Dispute Property Assessed Value/Tax Bill
By Massachusetts statute, a taxpayer may only dispute an assessed value/tax bill for the current fiscal year. You may not bundle several prior fiscal years and dispute them with the current fiscal year.
Appeal Process:
In order to dispute an assessed value/tax bill, the taxpayer must complete an abatement application and submit it to the Assessor's office. The burden of proof is on the taxpayer and evidence must be provided to support your argument. Abatement applications are available beginning the last business day of December through February 1st.
We will not have abatement forms or sale information at the Assessor's office. It will all be available online.
For Fiscal Year 2024 abatement forms, please select either the Real Estate Abatement Application or Personal Property Abatement Application.
For assessment and sale information, please refer to the Property Assessment and Reports tab on our home page.
Application Deadline:
The abatement period runs from January 1st to February 1st in the current fiscal year.
The Assessor's office will begin accepting abatement applications after January 1st. All completed abatement applications must be time stamped by the Assessor's office and received on or before February 1st. If February 1st falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the application is due the next business day. No abatement can be granted unless the application is filed by the statutory deadline.
Abatement Application Forms (No Electronic Filing):
Acceptable methods of delivering the abatement application forms to the Assessor's Office are either by hand (in person) or by the U.S. Postal Service (postmarked on or before February 1st).
COVID-19 UPDATE:
We will be accepting applications by hand in the office. You may also mail applications using the U.S. Postal Service, postmarked by Thursday, February 1st or enclose in a secure envelope marked “Assessor’s Office” and place in the red mailbox outside the Mary Alley building at 7 Widger Rd. The red mailbox will be emptied at 5 pm on Thursday, February 1st and time-stamped in the Assessor’s office that day. No abatement can be granted unless the application is filed by the statutory deadline.
Pay Tax Bills When Due:
Filing an appeal does not relieve you of paying the taxes when they are due. Tax payments need to be made in a timely manner in order to preserve your rights for further appeal to the State.
Please Allow 90 Days:
The Board of Assessors has 90 days from the date the application was time stamped by the Assessor's office to act on the appeal. Every applicant will receive written notification of the decision by the Board. You will receive either a copy of the abatement certificate, if approved, or a denial notice.
If an abatement is granted, the abated tax amount will be deducted from your 4th quarter taxes due on May 1st. When the abated amount is applied, if it results in an overpayment of taxes, you will receive a refund check at the end of the fiscal year (June 30th).
Appealing the Board's Decision:
Anyone disagreeing with the decision of the Board may file an appeal with the state Appellate Tax Board. This appeal must be submitted within three months of the Board's decision. Please refer to the Appellate Tax Board for additional information.