Arthur L. Rubin wrote:
- quote -

There are a variety of items on a property tax bill that are
not deductible as real property taxes as the amounts are not
an ad valorem tax. On California property tax bills, these
items are usually contained under a category called "Direct
Assessments." They might include such items as sewer,
lighting, parks, roads, library, flood control, sanitation,
and fire. Here in my little section of Los Angeles County,
I have direct assessments for the Metro Water District,
flood control, county parks, vector control (pests) and the
latest one approved by the voters: Trauma & emergency
Services. None of these direct assessments are deductible
as property taxes.

--

Alan
http://taxtopics.net

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Arthur L. Rubin wrote:
- quote -

There are a variety of items on a property tax bill that are
not deductible as real property taxes as the amounts are not
an ad valorem tax. On California property tax bills, these
items are usually contained under a category called "Direct
Assessments." They might include such items as sewer,
lighting, parks, roads, library, flood control, sanitation,
and fire. Here in my little section of Los Angeles County,
I have direct assessments for the Metro Water District,
flood control, county parks, vector control (pests) and the
latest one approved by the voters: Trauma & emergency
Services. None of these direct assessments are deductible
as property taxes.

--
Alan
http://taxtopics.net

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- quote -

I would be interested in knowing what you actually paid.
All the information given talks about what the county showed
and how much the accountant reported, but, nowhere have I
seen what the correct figure or how you actually paid. As
the prior posters have shown, it is actually possible that
they are both correct. Ultimately you simply need to go and
sit down with your accountant and ask him where the figure
came from, then look at your records to verify the amount.
Once you know the facts, you can determine how to proceed.

Mike

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"Kate" <weller_4[at]hotmail.com> wrote:

- quote -

Kate, is it possible that the amount deducted also includes
a city property tax. Where I practice, those who live
within the city limits pay real estate taxes to both the
city and the appropriate county. The city tax is usually
quite a bit less than the county tax.

Audrey Griffin
EA in GA


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Seth Breidbart wrote:
- quote -

marked on my Brea, California property.

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Arthur L. Rubin <ronnirubin[at]sprintmail.com> wrote:

- quote -

Really? I must have missed that point when filling out my
tax returns (not that I think I actually paid any such
taxes, anyway).

- quote -

It's quite possible he wouldn't. My parents didn't realize
they were buying three lots until I read the property
description details in the sales contract. (One of the lots
is in a different town.)

Seth

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griftax[at]grifsolu.com (Audrey Griffin, EA in GA) wrote:
- quote -

Maybe I misread the first post. I thought it said that
county records showed $814 billed and paid, while the
accountant was paid $1200 to pay the tax.

Stu

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- quote -

Good point. The fact that the amount billed was such a
nice, round number, though, makes me suspicious.

Stu

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"Lin706" <lin706[at]aol.com> wrote:

- quote -

Are the taxes reported for the property tax assessment year
or the calendar year? It is possible that you pay your
taxes in two installments, each of which falls in a
different income tax year. In that case, the numbers will
never match.

Nawarat, Williams & Co. Ltd.
Income tax services for expatriate Americans
L K Williams Nawarat,
Williams & Co., Ltd.
6/311 Soi Mahadlek Luang 2
Ratchadamri Road, Lumpini Bangkok 10330 Thailand
lanny[at]expatriatetax.net
tel: fax: 669 925-9905 662 650 5800 Powered by Plaxo

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- quote -

What source are you using for the "accountants figures"? If
you're looking at the Schedule A, the amount may include ALL
taxes including automobile registration, real estate taxes
and taxes on items such as boats, jetskis, trailers, etc.

Carol

What can one expect of a day that begins with getting out of bed.
Semper Gumby (Always Flexible)

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Kate <weller_4[at]hotmail.com> wrote:

- quote -

Did the amounts always vary in the same direction, or were
they sometimes higher and sometimes lower? In the latter
case, it might just be timing of payments that varied;
presumably the county showed the year 2000 tax as the amount
they assessed for that year, while the accountant showed the
amount actually paid in that year (which might have included
some tax for 1999 or 2001, or not all of 2000's).

Seth

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There are two possibilities:
1) Your accountant is taking total real estate taxes paid in
the calendar year while the tax office is reporting what
was paid in half of the fiscal year, or
2) Your accountant is padding your deductions on your behalf.

