Tag Archives: Inheriting property taxes

Parent-to-Child Property Tax Transfers Under Prop 19

Posted on by
Reply
California Parent to Child Property Tax Transfer

California Parent to Child Property Tax Transfer

CA Proposition 19 Tax Relief & Exclusion From Reassessment

As of Feb 16 in 2021, Proposition 19 changed everything. Despite some revisions to California’s primary property tax relief system impacting beneficiaries inheriting property, and homeowners, affecting future inheritance property tax breaks.

Homeowners over 55, with physical disabilities, or whose home has been destroyed or seriously damaged by forest fire or other natural disasters – can now take advantage of significant exclusion from reassessment for property transfers… or “exemptions” from the affect of steep property reassessment under Proposition 19 property tax relief.

Prop 19 allows transfers of a family home, or a family farm, between parents and their children, or grandparents and their grandchildren, without causing “a change in ownership” which would unravel tax benefits such as exclusion from reassessment for property transfers, and trigger crippling property tax reassessment.  Fortunately, we can still avoid “change of ownership” which would cause a steep property tax burden to descend on beneficiaries.     

Parent-Child California Property Transfers

Let’s make sure we understand that this isn’t some sort of automatic overnight property tax relief solution. There are certain qualifications that must be met. Every beneficiary has to be found to be “eligible” for a homeowners’ exclusion or a disabled veterans’ exemption – and applied for no longer than twelve months after the transfer of property or the purchase of the property in question.

To reiterate, before any inherited property transfer, parents must prove they have been primary residents of the property being transferred or inherited;  and at least one child/beneficiary will show that there is one or more  primary residents living in that property inside of twelve months after the intra-family property transfer.  

Similarly, a parent must also be eligible for the homeowners’ or disabled veterans’ exemption within one year of transfer or purchase.  The purchase or transfer of “a family home” between parents and their children (beneficiaries) can be qualified for exclusion from reassessment if and only if the property in question is continually lived in as “the family home” of the transferee.

Moreover, at least one of the children-beneficiaries involved has to show that they are residing full time in their inherited home as “a primary residence” – as opposed to renting it out to others as a vacation home, or using it as a weekend swelling, for instance.

The BOE & Property Tax Exclusion From Reassessment

The BOE, CA State Board of Equalization, tells us that if a parent or their principle beneficiary/child did not get final approval for their property tax exclusion (or “exemption”) inside a year, but was actually eligible – they can apply for an exclusion by showing that their inherited home is indeed their primary residence.

To qualify, the assessed value of the home upon purchase or transfer has to go through a valuation examination. Any Tax Assessor’s Office provides a digital “calculator” to help homeowners estimate potential tax savings. 

The value limit is equal to the home’s taxable value at time of transfer plus $1,000,000.  Any amount at market value that goes over the limit is added to the taxable value for the transferee.  Partial tax relief is allowed to mitigate the tax burden…  under the parent-to-child exclusion up to the value limit; with the remainder assessed at the current, up to date, market value.

A tax relief exclusion from reassessment for transfers between grandparents and their grandchildren follow the same rules and regulations as the standard parent-to-child exclusion… providing the parents of any grandchildren have passed away. Moreover, special rules apply to multi-unit residential residences and mobile homes.

At the same time, beneficiaries inheriting a home from parents, as well as homeowners, must continue to watch for any changes to their ability to maintain a low tax rate, inheriting property taxes, from a parent to child transfer, and to steer clear from triggering steep reassessment of inherited property – thereby avoiding property reassessment through a parent-child transfer and a parent-to-child exclusion… still intact, thankfully, despite all these new rules for property tax transfers in California – but still must be watched carefully at all times.

Californians’ property tax breaks, their right to transfer parents’ property taxes and to keep their parents’  property taxes basically forever, with a property tax transfer, has to be watched incessantly by non profit watchdog organizations, such as Howard Jarvis’ California Taxpayers Association, http://www.caltax.org, or http://www.ftb.ca.gov  

San Joaquin County Bar Assoc. Offers Perspective on Prop 19

“On paper, Prop 19 seems confusing, so a practical example might help: Mary owns her primary residence, which is worth $1 million and assessed at $300,000. Mary also owns a rental property worth $900,000 and assessed at $200,000. Mary has one child, John, to whom she will leave both properties.

Before Prop 19, John could inherit both properties and continue to pay the same property taxes Mary would have via the parent-child exclusion.  After Prop 19, if John inherits the rental property, it will be reassessed at fair market value because it was not Mary’s primary residence. If John inherited Mary’s primary residence and chose not to use it as his primary residence, it would also be reassessed at fair market value.

But if John chose to use it as his primary residence, there would not be a reassessment, as the difference between a primary residence’s fair market value ($1 million) and assessed value ($300,000) is less than $1 million. 

However, assuming that the fair market value of a primary residence is $1.5 million, instead of $1 million, with the same assessed value of $300,000. In that case, the property would be reassessed, since the fair market value ($1.5 million) is greater than $1 million more than the assessed value ($300,000) – but there would be a $1 million exclusion from assessment, so the residence would be reassessed at $500,000 ($1.5 million – $1 million).

