Tag Archives: Inheriting parents’ property taxes

Does a Change in Ownership Affect CA Property Taxes?

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California Change in Property Ownership

California Change in Property Ownership

Californians who make it their business to know – now understand that triggering property tax reassessment to “a new Base Year Value” as a result of new construction to a home, or a complete change in ownership – which makes it virtually impossible to establish  a low property tax base; and results in a yearly tax rate that increases abruptly to  current or “fair market” rates.

Translation in everyday language – you pay much higher property taxes every year. For example, the different between $600 per year and $9,000 per year. Significantly higher property taxes.

Every County Tax Assessor in California, in all fifty-eight counties, records and reviews every single property deed in every county, to figure out which homes and various other real properties require reappraisal, and which do not. The Tax Assessors also determine ownership changes with other investigative tools such as such as kept records from homeowner self-reporting, or from records of building permits; from newspaper files; or field inspections.

When a County Tax Assessor has determined that a property has changed ownership, Proposition 13 stipulates that the County Tax Assessor must reassess that property to its current (i.e., fair market) tax rate, as per the date of change of ownership.

Because property taxes in California are based on a property’s assessed value – at the time of acquisition – the property taxes will be increased if the current market rate is higher than the original assessed Prop 13 base year value adjustment. Therefore – if the current market tax rate is lesser than the previous adjusted base year value assessment, then taxes on that property will go down. Which is what everyone wants.

It is important to note, however, that a portion of ownership of that property may be reappraised. Let’s say that 50% of a home is transferred under Proposition 13, and the changes that the Tax Assessor is going to reassess is 50% of the home at the current market rate, as per the transfer date, so 50% will be deducted from the base year value, under Proposition 13 property tax relief… 

Typically, when someone buys a home, the home goes through a “change in ownership” and 100% of the home is reassessed at full current market value.   Even if the outcome of transferring real estate is a change in ownership, there are a number of exclusions from paying current tax rates – and so certain homes or other real estate will often not be be reappraised under these sorts of home transfers.

If a property owner files the proper claim, an exclusion from paying updated current property taxes will kick in as long the owner’s property, or portions of this property, are correctly excluded from reassessment.

The best way to cover changes in ownership that are excluded from automatic reassessment, or reassessment by claim; is to enlist the help of a tax attorney, a property tax consultant, or a trust lender who specializes in establishing a low property tax base for heirs upon inheriting a home from a parent.

Frequently, this will assist beneficiaries in buying out inherited property shares from co-beneficiaries through a loan to an irrevocable trust, which realtors and property tax specialists call a transfer of property between siblings or a sibling-to-sibling property transfer – working in conjunction with a California Proposition 19  parent to child property tax transfer on an inherited home – a parent-to-child exclusion (from property tax reassessment at full, current market rates), to establish a low property tax base.  

Naturally, this line of property tax relief, based on a parent’s property  also includes the ability to transfer property taxes when inheriting property taxes from a parent. Under these tax breaks, a property tax transfer like this can help heirs keep parents’ property taxes basically forever, based on a parent-child transfer; or a parent to child exclusion from reassessment – to legally avoid property tax reassessment.

You can always consult your Tax Assessor, however it is generally in the Tax Assessor’s best interest to charge you the maximum amount possible. A property tax consultant or trust lender, on the other hand, is motivated to save you money on taxes, not see you spend more.

The Function of a CA County Assessors Office

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The Role of the County Assessors Office

The Role of the County Assessors Office

The CA County Assessor’s Job

As we all know, property taxes in California are determined by the value of our property. Every county Tax Assessor has to identify and calculate the value of many different types of taxable property in all 58 counties in California, as well as deal with property tax appeal challenges, as they come into the Assessor’s office.

The Assessor has always been independently elected in California, and is supposed to be completely objective, working for the people (i.e., voters) in each Assessor’s county – to be able to avoid political or financial influence from any governing county body; to avoid coercion from any city, school or district to accelerate the number of county tax assessments in order to generate more property tax revenue.

