
Maggie Goldman has been SO helpful and communicative throughout the entire way. I am thrilled she is going to become an official and bring solutions to our unfair and flawed tax system in Fulton County!”
Scott C. - Fulton County Resident
”In Dec 2020, I was purchasing a house with a tricky tax situation: the seller was appealing the property tax for Fulton County as he was selling it and due to the timing of the sale, I would be responsible for the unpaid remainder of 2020 taxes when the appeal was completed in mid-2021. The seller paid the minimum amount during the appeal, and the new value from the assessment meant I would likely have to pay about $5000 in property taxes for a year that I did not live in the home.
Maggie was instrumental in not only proactively identifying this as a concern as we were finalizing the sale but also incredibly diligent in trying every option to help me solve this, including contacting lawyers and the board of assessors. Her forward-thinking meant we had a letter from the seller to continue the appeal, and she reminded me to submit paperwork for the following year as well. Her deep knowledge of the appeal processes, as well as good working relationships with Fulton County and the BOA were invaluable when it came time for me to appeal. She also pulled more relevant comps for the assessed value (which was higher than my sale price) and helped me craft the arguments. When my appeal was rejected the first time, she encouraged me to appeal that decision and personally joined my second appeal to ensure a resolution. While I unfortunately had to pay the remainder of the 2020 tax bill as the seller had left the country, Maggie was able to mitigate that tax burden and have my property value frozen.
Maggie's expertise in an opaque system and tenacious advocacy for her client made an enormous difference in an emotionally and financially difficult situation. I was incredibly lucky to have Maggie in my corner. This was of course in addition to all her other superb work with myself as a first time homebuyer in a difficult market: clearly explaining then shepherding me through the entire process, her patience during a very long search (with multiple criteria changes from my end), as well as her adaptability during ever-changing COVID restrictions. Maggie's candor and wisdom was always much appreciated and treasured.”
Amanda M - Fulton County Resident
Q&A
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It is a right that every homeowner has and there is very little risk (unless you added square footage to your home without pulling a permit). The assessments are determined by a computer program that analyzes numbers and doesn’t account well for specific differences between quality of houses and neighborhood boundaries. There is always a chance that you can get a reduction of any kind. When you appeal an actual appraiser reviews actual sales comps to determine your appeal. This is going to be a much more accurate appraisal value.
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NO. They are not allowed to increase your value in this calendar year. Even if they realize you are undervalued. It can only be reduced or stay the same. IF they were ever to actually increase in the same calendar year, it would have to be supported by significant sqft increase an appraiser observed by visiting your property. It is unlikely that they will visit, even though they are entitled to.
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The appraisal department is allowed to personally visit properties during the appeal process but it is not common. It is still a risk, I can’t tell you it won’t happen. If they do and they see more square footage, they can’t change the value for this calendar year, but they will update the tax record and in the following year they will appraise based on the larger property.
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Starting in 2025, the 3-year freeze for simply attending the Board of Equalization meeting ended. You must now receive a reduction of any amount to receive a 3-year freeze. If you agree with your value, and want to pursue a freeze, I would submit an appeal asking for a modest reduction maybe 10-50K lower) and let’s see if you can get something to trigger a freeze. A freeze on your 2025 assessment would apply for 2025, 2026, 2027. You could appeal for a new freeze in 2028.
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This is only an estimate of the taxes, but yes, when the bill comes out in early Fall you will need to pay it while the appeal is in process. Often, the first response to the appeal will be used as the value for the tax bill, so if you get a reduction in the first response, it’s possible your tax bill will be more accurate.
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When you submit your appeal you have to choose if you want to be billed at the current assessed value (100%) or at 85% of it. Basically 85% means you will pay 85% of the total tax bill OR the amount of your last tax bill whichever is LOWER in the fall. Once the appeal is resolved, you will either be billed the difference in what you owe or receive a refund if you overpaid. If you can afford to, I recommend you pay the 100% and get a refund if you win your appeal. If you cannot afford to pay it all in the Fall, I would suggest the 85% method and it will at least delay the remainder of the bill. If you do not choose one, you will automatically be billed at the 85% rate.
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If you bought in 2024, your assessment should not be valued higher than your sales price. Fulton and DeKalb counties follow a practice of not appraising your property more than the value of your sale in the prior year. You can still appeal and get your sales price frozen. *I believe the law has changed and they legally can appraise you more than your sales price, but in most cases I believe the Board of Equalization will agree it should be at your sales price if you appeal.
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The 2025 values are based on ONLY 2024 sales from Jan 1st 2024 to Dec 31st 2024. Square footage is the primary determining factor, not bedrooms or bathrooms. You will want to find sold houses with similar square footage as yours and try to choose ones that look similar on the inside if there are photos available. If your house is renovated, find other renovated comps. If your house is unrenovated, look for unrenovated comps. The comps also should be in the same neighborhood code. You can check your own neighborhood code in the online tax record and you can confirm the neighborhood code of the sales you wish to use by looking in the tax record. Year built is also important. You may not want to use a new construction and 1920’s house. You can look for sales online, in the tax record, contact your favorite agent, or contact me and I will offer you tips on finding comps.
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t is most productive if you contact your preferred real estate agent or ask me to help you find comps. You are welcome to look at online sites like Zillow, Realtor…etc and there is a way to look at comps on the county’s website. You basically want to find 3-5 comps that are most similar but sold for the lowest price per square foot. Try to keep the sales comparables within the “neighborhood code” found in your tax record.