This information is intended to provide a general summary of Proposition 19. It is not intended to be a legal interpretation or official guidance. Our advice is subject to change. So we encourage you to consult an attorney for advice on your specific situation.”

We could not have described and illustrated it better ourselves.

Assistance with transferring a property tax base on an inherited home

If you require assistance transferring a property tax base from a parent to a child on an inherited home, we suggest you call Commercial Loan Corporation at (877)464-1066 or visit their website at cloanc.com. Even if you do not require a loan to an irrevocable trust to make an equal distribution, they can help answer questions you may have and put you in contact with a Trust & Estate Attorney in your area if needed.

Homeowners Make the Best of New Property Tax Measures in California

Posted on by
Reply
Property Tax News

Property Tax News

In Nov 2020 voters in California were presented with a new property tax measure… Proposition 19.  So in addition to a Prop 19 parent child exclusion, a mission was apparently added to help fire-fighters; providing seniors and disabled homeowners with property tax breaks,  along with folks over 55 who have suffered property damage from a natural disaster such as flooding, or an earthquake.

Californians Still Have Property Tax Relief to Turn To

Despite several limitations, parents in California can still transfer property they own to beneficiaries, with parent’s low property tax base since the parent-child transfer provides grown children with an exclusive property tax break that provides exclusion from property reassessment – thereby avoiding or minimizing property tax reassessment.

This also applies to grandparent to grandchild beneficiary transfers… However, necessitating that both parents of the beneficiaries must be deceased to qualify the grandparent-to-grandchild exclusion, or exemption.

Under new property tax requirements under Proposition 19, a parent must have lived in the residence being transferred, usually via inheritance to beneficiaries… as a primary residence. And must have filed a “homestead exemption” for the inherited property going to their beneficiaries.

An inherited home can be valued up to $1,000,0000; with the beneficiary prepared to move into the home within one year as a primary residence; plus claim a homeowners’ exemption – in order for the property transfer to be excluded from property tax reassessment.

Prop 19 Favors Seniors, and Folks with Bad Luck or Poor Health

Under Proposition 19 homeowners age 55 and up, severely disabled, or victims of wildfire or a natural disaster, can buy a new primary residence anywhere in California up to three times, and transfer their lower property tax basis from their existing property to their new property. The new property has to be of equal or lower value of the original property being sold.

This is all in addition to, not replacing, the old Proposition 58 property tax benefits that provide Californians with the ability to avoid a sibling to sibling buyout directly, while still being able to buyout siblings and retain sole ownership of inherited property… all the while managing to  avoid property reassessment with a parent-child transfer… with the right to keep parents property taxes (low property taxes) through a Prop 19 parent child exclusion in California.  A property tax transfer is still accessible for all Californians inheriting property from parents, while at the same time inheriting property taxes.  In other words, inheriting property while keeping a low property tax base

Even though a Prop 19 parent child exclusion is subject to certain new limitations… as long as one stays in compliance — the property tax breaks are there to take advantage of. Which is why many beneficiaries work with a trust lender to buyout co-beneficiaries,  retaining sole ownership of inherited property along with minimizing their property tax reassessment…. Moreover, so beneficiary property disputes can be resolved by a loan to a trust.

Estate Taxes

On the other hand, if a beneficiary sold his or her inherited property after the date of parental death, capital gains tax would be low, if any.  The estate tax for 2021 was capped at $11.7 million… Estates valued at less than $12.06 million in 2022 for individuals are exempt from an estate tax.

Every property owner in California resident is allowed to gift a certain amount of property per year, tax-free.  In 2021, this amount was $15,000, and in 2022 this amount is $16,000. There is a good chance estate taxes will not be imposed, looking ahead… unless the estate tax cap is revised… And that’s highly unlikely in the foreseeable future.

Inheriting Your Parents’ California Home with a Low Property Tax Base

Posted on by
Reply
Inheriting Your Parents' California Home with a Low Property Tax Base

Inheriting Your Parents’ California Home with a Low Property Tax Base

Let’s face it – Proposition 19 isn’t Proposition 58… However, we can still make use of favorable property tax relief benefits under Prop 19, such as inheriting CA property taxes; as long as we abide by the new rules & regs.  Under California’s Prop 13, the County Assessor’s office is not allowed to increase the appraised value of property except by 2% max. Unless there is a “change in ownership”. Even if the valuation of your home goes up.

Maintaining a Watchful Eye on Your Local County Tax Assessor

As the Albertson & Davidson law firm blog illustrates in an example – “If you bought a house in 1995 for $100,000, but that home is now worth $2,000,000; the county tax assessor is not allowed to value your home at $2 million for real property tax purposes. Instead, the value is limited to $100,000, plus a small percentage equal to the consumer price index or 2%, whichever is less…

….as such, the real property probably has an appraised value of around $125,000. The real property tax is approximately 1% of the property’s appraised value. In this example, the real property tax on a house valued at $125,000 is $1,250. Whereas, the real property tax on a house valued at $2 million is $20,000. Proposition 13 effectively saves the real property owner around $18,750 in tax ($20,000 – $1,250). That’s a huge savings… etc.”