Principle Tax Assessor Responsibilities

The Assessor is charged with making sure property owners in California are taxed at the appropriate rates; ensuring that county public services are receiving the funding they need to continue functioning. Tax Assessors have to locate real property, land, various taxable structures via maps, which reveal every known land parcel, along with an “assessment roll”, which details improvements on property as well as ownership. It’s worth noting that household furnishings, livestock for the most part, and business inventory are no longer considered “taxable property”.

Four critical duties Tax Assessors must address are:

1. Locating taxable property

2. Identifying the owners of all taxable real estate

3. Determining the assessed value of all taxable property

4. Publishing yearly assessment rolls, plus supplemental reporting

Locating Taxable Real Estate

The Assessor must locate real property, land, various taxable structures via maps, which reveal every known land parcel, along with an “assessment roll”, which details improvements on property as well as ownership. It’s worth noting that household furnishings, livestock for the most part, and business inventory are no longer considered “taxable property”.

Property Assessment:

Since 1978, California’s property tax system (under state constitution Article-13a), is typically referred to as Proposition 13; with an Amendment in 1986 adding Proposition 58 to the process which provided a parent-to-child exclusion, and allowed beneficiaries to buyout property shares inherited by co-Beneficiaries… abruptly replaced and somewhat altered in Feb of 2021 by Proposition 19; although still providing homeowners and beneficiaries with property tax relief from property tax transfer benefits avoiding property tax reassessment with the right to transfer  and keep parents property taxes when inheriting a home, and  thus inheriting parents’ property taxes with the help of a parent-child transfer, and parent-to-child exclusion from current, or “fair market value” tax property rates.

Proposition 13 evaluates real estate at the 1975 “fair market value”, including factoring in heirs inheriting parents property taxes; with yearly increases curtailed at a 2% or the inflation rate, as measured by the CA Consumer Price Index – or whichever is less.

Real property is reappraised by the Assessor for tax purposes only when there is a change in ownership; new construction on property has been completed; new construction has not been finished as of the “lien date” (Jan 1); or market value has dropped below Proposition 13 factored value on the lien date.

Reappraising Real Property in California

When any taxable property is reappraised due to change of ownership a Tax Appraiser will examine sales of similar properties. Or if the property happens to generate revenue, the Appraiser will execute “an income approach”. If the real property in question is original and unique the Appraiser could potentially use the amount of money, or budget, the property owner spent on construction – or perhaps research industry-wide studies on similar construction, and use those costs instead to base the appraisal on.

As soon as that property has been evaluated, the property owner will be contacted and notified of the new property reassessment, or evaluation, and will be given the opportunity to review and discuss with the Assessor. If the property owner happens to disagrees with the reassessment, the property owner can always apply for a property tax appeal or “revised assessment” with the local Board of Assessment Appeals.  Or enlist the help of a property tax appeal firm.

Property like boats or airplanes are assessed every year based on up-to-date Blue Book information distilled from market sales. Trade equipment is also assessed every year, using a formula based on original cost and age of the equipment.

If none of these items apply, the assessed value of a property can be increased by no more than 2% per year. Sale price of a property is considered be its’ market value unless the Assessor can prove convincingly that market value is not accurately reflected by the sale price. The Assessor is also expected to revise the sales price of a property to prove any value that can be attributable to items that are exchanged in a sale, not for cash; perhaps such as barter.

In many respects, Proposition 13 changed the rules in California – as explained by the County of Napa.org website, which tells us:

“Prior to the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978, the Assessor reappraised all properties on a four-year cycle, with entire neighborhoods receiving increases in value based on recent sales in that area. Under Proposition 13, values are established at a base year, either as of March 1, 1975, or as of a change of ownership or new construction.

Proposition 13 requires an annual inflationary adjustment, not to exceed 2%. A property with a 1975 base-year value of $100,000 has a cumulative adjustment over the past 43 years of 211%, resulting in a current factored base year value of $211,000. Thus the function of the assessor has gone from doing mass appraisal impacting many properties to an individual appraisal of properties that have changed hands or had new construction.

Ownership records are maintained from documents obtained from the County Recorder. Assessor maps are updated as parcels are subdivided or their boundaries adjusted. Building permits are reviewed for accessible new construction and appraisers make discoveries in the field.”

