2021 Guide for Property Owners (R. 1-21) 2021 Guide for Property Owners Table of Contents I. Introduction . 4 II. General Property . 4 A . Real property, real estate and land . 4 B . Personal property . 4 C . Uniform property tax . 4 D . Taxable/nontaxable property . 4 III. Assessment and Its Purpose . 5 IV. Assessors . 5 A . Certification . 5 B . Wisconsin Property Assessment Manual (WPAM) . 6 V. Assessment Process . 6 A . Municipal assessor is responsible for the assessment process . 6 B . Assessment classifications of real property . 6 C . Property information . 7 D . Information used to determine assessments . 8 E . Notice of Changed Assessment . 9 F . Equitable assessment . 9 G . Assessment of personal property . 10 VI. Manufactured and Mobile Homes . 10 A . Definitions . 10 B . Manufactured and mobile home classifications . 11 C . Exempt mobile and manufactured homes . 11 D . Monthly municipal mobile home permit fee . 12 E . Mobile home assessment appeals . 13 F . Mobile home exemption disputes . 13 G . Overview of manufactured and mobile home unit property taxes . 14 VII. Equalized Value . 15 A . Uses of equalized value . 15 B . Assessment compliance . 16 C . Full value law . 16 VIII. Reassessment/Revaluation . 16 A . Initiating a reassessment . 17 B . Supervised assessment . 17 C . Initiating a revaluation . 17 D . Trespassing and Revaluation Notice . 18 E . Sample Revaluation Notice . 19 F . Assessment roll . 19 G . Assessment questions . 19 H . Open Book . 19 I . Appealing your assessment . 20 Back to table of contents Wisconsin Department of Revenue 2 2021 Guide for Property Owners IX. Board of Assessors (BOA) . 20 A . Cities with a BOA . 20 B . BOA information . 20 X. Board of Review (BOR) . 21 A . Requirements to appeal an assessment to the BOR . 21 B . BOR members . 21 C . BOR details . 21 D . Providing information to the BOR . 23 E . Appeal a BOR decision . 24 F . Flowchart of the assessment appeal process . 26 XI. Levy and Rates . 27 A . Property tax base/rate . 27 B . Tax rate . 27 C . General property tax bill . 27 D . School taxes . 28 XII. Collection . 28 A . Property tax bills . 28 B . Payment of property taxes . 28 C . Interest on unpaid taxes . 28 D . Unlawful tax claim . 29 E . Excessive assessment claim . 29 F . Denial of unlawful tax or excessive assessment claim . 30 XIII. Assistance with Property Taxes . 30 A . Homestead tax credit . 30 B . Property tax deferral loan program . 30 C . Assistance for the elderly . 30 D . Property tax exemption for veterans . 31 XIV. Real Estate Property Tax Bill . 32 XV. Tax Rate . 35 XVI. Special Purpose Costs . 35 XVII. Statutory References . 35 XVIII. Glossary . 36 XIX. Contact Information . 39 Back to table of contents Wisconsin Department of Revenue 3 2021 Guide for Property Owners I. Introduction This guide provides information about property assessment and appealing your assessment . This guide also describes the role of the assessor, local Board of Review, and taxation process . For additional information on property valuation, see the Wisconsin Property Assessment Manual . Contact your local assessor for information about your property assessment and your local clerk for information about your property taxes . Information in this publication was prepared by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue’s Office of Technical and Assessment Services . II. General Property Defined by state law, general property includes all taxable real and personal property, except property taxed under special provisions (ex: utility, forest crop, woodland tax, and managed forest property) . A. Real property, real estate, and land The land and all buildings, improvements, fixtures, and rights and privileges connected with the land . B. Personal property All goods, wares, merchandise, chattels, and effects of any nature or description having any marketable value and not included in real property . C. Uniform property tax Article VIII of the State Constitution requires the uniform taxation of property . Article VIII also provides the following.