Protecting Your Family From Property Tax Reassessment 

In fact, if the original purchase of your inherited home goes back three or four generations, back to your grandparents, or even great grandparents – the tax hike could crippling. Even for an affluent family with higher than average cash flow.  Sure, if you’re on the 1% list, you can absorb this kind of tax hike… But how many people do you know on that list? Are you on that list?

Probably not, as we’re talking about roughly 1% of the public… maybe 2% to 3% of all homeowners in California. And of course this depends on geographical locale – what neighborhood your home is in. If you’re in Santa Barbara, or Santa Cruz, or San Jose, or in the Hollywood Hills, or in Santa Monica or Beverly Hills… you’re likely to be able to weather that type of tax hit.

It sounds complicated, but in fact it’s actually pretty simple.  When someone passes away, say your parents, and the property is transferred as an inheritance to their grown child-beneficiary, the home retains a low valuation, as long as you avoid triggering property reassessment at “fair market” or current rates, by a “change in ownership”… with the help of an estate attorney and a trust lender – through a parent-to-child exclusion… inheriting CA property taxes from parents; avoiding CA property tax reassessment… and saving your family tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars, now and in the coming years ahead!

Proposition 13 and Proposition 19 will still enable you to retain your parent’s low original tax rate with a valuation of the property’s original low valuation. However, if you don’t do this correctly, your local friendly local County Tax Assessor will reassess the property forward to its’ current value, and inheriting CA property taxes from your parents, at their low base rate, will no longer be possible. 

Getting Financing & Guidance from a Reliable CA Trust Lender

No matter where you live or what your particulars are… If you’re set on keeping an inherited home from your parents, you have to file a parent-to-child exclusion document. In fact, the best way to make sure you do not trigger property reassessment and run into this sort of financial pit-hole, is to work with a reliable trust lender, specializing in loans to trusts and estates – like Commercial Loan Corporation in Newport Beach, where you can get all the help you’ll need to make sure everything goes properly and smoothly…

So you can safely and securely buyout your siblings; and retain sole ownership of your inherited family home – if indeed that’s what you want to do.  Either way, at least you’ll know what your options are, to keep yourself and your family informed and secure… keeping your  most valuable asset – your home – protected!  This is precisely why eligible California homeowners are moving quickly on new CA property tax relief opportunities

Plus, your trust lender and estate attorney (for good measure) will make sure Proposition 19 works perfectly in conjunction with an irrevocable trust loan to result in minimizing reassessment and establishing a low property tax base. Likewise, most Californians agree, without reservation, that Time is Ripe to Become Better Acquainted With the Parent to Child Property Tax Transfer

The #1 Win-Win Property Tax Solution for CA Families  

Everyone wins with an irrevocable trust loan beneficiary buyout solution… and that’s not just marketing-talk. Your co-beneficiaries will end up selling out to a beneficiary intent on keeping the family home, and walking off with an extra $14,000 to $15,000 as opposed to using a realtor to accomplish the same type of property sale.

Also, if your parents are deceased, and the family home is transferred from a grandparent to a grandchild, then the grandchild can access the same exclusion as the Proposition 19 parent-child exclusion.

If you’re an average middle class or even upper middle class homeowner, and not a member of the 1% high net worth club – you’re probably going to want to take advantage of an exclusion from reassessment.  Plus, you’re going to want to be able to access your right to keep a low property tax base by avoiding property tax reassessment, to be able to transfer parents property taxes with a property tax transfer — to keep parents property taxes through a parent-child transfer… ultimately inheriting property taxes from parents.

However, there are some pitfalls you need to look out for… The parent-child exclusion has to be filed with the County Tax Assessor inside of three years from your decedent parent’s passing. If you miss this critical deadline you’ll be hit with a “supplemental assessment” that will impose a higher property tax hit on you that includes all the years you did not request a parent-to-child exclusion. Again… it’s always that fine print you need to be aware of!

Whatever happens, if you are set to receive house or other real property from your parent, be sure that your parent-to-child exclusion form gets filed properly and on time. If you miss the deadline, and don’t complete this form correctly, the ramifications can be financially crippling. So be careful!