County Assessors Offices, Auditors, Auditor-Controllers, Clerks of the Board & Tax Collectors can found in all 58 counties across  the State of California: Here ~ on the BOE Website

What is Proposition 13?

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What is Proposition 13?

What is Proposition 13?

Proposition 13 (i.e., People’s Initiative to Limit Property Taxation) is an amendment to the California Constitution, and was passed by voters in California on June 6, 1978 by close to two-thirds of the voting public. Proposition 13 was designed to decrease property taxes on homes, businesses, and farms by 57% – preventing property tax rates from exceeding 1% of a property’s market value. Property tax reassessment would no longer be able to increase by more than 2% per year, except when a property was sold to a valid buyer.

Boiling Point for the Middle Class & the Elderly

Before the advent of 1978’s Proposition 13, property taxes were notorious in terms of being completely out of control in California, in  all 58 counties. Reports and complaints of, for want of a better term, taxation abuse – were mounting.  Homeowners, especially elderly residents, were losing their homes due to the simple fact that they were unable to pay their rising property taxes. And yet state and local government officials did absolutely nothing to help.

Stories swept across the state like wildfire describing how senior retirees, military veterans, and elderly widows all living on modest fixed incomes were literally being thrown onto the street for late payments; or simply being unable to pay off increasingly high property tax hikes.

By the late 1970s,  property tax burdens were unbearable in the state of California; and just as important – unsustainable for working families, middle class, and even upper middle class homeowners. Obviously, wealthy and ultra wealthy residents could absorb pretty much any tax hike. But that’s merely 1%  or 2% of the entire state.

For elderly middle class folks dependent on fixed incomes, the outcome in the 1970s was frequently a forced sale of their beloved family home – typically the only asset of any real value they owned. And that was what Californians saw month after month, year after year – retirees and middle class working families either selling off their home, their most precious asset, or giving it up to the tax man against their will.

There was even a story circulating around of an elderly woman having a heart attack due to stress while visiting the Los Angeles Tax Assessor’s office, when she couldn’t convince the authorities to take her seriously and lower her tax bill…

Another good example of the state’s inflexible, intractable position on property taxes is a story from the 1920’s concerning a retired couple, as reported in the Newhall Signal newspaper in Newhall, CA. Because this elderly married couple lived in a small home, close to an upscale brand new apartment building, the County Tax Assessor decided to reassess the couple’s tiny house at the highest possible tax rate – as if the land their little home was on would soon boast a massive high-end hotel!  Their small home was taxed at $1,800 per year, regardless of the fact that the retired couple’s total fixed income was $1,900 per year.

Hence, support for Proposition 13 swept the state and filled local newspapers with headlines and reports on this urgent statewide  phenomena. Californians began thinking seriously about what it actually might be like to not be financially crippled  every year by mounting property taxes. 

The Howard Jarvis Taxpayer’s Association Viewpoint

The Howard Jarvis Taxpayer’s Association recently wrote: “The San Francisco Assessor was taking bribes to keep business taxes down below the market value. He went to jail. To make sure the valuations were correct and equal in San Francisco, the new assessor used computers.  When a property sold in a neighborhood,  all the surrounding properties found new tax bills reflecting a new market value, resulting in great increases in taxes for everyone. Property taxes went up so quickly in San Francisco that bumper stickers soon appeared pleading: ‘Bring back the crooked assessor!’

The private sector of the economy fared beautifully in the aftermath of Proposition 13, but some people questioned whether this private sector success might not have come at the expense of the public sector. Opponents of the tax cuts voiced concerns that the tax reductions might have gone too far requiring excessive program cuts. Vital services, they said, would suffer, schools would have to close, and fire and police protection would no longer be adequate. Yet in spite of the precipitous fall of the state’s average tax rate, state and local revenues did not fall proportionately. The total general revenue for local governments fell only 1% in the year following Proposition 13.  By FY 1980 revenue had risen more than 10 % the FY 1978 level. The tax base expanded by more than enough to offset the reduction in tax rates.”