If 1), ask him his logic and source of the deduction.

If 2), report him to the IRS and get a new preparer and
prepare to pay some extra tax. IRS will charge interest
but shouldn't charge a penalty.

Nan, EA in LA

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"Kate" <weller_4[at]hotmail.com> wrote:

- quote -

Kate, is it possible that the amount deducted also includes
a city property tax. Where I practice, those who live
within the city limits pay real estate taxes to both the
city and the appropriate county. The city tax is usually
quite a bit less than the county tax.

Audrey Griffin
EA in GA

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Kate wrote:
- quote -

Possibilities:

1. In California, property taxes are due in December and
April: 2 tax years for you, one for the county.

If, for example, your 2000 figure is the average of the
county's 1999 and 2000 figures, that might account for it.
Pretty much ignore this if the actual payment dates are
given on itax.

2. A small component of property taxes -- the part which is
based on property size or is a per parcel tax -- is
non-deductible. It's also possible that some of your
property tax bill is for personal property, which would go
to a diffrent line on the tax return.

3. You may have more than one property. I THINK you'd know
that, but....

4. The accountant may have improperly included the personal
property tax component of auto registration fees or other
personal property tax as real property tax.

I'd side with 1 and 2, myself. If the accountant's 2000
figure is slightly less than the average of the county's
1999 and 2000 figures, I'd let it go. Otherwise -- I'm not
certain whether it is better to ask the accountant for
clarification or to see a lawyer.

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- quote -

If the internet site is just for the county taxes and you
also are responsible for a city or township or school tax,
then the web site information won't match the total taxes
claimed on your tax return. In the county I live in, I can
access my county taxes on a specific website, but my local
and school taxes (all real estate taxes) are not part of the
county website, so my total real estate taxes cannot be
found by looking at just one website.

Linda, EA in PA

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Kate <weller_4[at]hotmail.com> wrote:

- quote -

Theoretically it would not be improper for the accountant to
tell you the tax was $814 and bill you $386 for his
services. However to tell you that your tax bill was 50%
higher than it really was, and then pocket the difference in
addition to any fee he may take, is more than improper.
It's theft. He could go to jail for that.

Frankly I'd call a cop.

Stu

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Kate <weller_4[at]hotmail.com> wrote:

- quote -

On my tax program, I can break down line five on the
schedule A and it all totals in:
Real Estate taxes paid on principal residence
RE tax paid on additional homes and land
RE tax from busines use of office in home
RE tax allocated from schedule E (If part of the home was rented out)

If the client pays to a mortgage company on a impound
account, the form 1098 from the mortgage company has it
listed how much was paid. If the client pays the RE tax
themselves, I just ask them how much they paid. They usually
show me the Property tax bill or their cancelled checks.

It is not 'common' to round up, unless you go to a
storefront tax preparation office...and they are trying to
get your taxes done and get you out of there in an hour or
less, since they are graded on 'productivity'...

Ask the preparer how they came up with those numbers.

Cindy

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- quote -

In the rest of your message you are assuming that the
accountant's records are incorrect. How do you know that?

--
To reply to me directly, remove the XXX characters from my email address.

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Kate wrote:

- quote -

I'm the one who usually says you don't need a lawyer but an
EA or CPA instead. but not in this case. Hie thee to an
attorney and lay out the data and take his advice, provided
he's not the accountant's kin.

Cheer$,
Harlan Lunsford, EA in LA

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Kate <weller_4[at]hotmail.com> writes:

- quote -

There may be a very good reason, based on the information
you provided. The best thing to do would be to ask the
accountant where he got the figures.and why they were
categorized improperly if, indeed, they were!!! I, at
times, do a double take on figures 'til I can reckon with
them, in my own mind, and I don't rest 'til I find out why
I've made an entry!!! Usually, I make notes when more than
one entry is included on one line. Perhaps your accountant
has done that as well!!

"Jack" - John H. Fisher - TaxService[at]aol.com
Philadelphia, Pa - Atlantic City, NJ - West Wildwood, NJ
My Newsgroups & Boards at: http://members.aol.com/TaxService/index.html

Where Ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise!=

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