Claim for Reassessment Exclusion

Posted on by
Reply
Loans to trusts and Proposition 19

Loans to trusts and Proposition 19

As we all now know, new tax law in California, impacting the parent-to-child exclusion and grandparent-to-grandchild exclusion to legally avoid property tax reassessment, became active 2/06/21.  The “base year value transfer provision” went into affect 4/01/22. The State Board of Equalization (BOE), along with the CA Assessors’ Association, established seven new forms for County Tax Assessors…

Forms to deal with new property tax laws:

1) BOE-19P, Claim for Reassessment Exclusion for Transfer Between Parent and Child Occurring on or After Feb 16, 2021

2) BOE-19G, Claim for Reassessment Exclusion for Transfer Between Grandparent and Grandchild Occurring on or After Feb 16, 2021

3) BOE-19B, Claim for Transfer, Base Year Value to Replacement Primary Residence for Persons at Least Age 55 Years

4) BOE-19C, Certification of Value by Assessor for Base Year Value Transfer
  
5) BOE-19D, Claim for Transfer, Base Year Value to Replacement Primary Residence for Severely Disabled Persons

6) BOE-19DC, Certificate of Disability

7) BOE-19V Claim for Transfer of Base Year Value to Replacement Primary Residence for Victims of Wildfire or Other Natural Disaster

Remaining excluded from property reassessment

The transfer of what lawyers and trust lenders now call a “principal residence” or “primary residence” between a parent and child can be excluded from property reassessment… Meaning reassessment which would increase property taxes significantly – if the fair market value, meaning current valuation, of an inherited “family home” on the date of transfer – is less than the “sum of the factored base year value” plus $1,000,000.

So if the current or “fair market” value of an inherited family home (on the date it’s transferred) goes over the sum of the “factored base year value” plus $1,000,000 – the amount that is over this sum amount will always be added onto the so-called factored base year value.  Unless these new Prop 19 tax laws are repealed. But for now, that is the way things are. 

And with the help of a good trust lender and estate attorney… we can  make good use of the popular Proposition 58 property tax breaks, transferring property taxes in California under Proposition 19; taking full advantage of the useful (albeit now-limited) CA property tax transfer, in order to transfer parents property taxes to legally avoid property tax reassessment when inheriting property taxes through a parent-child transfer or parent to child property tax transfer, otherwise known as a California parent to child exclusion from property tax reassessment – to retain inherited property, and at the same time keep parents property taxes intact.                 

Deadline to Submit Documentation

The form “Claim for Reassessment Exclusion for Transfer Between Parent and Child” which occurred on or after Feb 16, 2021 has to be completed and filed as of 3-years from the purchase or transfer of an inherited property – or before the transfer of that property to a 3rd party. Or whichever is sooner.

So if the claim form hadn’t been completed and filed by or after Feb 16, 2021, it will have to be filed inside of 6-months after the date of mailing of the notice of “supplemental” or “escape assessment” for the property.

If a claim isn’t filed in this manner, the exclusion will be approved but starting with the calendar year in which the claim is filed.  We realize this is a bit daunting, perhaps confusing to some… however your attorney or trust lender will explain exactly how this all works in detail.

Proper Transfree Forms

Also, a “transferee” must complete and file a Claim for Homeowner Property Tax Exemption (BOE‐266) or Claim for Disabled Veteran’s Property Tax Exemption (BOE‐261‐G) within one year from the date of property purchase or transfer.

For transfers that were implemented before Feb 16, 2021, you have to use the Claim for Reassessment Exclusion for Transfer Between Parent and Child form (BOE‐58‐AH).

If you require assistance obtaining a loan to a trust, please complete the following form or call 877-464-1066 to speak to a qualified Trust Loan representative.

Property Transfer in California Between Parent and Child

Posted on by
Reply
California Parent to Child Property Tax Transfer

California Parent to Child Property Tax Transfer

Ability to Transfer Property Taxes to Children

Let’s say you’re inheriting an aging but beautiful home from your parents, with a terrific pool, and fireplaces everywhere… with a wooden deck the family has conducted so many marvelous surf & turf barbecues on – with that brand new grill, with your favorite smoked hickory-flavored charcoal… And plenty of ice-cold drinks.

Just walking around the backyard near the grill brings back wonderful emotional family memories when you and your siblings inherited the entire property from your parents and – as your lawyers referred to it – the property was “transferred” to a new owner – in this case you…. despite the fact that your siblings are determined to sell out their property shares.  While you are determined to avoid triggering crippling property tax  reassessment!  At all costs.  So you talk to your family lawyer, and call a reliable trust lender to discuss your ability to transfer property taxes to children… Like the well known Commercial Loan Corp in Newport Beach. 

In which case a parent-to-child exclusion is secure, and makes a lot of sense – working with an irrevocable  trust loan, in conjunction with Prop  19, which has basically replaced the Proposition 58 parent-child exclusion. And simply requires a careful, but determined, step-by-step process – to reach the desired outcome – to avoid current property reassessment; while buying out property shares inherited by siblings, and nailing down sole ownership of that wonderful old inherited home with all those lovely old  dreamy family memories!

How to Avoid Triggering Property Tax Reassessment

It’s terribly important to pay attention to good advice from your attorney,   and your trust lender, on mistakes to avoid when transferring a property tax base… In most cases, your inherited property is generally reassessed by your friendly neighborhood CA County Assessors Office; while the new owner pays a higher property tax. The parent-child exclusion was voted into law on Nov 6, 1986… enabling beneficiaries to inherit property from parents, smoothly and quickly – avoiding property tax reassessment and     keeping a low property tax base when inheriting a home.