Tax Hikes No More

Basically, Proposition 13 managed to lower property taxes by assessing properties at their 1976 value, while capping annual increases at 2% – not allowing property reassessment of any new base year value – with the exception of the home being sold to a new owner… or on the completion of any new construction on the house. 

As of 1978, to everyone’s relief and delight, all residential and commercial real estate owned by an individual, a family, or a corporation was  impacted by new  Proposition 13 property tax    relief measures such as transferring property taxes in California, namely a parent to child property tax transfer or parent-child exclusion  for all types of property  owners – and protected property tax transfers and the right to transfer parents property taxes  when inheriting property and inheriting property taxes. 

Beneficiaries could keep parents property taxes basically forever, or as long as they resided in their inherited residence as a primary home. This was what everyone had been waiting for, and was desperately hoping for.  With added amendments later on, such as the wildly popular Proposition 58 in 1986, with all sorts of California beneficiaries getting trust loans to buyout property from siblings, while locking in a low Proposition 13 based property tax base.

Another lesser known component to this tax measure, that many families did not even take note of, was an important new step that required a two-thirds majority in both CA Legislative houses to implement any further increases of any state tax rates or revenue charged, which included highly sensitive income tax rates.

A two-thirds majority vote was also imposed on local elections affecting local governments who otherwise,  perhaps on a Friday evening  blitz when no one was looking, would happily increase some sort of special interest tax, before the other party could stop them. A two-thirds majority vote would prevent that from happening going forward.  So Proposition 13 wasn’t just about homeowners getting the right to transfer parents property taxes.

For the first time in the state of California, taxation was capped at a strict 2% rate.  For the first time property tax relief (in practice as opposed to lip service), was accessible for middle class, upper middle class and working families – with its’ foundation built on a “base year value” for property tax reassessment, with enforced limits to state property tax rates and limits to increases through arbitrary property reassessment.

California Base Year Values

CA Proposition 13 locked in three critical restraints for property tax reassessment: (a) All real estate now had non-negotiable iron-clad base year values; (b) restricted rates limited property reassessment to a 2% yearly increase; and (c) a property tax limit of 1% of the assessed value was imposed along with the right to transfer parents property taxes and the parent-child exclusion.

Once Proposition 13 passed, property assessments for 1978-1979 were required to be “rolled back” to 1975-1976 property values, establishing the first base year values in California. Properties that have not sold or undergone new construction since February 1975 are viewed as having a 1975 base year value.

Reliable Property Tax Expectations

Because of Proposition 13, for the first time, certainty in taxation lay in the hands of the taxpayer instead of the tax collector. Proposition 13 set up an acquisition value system that treats all homeowners alike in that they pay 1% of the market value established at the time of purchase; limiting increases to 2% per year – creating a an even playing field for all property owners.

Choosing the Right Trust Lender to Keep Your Parent’s Low Property Tax Base When Inheriting A Home

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How to Choosing the Right Trust Lender to Keep Your Parent’s Low Property Tax Base When Inheriting A Home

Choosing the Right Trust Lender to Keep Your Parent’s Low Property Tax Base When Inheriting A Home is Critical.

It would be best, in choosing a trust lender, to pick a firm that is a self-funded private lender, offers a fast approval process, has flexible underwriting terms, has no prepayment penalties, has no minimum monthly interest, and can fund a trust within a 7-10 day period.

This process may look simple when discussing from behind a desk, however it is not as simple as it appears. By leveraging cash from a private loan in conjunction with an agreement between the heirs, executors and trustees can provide a valuable service to families who otherwise would have to forfeit their valuable real estate in the course of estate administration.

Parental property is typically an older home with a little land, and a host of memories and emotional attachments… Beneficiaries of this type of middle class inheritance that don’t execute a personal loan to a trust in conjunction with Proposition 19 to equalize that trust would be viewed as beneficiaries looking to sell their shares in that property simply taking a payment from siblings looking to keep their inherited property.

