Property Tax Experts
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For taxpayers who may
be experiencing
difficulty in paying their
property taxes, there
may be help.  Most
cities in the United
States have Property
Tax Poverty Exemption
Policy and Guidelines.
You may be eligible to
waive your annual
property tax for one year
read more
The most common property tax assessed on Wisconsin residents is the real property
tax, or their residential property tax. Wisconsin does not impose a property tax on
vehicles, but does levy an annual registration fee.

Property taxes are the most important tax revenue source for Wisconsin's local
governments, as well as major methods of funding school districts, vocational
technical colleges, special purpose districts and tax incremental finance districts.  
Equalized values are based on the full market value of all taxable property in the state,
except for agricultural land. In order to provide property tax relief for farmers, the value
of agricultural land is determined by its value for agriculture uses, rather than for its
possible development value.

Equalized values are used to distribute state aid payments to counties, municipalities
and technical colleges. Assessments prepared by local assessors are used to
distribute the property tax burden within individual municipalities. Click here to find
your county's or municipality's equalized value.
Details on Wisconsin's property tax system can be found in the Department of
Revenue's Guide for Property Owners.

Wisconsin has two programs to help people with their property taxes: the
Homestead Credit and the Property Tax Deferral Loan Program.

The loan program is operated by Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development
Authority (WHEDA) and provides loans to qualifying elderly homeowners to help pay
for property taxes. Details can be obtained by calling WHEDA toll-free at (800)
755-7835.  
The homestead credit program is designed to soften the impact of property taxes and
rent on persons with lower incomes. The benefit available may take the form of an
income tax credit or a direct refund. The credit is based on the relationship of your
household income to the amount of your allowable property taxes and/or rent for the
calendar year.

Homestead -- Your homestead is the Wisconsin home you occupy, whether you own it
or rent it, and up to one acre of land adjoining it (or up to 120 acres of land if the
homestead is part of a farm). For example, it may be a house, an apartment, a rented
room, a mobile home, a farm, or a nursing home room. Unless your homestead is
part of a farm, it does not include any part which is rented to others, used for business
purposes, or a separate unit occupied by others rent free.

Farm -- Your homestead is part of a farm if the property was used for agricultural
purposes either during 2006 or prior to 2006 and it has not been used since then for
other purposes (such as recreational or manufacturing).

Household -- If you are single, you are considered a household, whether you live alone
or with others. If you are married, you and your spouse are considered a household if
you live together. If you are married but you and your spouse maintained separate
homes on December 31, 2006, you are each considered a separate household.

Wisconsin Property Tax Home Page
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