Thankfully,  new rules for property tax transfers in California  are  still  giving parents the ability to transfer property taxes to children without any issues – and enables a family/parent oriented beneficiary (usually the favorite child!) to  buyout siblings’ share of inherited property and transfer parents’ property taxes through a standard property tax transfer – getting a transfer of property between siblings accomplished without a miserable property tax hike slamming you out of the blue. 

Transferring a Family Home to Beneficiaries

As most of us know by now, given the publicity Proposition 19 has received – at the root  of all this, it’s simply a matter of inheriting property taxes at a profoundly lower rate from parents… with the ability to transfer smoothly from parent to child,  and keep parents property taxes basically forever – for that inherited family home at least. And possibly more, if you have the right lawyer, and the situation  merits it.

In other words, as estate and real property attorneys used to put it, “Avoiding property tax reassessment is why people take advantage of exclusions from tax reassessment under Proposition 58 .” And as they phrase it now, “Avoiding property tax reassessment under Proposition 19 property tax exclusions ”.  C’est la vie.

Skipping a generation, if property transfer is managed from a grandparent to a grandchild, as long as the the beneficiary’s parent is not alive, inheriting or transferring property will thankfully not increase property taxes.

For a free benefit analysis on transferring a property tax base from a parent to a child on an inherited home, you can complete the following form, in just a few minutes….

New Property Tax Relief Laws & Belief in the CA Legislature

Posted on by
Reply
Property Tax Transfers

Property Tax Transfers

Can California rely on Property Tax Exclusions from Prop 19?

Despite the growing waves of criticism and anxiety from residents in California, regarding Proposition 19, given all the cheer-leading from the California realtor community, more or less led by the CA Realtor’s Association – state sponsored public relations continues to convince us how fabulous Proposition 19 truly is.

We are constantly reminded that, despite certain obvious limitations affecting homeowners and beneficiaries inheriting property from their parents, we do have new property  tax exclusions from Prop 19.   Proposition 19 is providing us with tremendous property tax breaks which did not exist previously, with Proposition 58 tax relief.

Truth?  Publicity?  Or happy talk… 

Supposedly, despite new property tax exclusions from Prop 19,  the state will see an extra yearly revenue of a billion dollars plus, to help schools in towns and cities – although the California State Board of Equalization (BOE) is a little short on concrete specifics and details, in terms of how much revenue is actually expected to come in overall from these new property tax laws; and specifically how much money will go to fire departments, and how much will be allocated to help seniors and the elderly… and homeowners with serious infirmities. 

Moreover, Proposition 19 also seems to be rather fuzzy, with respect to anticipated property tax revenue that is supposedly going towards balancing budgets – possibly with provisions to step up the state’s recovery from Pandemic driven financial losses.

Additionally, beyond property tax exclusions from Prop 19 that we already know about, and hope will be consistent – extra tax revenue from Proposition 19 is supposedly expected to furnish all sorts of other “significant added protections” for CA residents – although proponents of Prop 19 as well as BOE are extremely vague, as far as articulating precisely what these “protections” might be every year.  Again – fact based info dissemination?  Or simply PR happy talk…

Prop19 revenue for city and county fire departments & schools

Proponents of Proposition 19 singled out supporters of Proposition 13 property tax relief as creators of “tax schemes” and “deceptive practices” – “costing local governments and schools up to $1.5 billion every year” – without describing exactly what those “tax schemes” and “deceptive practices” actually are… And what those numbers that  supposedly cost the school system a small fortune really look like – above and beyond vague projections designed to scare tax payers half to death.  

We also frequently hear about “unfair tax loopholes” used by supposed “East Coast investors” and “celebrities” or “wealthy non- California residents” as well as “trust fund heirs” – who are perpetually unnamed, wealthy property owners, who supposedly avoid paying “their fair share of property taxes on vacation homes, income properties, and beachfront rentals they own in California.”

An obvious reference to the Lloyd Bridges family, the only family in 40 years that has been named as property tax perpetrators of the above so-called violations, whose heirs happened to inherit a nice beach home, using Proposition 13 to cap property taxes at 2%… subsequently renting the home out at $16,000 per month to vacationers from out of state. (As opposed to residing in the property as a “primary residence”.)

No other family has ever been named and singled out as using Proposition 13 for such “nefarious purposes”.  It appears that the justification for Proposition 19 limitations were based on this one family… this one inheritance.

Maintaining the spirit of Proposition 13 and Prop 58

Proponents of Proposition 19 insist that their favorite tax measure will “continue to preserve the intent of Proposition 58 and Proposition 193” – keeping family homes affordable when parents and grandparents pass on their family home to children and grandchildren to use  as a  “primary residence”. 

As we all know, this is partly true, and where  limitations are concerned… partly not true. Fortunately, beneficiaries can still     use a parent-to-child exclusion in conjunction with Proposition 19.