To find the neighborhood code: go to http://fultonassessor.org/ and Click on “Property Search”
Enter your property info and it will bring up your property record. Under the Parcel section you will see that a section "Neighborhood" with a 4-6 digit number, that is your neighborhood code. Unfortunately you may have to check the tax record for each of the comps you choose to see if it is in the same neighborhood code or not. If you have to go outside of this code area to find comps, the appraiser will value those less in his review of your appeal. But if it’s all you can find, you should still send them.
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You can put any value in the appeal form for what you think the value is. But you do have to enter a value. I take the average price/sqft of each of the comps I used and multiple that by my sqft. To calculate price/sqft divide the sqft of the property by the value given or the sold price. 561,000 / 2800 = $200/sqft. Sample language is below:
My house at 123 Main St is currently assessed for $561,000 which is $200/sqft at 2,800 sqft.
These homes are comparable to mine in condition and the average sold price/sqft was only $171/sqft.
920 Confederate sold for $433,000 at 1953 sqft = $226/sqft
1081 Benteen sold for $425,000 at 2303 sqft = $184/sqft
872 Confederate sold for $370,000 at 2362 sqft = $156/sqft
1163 Morley sold for $380,000 at 2800 sqft = $133/sqft
864 Confederate sold for $494,000 at 3000 sqft = $160/sqft
The average price/sqft is $171/sqft. My house at 123 Main St at 2800 sqft should be assessed at $481,000
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You are welcome to include documentation to make your case for appeal in the first submission. You can send in PDF form: comparable properties, pictures, list of work needs to be done to the property, info showing that other houses near you are valued less…etc. I have found though, that additional documentation is most effective at the Board of Equalization hearing. That doesn’t mean it won’t be productive in the first appeal submission. I have found a greater response to additional documentation at the Board of Equalization who are residents. The county appraiser is the only one working on the first appeal submission and they traditionally are trying to support the value of the county first and foremost.
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After you submit your appeal, you can track its progress in the appeal portal. After the deadline passes, the county will start sending one of two letters: a letter stating they are not making any changes (No-change letter) or a letter offering a reduction in your value (30-day letter). If you receive the No-change letter, it states that you will automatically be scheduled for a board of equalization hearing, you do not need to request the hearing. If you get a 30-day letter including an offered reduction you may accept or request to continue to the board of equalization. It’s called a 30-day letter because you have 30 days to reply to the notice indicating if you want to go to the board of equalization or not. If you wish to accept, you should still request a board of equalization hearing so you can assure your value is frozen. If you are not satisfied with the offered reduction, you’ll need to communicate your request for a board of equalization hearing in writing (a mailed letter) within the 30 day window starting with the issue date on the notice.
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The county will start sending out responses to appeals after the August 1st deadline. It could arrive anytime from August to probably about October or even later. Once homeowners start requesting Board of Equalization hearings those usually start being scheduled in the Fall and can run through Spring 2023.
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If you have a freeze from a prior year and you are still in your 3 year period, an appeal will likely break the freeze. If you need to make an adjustment to your tax record, call the appraisal department and confirm whether or not making those changes will break your freeze. If a property sells, it will break the freeze. If you pull permits to perform any renovations it will break the freeze.
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It is likely that they have not finished processing all of the applications but it should be applied to the bill. However, call the office at 404-613-6100 opt 4 and confirm that they indeed received your application and it will be processed in time for the bill.
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You should call your mortgage company and see how and when they will adjust your mortgage escrow account. What traditionally happens is, the mortgage company continues to draw too little in funds, the bill comes in fall 2025, the mortgage company pays the whole bill even though your escrow account will be short. Then in Spring 2026 your mortgage company will catch up with you and offer you the chance to pay the overage in one lump sum, or spread it out over the next year’s payments. It will also readjust your escrow to collect enough money in the coming year. So essentially your escrow will increase and unless you pay the overage in one lump sum, you will have an increase due to that being spread out over the coming year’s payments.
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Once you have responded to the 30-day letter with a request for a BOE hearing, email or call the appraisal department and ask them for the comparable properties used to determine the response to your appeal. Do not let them send you to the section to find general comparables. You want to get their comparables they used to support their value. Once they send you these, you want to research them and find any and all reasons to refute the county’s comparables, if possible. Then you want to present your own comparables, preferably different from the ones the county is using to support your case. This is likely best done with the help of your preferred real estate agent, or you can contact me at appeal@maggie4fulton.com for help. This is the best time to bring any and all photos of your house if they will help (mostly unrenovated pictures are best) and any lists of repairs that need to be made. If you can show that your house is unrenovated and the houses the appraiser used are renovated that is a very good case.
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The Board of Equalization hearing is a group of 3 residents local to the area of the appeal, one county appraiser and yourself. You should bring 5 copies of any and all documentation you are bringing to the hearing, 1 copy for each Board member, a copy for the appraiser and a copy for yourself. It will be a short 15 min or less hearing. You may choose to go first or let the appraiser go first. The Board can ask questions of both you and the appraiser. They will make a decision on the spot. If they do decide to give you a reduced value, they will recalculate a new price/sqft on the spot. This is why it is helpful to have offered the board a price/sqft analysis for them to work from.
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Please note that I am not a tax professional or employed by the county so if any of these answers are incorrect, I am stating now that these answers are from my experience working with over 1000 homeowners over the last 7 years and my personal experience appealing. I do not deem these answers to be guaranteed
Paid for by Maggie For Fulton, LLC.