The outcome of this would be a “transfer between beneficiaries”, without the ability to keep inherited property at a low base rate, that is to say, your parents’ low property tax base, as opposed to a “transfer from parent to child”, the type of transfers between parent and child that enable exclusion from reappraisal. Side-stepping this process would disqualify the transfer from operating under the parent-to-child exclusion. As the BOE interprets it.  And this involves benefits all the way down the line.

Avoiding a loan to an irrevocable trust will disqualify new homeowners and beneficiaries inheriting property from being able to keep parents property taxes when inheriting property taxes  during property tax transfers – more specifically being able to keep parents property taxes.  Not utilizing a trust loan with a trust lender will make it impossible to keep inherited property at a low base rate as would be possible through a parent-to-child transfer and parent-to-child exclusion (from paying current property tax rates).

The same goes for the right to transfer parents property taxes alongside inheriting parents property and inheriting parents property taxes to avoid property tax reassessment.  Obviously, a trust loan is well worth not ignoring, when your inheritance calls for it, in concert with Prop 19, formerly Proposition 58.

Middle class and even upper middle class estates and trusts with limited funds, or “liquidity” would lose these critical tax benefits if the estate or trust has no resources available which would allow heirs or beneficiaries to retain the old family home. Hence, the California Board of Equalization has sanctioned third-party real estate loans to trusts to “equalize” the value of beneficiaries’ interests in the trust assets while keeping the allowed property tax exclusion from tax reassessment (at current updated rates).

“California was pretty bad before 1978, when Proposition 13 tax relief went into affect. California was raising taxes more than any other state, before 1978. Most seniors – before Prop 13 – were reassessed at present-day rates. And many, many were forced out of their home. They simply could not afford the property tax hikes descending on them. Period. People, especially older people, were being impacted with higher property taxes year after year. And in many cases – with catastrophic results, obviously.

Commercial Loan Corporation reachable at (877)756-4454, loans to trusts give my clients several invaluable benefits. Their terms can be a lot more flexible than an institutional lender like Wells Fargo or Bank of America. Also, Commercial Loan Corp is self funded, and that’s basically why they can extend easier terms to clients. Compliance for both commercial and residential property owners is far less strict.

Commercial Loan Corp doesn’t charge any fees up-front, that’s another great benefit. Plus, they don’t require paying interest on their trust loan in advance. Not only that, there is never a “due-on-sale” clause… that requires the mortgage to be repaid in full when sold; or that all or some of the interest owed must be paid up-front to secure the mortgage. No “alienation clause”… in the event of a property transfer, stating that the borrower has to pay back the mortgage in full before the borrower can transfer the property to another person. There is none of that.

The speed of their trust loans is much faster, typically five to seven days instead of two or three weeks. And if you sold a property outright, without using a trust loan, you have closing costs, legal fees; a commission; etc. It gets very expensive. Going with a firm like Commercial Loan Corp – costs are offset.”

When Mr. Kerry Smith speaks… people listen.

Time is Ripe to Become Better Acquainted With the Parent to Child Property Tax Transfer

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California Parent to Child Property Tax Transfer

How to Obtain the California Parent to Child Property Tax Transfer


Avoiding Property Tax Reassessment & Property Tax Hikes

It is our consensus that normal middle class class residential owners, upper middle class home owners and working families, none of whom are generating a huge income at the moment, should most likely not be supplying the California state government with extra property tax revenue right now. 

This is especially true during a financial crisis such as the Covid predicament we find ourselves in during 2021… where revenue is tight all over the country, especially in California, with only a few exceptions here and there – where in general unemployment, as well as under-employment, is extremely high.

Regular middle class and upper middle class homeowners need to be saving money, and spending less, not spending more. Certainly not spending more on housing or standard goods and services, or on income tax or property taxes. We’re not talking about luxury goods or high-end services. That is specific to folks with disposable income, and is an entirely different matter altogether. 

As a matter of fact, property taxes are the one big-ticket item just mentioned that is easily lowered, or paused, or even deferred.   And if this never occurs, then property owners are going to have to be more cognizant of related details and new tax laws, as well as  new ways to avoid property tax reassessment – and tax specialists or real estate experts that are available in California to help with these matters.