When inheriting property while keeping a low property tax base,  smart beneficiaries are still able to buyout property tax shares from siblings, with advice from a Property Tax Consultant, and funding from a Trust Lender such as Commercial Loan Corp.

We continue to hear about the $1 billion per year in Prop 19 generated revenue that is going to fire departments and unions, school systems and local governments.  We also hear about that revenue somehow being used for emergency services, public hospitals, general healthcare, homeless folks, and housing projects. However… again, no specifics. Just general allusion to a lot of hopeful initiatives. 

At the same time Californians hope that they will be able keep parents property taxes, and take advantage of property tax transfers to retain a low property tax rate from this parent-to-child transfer upon inheriting property from parents, while inheriting property taxes… to avoid property tax reassessment – typically through a parent-child transfer.

Homeowners and beneficiaries are waiting to see what specific applications will be readily available to them:

• to limit property tax increases for victims of wildfires, replacing damaged or destroyed property; limiting damage from wildfires on homes through supposed funding for fire protection and emergency response.

• to cap property tax increases on family homes used as a primary residence by protecting the right of parents and grandparents to pass on their family home to children and grandchildren as a primary residence.

• to take advantage of supposedly “thousands of housing opportunities” by making homes available for first-time homeowners and families in all 58 counties across the state of California.

Ultimately, Californians are taking for granted that there is a cap on property tax increases for primary residences for homeowners over 55 years old, people with severe disabilities, and victims of natural disasters or wildfires by removing county restrictions – apparently allowing these residents to locate a home that “better fits their needs”.

State leadership may be asking residents to stretch their trust a long way; without any iron-clad guarantees. Just a long list of top-down assurances. And residents as well as estate attorneys and tax lawyers, as well as accountants, are wondering, going forward into a murky future, what they can question… and what they can really rely on.

Article 13-A of the California Constitution

Posted on by
Reply

Protecting Californians From Arbitrary Tax Hikes

Proposition 13 once protected all taxpayers, homeowners and non-homeowners — by maintaining a 2/3 vote requirement in order to pass most tax increases, including state sales and income tax. Intentionally making it more difficult to raise taxes on residents. Particularly critical with respect to property taxes.

Unfortunately for middle class tax payers, a tax measure entitled “Proposition 39” was approved in 2000 by a thin razor edged margin after a massively budgeted PR & marketing campaign was launched by a few Silicon Valley billionaires who thought it would be advantageous to make middle class homeowners pay for their Silicon Valley corporate tax breaks. Similar to our recent tax breaks for mega-wealthy Americans and high-end corporations. Again, mainly pulled from the pockets of middle class homeowners and working families. A sad testament to tax inequality.

So-called “Proposition 39” revised the 2/3 vote requirement for certain bonds to 55% — making it way too easy to pass those bonds, since they are paid back only through increased property taxes. Again, wealthy hands in the pockets of middle class families.

Property Tax Postponement Instead of Property Tax Relief

The State Controller’s Property Tax Postponement Program allows senior or elderly homeowners, blind homeowners,  and severely disabled property owners, to take advantage of a marginally helpful “tax deferment” affecting this year’s property tax bill. When the more equitable solution would obviously be total or partial exclusion from these property taxes; especially in the midst of a severe Pandemic — with subsequent economic failings and short-comings, with no real end in sight.

Over the past 44 years, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association has battled and confronted California based special interest organizations, such as the CA Association of Realtors, groups, bureaucrats, and public-employee unions, among others, who benefit from government spending.

Beginning in 1978, Proposition 13 was determined to protect home ownership from overly greedy, destructive taxation. Therefore California property owners strive to continue enjoying the $528 billion that the Proposition 13 and Proposition 58 (now Proposition 19) Howard Jarvis Tax Revolt has saved homeowners by helping them, overall, to avoid property tax reassessment; allowing families to transfer  property between siblings without a crippling property tax reassessment, avoiding a sibling to sibling buyout.  Enabling beneficiaries to transfer parents property taxes to themselves through property tax transfer relief, when inheriting property, and subsequently inheriting property taxes from a parent — thereby inheriting property while keeping a low property tax base.

Hence, allowing inheritors to keep parents property taxes basically forever… generally with property tax transfer relief from a parent-child transfer — ultimately, through an established parent-to-child exclusion.  Something no California homeowner or beneficiary wants to lose.

CA Property Tax Relief Under Attack

Posted on by
1

Is CA Proposition 13 Property Tax Relief Under Attack?  

California taxpayers are in particular danger due to the fact that the CA State Legislature and real estate plus other special interests are looking to continue efforts to unravel property tax relief in California simply to accelerate real estate sales and commissions, plus increase overall property tax revenue to state coffers.  Just for the record, Proposition 13 has saved California taxpayers $528 billion.

If critics of property tax breaks unravel Proposition 13 any more than they already have, real-estate-business owned politicians can accelerate property taxes on homeowners by 400%, or north of that figure, by destroying Proposition 13 protections that keep restraints on increases of sales tax with new property tax relief law in California that could add hundreds of billions of dollars, going forward, of new tax revenue from new rules for property tax transfers in California — costing every middle class and working CA family a small fortune in increased property taxes!

The Proposition 13 bullet-proof “2/3 vote requirement” to protect  Californians from greedy, careless or arbitrary property tax hikes has been watered down and severely weakened by those who oppose property tax relief in California, and can easily be further unraveled during this upcoming year. 

Could California See the End of Crucial Property Tax Breaks?

Lifting the 1% or 2% cap on the maximum property tax rate is their next objective. After that, Proposition 13 and $528 billion could be stolen from California taxpayers forever.  Needless to say, this would not be healthy for the state. We could possible see the end of CA Proposition 13 property tax relief — possibly the demise of the parent-to-child exclusion… most damaging of all.  How these politicos and certain members of the real estate community  could support such irresponsible tax hikes on the backs of middle class Californians, is almost impossible to ascertain or understand.  

Yet it’s entirely possible that in the state of California we could actually begin to see the unraveling  of third-rail protections supporting low tax rates from parent-child transfers — the end of laws allowing homeowners to avoid steep property tax reassessment  when inheriting property taxes… for so many decades protected so well by Prop 13 and  Proposition 19 (formerly Proposition 58).

These were once unchangeable built-in property tax breaks protecting parents and their children when they be easily able to transfer parents’ property taxes and keep parents property taxes basically forever, in perpetuity. when inheriting a home from Mom or Dad.

Proposition 13 has forced local governments to manage their finances better — one reason the initiative had such overwhelming popular support.  Most cities and counties have been very successful under Proposition 13. If some have failed, the problem was not Proposition 13. It was mismanagement, lack of sensible  planning… and reckless spending.

A Second California Tax Revolt

A Second Tax Revolt will take time, energy, resources. Funding. Organizations such as the Commercial Loan Corporation; the Cunningham Legal law firm; Kevin Kiley’s ACA-9 initiative; and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association are all providing planning and backing for the support and rescue of Property Tax Relief in California… Proposition 13; and the possible return to Proposition 58 with unlimited parent–Child Exclusion rights for homeowners and beneficiaries inheriting property from parents.

Simply some of the reasons the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assoc. is launching their “Second California Tax Revolt”, to build and protect property tax relief measures for all Californians, regardless of age, station, or net worth.

It took four million Californians to pass Proposition 13. HJTA hopes to mobilize as many to defend Proposition 13, because that’s what may be needed to keep $528 billion in our pockets — our honest,  hard working California property owning pockets.  And not flowing into mercenary state and county tax collectors’ pockets.  

How Secure is Property Tax Relief for Californians?

Posted on by
Reply
Property Taxes in California

Property Taxes in California

Despite Critics, CA Property Tax Relief Is As Popular As Ever  

What all homeowners, property owners and working families inheriting property in California want to know – is whether or not property tax breaks from Proposition 13 and Proposition 19 are guaranteed, during our lifetime, to all California homeowners and beneficiaries inheriting property.

Naturally, this encompasses the ability to transfer parents property taxes, with a protected property tax transfer; the right to keep parents property taxes when inheriting property  property taxes, most frequently through a parent-child transfer, otherwise known as a parent-to-child exclusion.  Always to avoid property tax reassessment, even when it involves a loan to an irrevocable trust, in conjunction with Prop 19 for the transfer of property between siblings, commonly called an “inherited property buyout”, which is often implemented in concert with the right to keep parents property taxes.

So after 44 years of capping property tax increases at 2%, Prop 13 continues to be wildly popular with Californians. And due to the fact that Proposition 13 is a CA Constitutional Amendment, it can only be revised by voter approval.

Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assoc president Jon Coupal tell us:

“Without the two-thirds vote requirement, one of these second-mortgage bonds can now be passed by people who won’t pay the tax and in fact are getting more from the government than they pay in taxes.

After Proposition 39 took away the two-thirds vote protection for these bonds, localities quickly passed almost $30 billion in such bonds — debt that homeowners will be burdened with long after they’ve paid off their homes.  Since then, the two-thirds vote has been repeatedly attacked by a pro-tax coalition that wants to eliminate this protection for more and more kinds of bonds and taxes.

Currently, several proposals are active in the State Legislature to change the state constitution to eliminate the two-thirds vote requirement for other kinds of bonds, and for certain sales and property taxes. If enacted, it will become far too easy to pass all kinds of tax hikes, so the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association is actively fighting this legislation.”

Special Interest Groups Intent On Unraveling Tax Relief

Wealthy special interest organizations are out there scheming and planning, especially like-minded people in the realtor community that are secretly, and not so secretly, aiming to unravel California property tax breaks – such as the CA Associations of Realtors, who bankrolled Proposition 19,  replacing Proposition 58 in 2021. 

The CA Associations of Realtors donated $40.4 million to their crusade; and $47.57 million total bankrolled this effort to convince Californians with deceptive yet clever public relations and marketing.  Naturally, there were other organizations that chipped in, that do well with state government cash and don’t want homeowners to save big on property taxes, as property tax revenue feeds those organizations and their financial interests.