Middle Class Property Tax Savings

When times are hard, as they are now, the state should help residents with key information on property tax breaks, helping property owners take full advantage of established property tax breaks, like the new Proposition 19 parent-to-child transfer and parent-to-child exclusion from reassessment of property taxes.

And this means not spending more on taxes when times are hard. Certainly, property owners should all be better informed about inheriting property taxes, and Prop 19 parent-to-child exclusion; about property tax breaks, and being able to transfer parents property taxes, with the right to keep parents property taxes on every property tax transfer.

Owning a Home is Part of the American Dream

Purchasing or inheriting a home is part of the classic American dream, and leaving part of that dream to heirs or beneficiaries is something most of us would be proud of.  However, fluid, ever-changing and complicated  property tax laws have to be kept up with, either by ourselves, or through specialists that make a living helping property owners with issues like property taxes.  

Getting expert property tax advice and estate planning advice can help save that dream, and help sustain good family financial practices for generations to come, where your home and other big ticket investments are concerned. 

Genuine Property Tax Relief

The property tax breaks middle class and upper middle class Californians are holding on to are the only safety-net solutions middle class residents have in this state, so the Legislature should be focusing on preserving and strengthening those tax breaks, and on educating and informing Californians about establishing a low tax base for trust beneficiaries; about Prop 19 parent-to-child exclusion and Proposition 19 – parent to child property tax transfer on an inherited home; plus Proposition 13 property tax transfers, as well as the Proposition 19 impact on CA homeowners, and avoiding property reassessment wherever possible – not on obsessively driving more tax revenue, under cloaked measures called “property tax relief” that are merely tax deferments.

Even when it means a little less property tax revenue going into their coffers, it shouldn’t matter to the state government.  In the long run, helping to preserve working families’ financial health and helping them to pay less property taxes, thereby building up more savings, will drive greater property tax revenue to the state, as more people will own homes and pay taxes!  This is what the Legislature would see if they saw long term rather than short term. 

All middle class Californians should be able to depend on secure, authentic property tax relief – like wealthy folks and corporations have in every state in America. Why should only the wealthy enjoy genuine tax cuts and real property tax breaks?

Inheriting a Home in California & Trust Loan Property Tax Savings in 2021

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Trust Loan Property Tax Savings

Trust Loan Property Tax Savings

2021 Property Tax Relief & Using an Irrevocable Trust Loan for Homeowners and Beneficiaries Inheriting Property in California

As many Californians that are seeking lower property taxes know by now, current property tax relief measures open up new opportunities for you to take advantage of, if a parent is leaving property to you and your siblings – and you’re looking to keep a low property tax base. 

You can now look forward to new property tax relief opportunities, some that are difficult to understand – that allow you to move into inherited property quickly, within 12-months as a principal residence; in order to take full advantage of the Proposition 19 parent-to-child exclusion (from current property tax rates) to avoid property tax reassessment.

What you may not know a great deal about, however, or what may be difficult to understand, are certain highly effective property tax breaks that are now available to you, if you’re a beneficiary inheriting property from a parent – using an irrevocable trust loan, in conjunction with a Proposition 19 parent-child transfer, with the help of a trust lender.  This is frequently taken advantage of by beneficiaries, perhaps like yourself, who intend to keep a home inherited from parents at the original low property tax base – also making it possible to buyout inherited property shares from co-beneficiaries, using an irrevocable trust loan.

Avoiding property reassessment is a property tax relief benefit available to all Californians, as long as all new requirements are followed. So beneficiaries, new homeowners, can  transfer parents property taxes when inheriting property and inheriting property taxes; with the right to keep parents property taxes for as long as they want, as long as they reside in their inherited residence.                        

Hands On Experience, Establishing a Low Property Tax Base

If it were your siblings selling their property shares – you’d be providing them with a good deal more money than an outside buyer would offer, for the same property; plus locking in a low property tax base for yourself – from a trust lender like Commercial Loan Corp.  And, speaking of which, certain benefits are aptly summarized by a client, who said:

“…just closed my first loan (refinance) with Commercial Loan Corp with a very low 30 year fixed rate (honestly a lot less than we ever anticipated)… This firm was very knowledgeable about [using an irrevocable trust loan] process and trust legal issues involved.  We have been trying to get a refinance for this property for over 5 years! So happy that we found a trust lender like this!” (1)  

New 2021 Property Tax Relief Advantages in California

Many California residents are not aware of certain new property tax breaks that provide tax relief for homeowners over 55.  Moreover, residents that are considered to be “severely disabled” can now also transfer taxable value from their current house to a new home – as long as the value of the new house is less than or equal to the value of the previous home.

Other improvements for certain segments of the population in California are, surprisingly, not well known throughout the state – most likely due to unintentionally poor communications from folks in state leadership roles;  plus  confusing coverage by the media.  Improvements, for example, as of April 2021 when Proposition 19 gave victims of wildfires and other natural disasters – regardless of age or disabilities – the right to transfer lower taxable value to a new home.

If this pertains to you, it would definitely be worthwhile to investigate, and discuss with well known property tax relief  experts such as, for example, attorney Rachelle Lee-Warner, Esq., a senior partner at estate, trust and tax planning law firm Cunningham Legal in Oakland Hills, CA with many other offices throughout California, specializing in Trust Administration or specializing in real estate transactions, using an irrevocable trust loan, and property tax relief in general.  Or any firm with similar focus and equivalent experience.  

Having a seasoned specialist  like that to help guide you through some of the new advantages Proposition 19 offers  ends up saving you a lot of money on property taxes, if you meet the requirements.

For example, if you’re a  homeowner over 55 or are “severely disabled”, you won’t be limited to buying a new house and transferring your lower tax base only within the same county that your previous home was situated in. Now, you can  relocate to any of the 58 counties in California and still retain your previous, low property tax rate.  

CA Property Tax Relief Improvements Reported in the Media

ABC-10 News, in addressing property tax relief changes, confirms that: “…this law benefits seniors, the disabled, and victims of wildfires and disasters. California property owners are paying the same taxes based on the price they originally paid after California enacted a law to keep property taxes down in 1978. Proposition 19 lets people keep their tax base when they move anywhere in California up to three times and only pay higher property taxes on the difference. This would allow wildfire victims to move anywhere in the state without facing massive tax hikes.”  (2)

Interviewed on KPBS News, Jordan Marks, a taxpayer advocate for the San Diego County Assessor’s Office also offers his opinions.  Mr. Marks tells us: “Seniors are gonna get the benefit to transfer their replacement property. So they sell their primary home and they can get a second one, and they can do it three times now versus the one time allowed under the former tax law.” (3)

Members of the state Board of Equalization are eager to address the type of confusion we mentioned earlier, that is often associated with the Proposition 19 tax law.  Mr. Gary Gartner at the CA Board of Equalization tells us: “We have a lot of constituents calling in expressing [mixed] opinions of the new law. The board is trying to work out ambiguities in the law with assessors around the state and legislators in Sacramento. To that end, the board is holding virtual town hall meetings just to give people the opportunity to better understand the complexity of this law, which is really challenging…” (4)

The value of any new house can be larger than the value of a previous home – although the increase in value naturally has to be added to the previous home’s transferred assessed value. If this seems confusing, you can always enlist help from a property tax consultant or trust lender.

Trust Loans & Estate Lending in Concert With New Property Tax Breaks

Beneficiaries that are selling their inherited property shares actually receive more money through a trust loan than if they were to sell their inherited property to an outside buyer – by avoiding realtor fees and other costs,  each of those co-beneficiaries receives, on average, an extra $15,000+. While the heir or beneficiaries retaining the family house get to save $6,200 on average per year in property taxes. This savings adds up. (5)

It may sound complicated, but when you speak to  a trust lender or  property tax consultant, the details become clearer after you apply your own specs in discussion with a property tax specialist.  To discuss a home you may be inheriting, as well as property tax savings – Call attorney Rachelle Lee-Warner, Esq. at Cunningham Legal, the Trust Lender Commercial Loan Corp, or the Property Tax News at (877) 756-4454.