Proposition 15, the property tax measure, also promoted by the realtor community, was designed to overturn Proposition 13’s commercial property tax protections, and was defeated by a hair. Had it passed, most residential rentals and business rentals, thanks to inflated commercial property taxes from an unraveled Proposition 13, would have gone sky high – taking prices of all goods and services in California with it…and would have carried the future of California with it…. downhill!

Special interest groups such as the Realtor organizations pushing these anti property tax relief efforts, have got to learn that you can’t weaken and in many cases destroy the lives of millions of the  39,538,223 citizens residing in California – simply to benefit 131,551 real estate brokers. Weakening the financial life of millions just to make some realtors and real estate brokers a little wealthier just doesn’t even out.

CA Property Tax Relief Heroes ~ Fighting the Good Fight

This is precisely why folks such as the Howard Jarvis Taxpayer’s Association; Assemblyman Kevin Kiley and his ACA-9 Bill to repeal Proposition 19;  Commercial Loan Corp led by president Kerry Smith; and others – maintaining an especially courageous effort to control property tax hikes; and keep crippling property taxes capped and equitable for California working families, for both middle class and high net worth homeowners – to keep the California American Dream of home ownership alive, fair, and affordable.

Property Tax Relief for All Californians

Posted on by
Reply

Proposition 13 – 34% Against Versus 62.6% For

On June 6, 1978 Proposition 13 passed as a property tax relief measure with 4,280,689 votes for – versus 2,326,167 votes against. In the final analysis, it came down to finally taking a great deal of power away from the County Tax Collectors; and giving it back to taxpayers!

Howard Jarvis and Paul Gann, were the best known Proposition 13 advocates. Officially known as the “People’s Initiative to Limit Property Taxation”,  also referred to as the Jarvis-Gann Amendment,  Proposition 13 was listed for voters through the so-called “California ballot initiative process” – which allows a constitutional amendment to be offered to voters when political advocates assemble a certain number of signatures on  a petition.     

For Once, Tax Relief for the Middle Class in California – Not Special Interests

Many people aren’t aware of the fact that Mr. Jarvis was a hugely successful residential apt. building owner, and Mr. Gann, a political activist who passed away from HIV due to infected blood from a unfortunate transfusion, who ironically devoted the last several years of his life to AIDS treatment advocacy – in direct opposition to his fellow conservatives. California’s “Paul Gann Blood Safety Act” was passed into law in 1990, mandating that doctors discuss the risks of blood transfusion with their patients.

Two non-politicians named Howard Jarvis and Paul Gann courageously soldiered on – without precedence – until they won the day. This rarely occurs in political circles, as we all know.  But for once, some non-politicians actually changed things for the better in California. And virtually overnight, once Howard Jarvis and his so-called “Tax Revolt” passed Proposition 13, property tax rates in California finally became predictable and equitable – from San Jose to San Francisco and beyond, in all 58 counties.

Under this new property tax relief measure, the property tax rate is now set at a uniform 1% throughout the state, and property tax increases are limited to no more than 2% a year as long as the property is not sold.

Previously, the tax rate in California averaged almost 3% of market value, and there were no limits on increases either for the tax rate or property value assessments. Some properties were reassessed 50% to 100% higher in just one year, so property owners’ tax bills skyrocketed, often  way beyond homeowners’ ability to pay their property taxes.

Now, once sold, property is reassessed at 1% of the new market value (usually the sales price) with a 2% cap on annual tax increases. As a result, new buyers are always aware of what their taxes will be and know the maximum amount property taxes can increase each year for as long as they own the property. 

Then, in 1986, Amendment Proposition 58 was passed; and  homeowners as well as beneficiaries inheriting property from parents could happily take advantage of a transfer of property between siblings or sibling-to-sibling property transfer in conjunction with an irrevocable trust loan, typically for buying out inherited property shares from siblings, while keeping a low property tax base (now used with California Proposition 19 which has replaced Proposition 58). 

Overnight, beneficiaries  could transfer parents property taxes when inheriting property taxes; and could keep parents property taxes after a property tax transfer made possible by a parent-child transfer, officially a parent-to-child exclusion which, exactly like buying out inherited property shares, is also now governed by Proposition 19.  

Benefits for Non Property Owners

While Proposition 13 is mainly famous for capping property taxes in California, it also stops arbitrary tax hikes at the state and local level. It makes sure that any state tax increase had to be approved by a 2/3 majority in the Legislature, and any new or increased local taxation must be approved by voters, not just a collection of special interest politicians.

Supplemented by Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association – a co-sponsored tax measure entitled Proposition 218 (the Right to Vote on Taxes Act) makes sure that voter approval of all new local taxes is required, no matter what. So not just property owners, but also renters, benefit – as Proposition 13 stabilizes property taxes, making them predictable and reasonably controlled; reducing any uncontrolled or unexpected rent increases throughout the state of California.