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1. Why did my taxes go up this year?

There are several factors that affect your tax rate. The reason may be because:

1. The taxable value of a property is adjusted each year based on the Consumer’s Price Index (CPI). An increase in taxable value can result in an increase in your taxes.
2. A millage increase can cause your taxes to increase. Your tax bill includes voter authorized millage for City, County, State Education, miscellaneous school taxes, and other voter approved millages. Your tax bill is based on your home’s taxable value multiplied by the Millage rate.
3. Proposal A, which was passed in 1994, resulted in the creation of the taxable value against which millage rates are levied to determine taxes. Annual increases to the Taxable value are "capped" and a parcel’s taxable value only increases by the rate of inflation or 5%, whichever is less, unless improvements are made to the parcel; however, when the parcel transfers ownership, the Taxable value becomes "uncapped" for the year following the Transfer. That following year, the Taxable Value becomes the same value as the State Equalized Value (SEV), and subsequent years are allowed to increase only by the rate of inflation (or 5% max).
4. You may not be taking advantage of the Principal Residence/Homestead Exemption.
5. You may have added something new to the property which in turn can increase both the assessed and taxable value of the property, i.e. central air conditioning, new deck or porch, new bathroom, new basement finish, new square footage, new shed, new garage, etc.

2. What if I am not satisfied with the Board of Review’s decision on my appeal?

You have the right to further appeal to the Michigan Tax Tribunal. For Residential properties this appeal must be filed with the Michigan Tax Tribunal on or before July 31st of the current year. Failure to appear before the March Board of Review before hand may eliminate your right to appeal your value at the Tribunal. Property classes other than Residential have different appeal dates. Please visit this link to find your due date:

• Bulletin 10 of 2022 Property Tax Appeal Procedures (PDF)
• Michigan Tax Tribunal Website

3. What can I do if I disagree with the assessed value or taxable value placed on my property?

Delhi Charter Township has a reappraisal program in place and we periodically visit every property to update our records. We do this to make sure that our record cards are as reliable as possible and so we can calculate the most accurate assessment possible for you. We encourage you to check to make sure your property information is correct. If you do not have internet access, you can stop by our office.

If there is a difference between what you are telling us and what we have on our record cards, we will be happy to correct your information after our office has verified the item(s) in question. This may include having an Appraiser stop by your property to re-measure or to verify the item(s) in question.

Each year, usually during the last week of February, our office will mail to the owner of record a Notice of Assessment. Unfortunately, this form looks intimidating; however, please read it very closely. This is a very important form and it is our notice to each property owner of record. This form is sent to property owners that have had a change in their assessed value or taxable value for that year.

How to Read Your Assessment Notice

In general, the Notice of Assessment explains Proposal A of 1994. It also informs the property owner of the current assessed and taxable values and compares these numbers to the prior assessed and taxable values. In addition, this form states the percent of principal residence exemption the property is receiving, the estimate of property tax increase/decrease for the upcoming year, and notes if there was a transfer of ownership.

Please make sure that if you are claiming a Principal Residence Exemption that it is noted on this form. If our records say 0% then you are not receiving your credit. 

Who qualifies for a Principal Residence Exemption?

After checking your records and you disagree with the assessment, you should come in and talk with our office about the valuation of your property. If you are still not satisfied with the valuation and wish to proceed with filing an appeal, you will need to schedule an appointment to appear before the March Board of Review. Please call the Assessing Department at (517) 694-1502 to schedule an appointment.

The March Board of Review has jurisdiction on valuation appeals for the current year only. You may not (by state law) dispute prior year valuation at the March Board of Review. Once the March Board of Review closes its public meeting, the assessment roll is closed and certified. No further changes can be made except those allowed by state law (i.e. clerical error, mutual mistake of fact, or Principal Residence Exemption/Homestead corrections, Michigan Tax Tribunal or State Tax Commission judgments).

4. I have not been claiming a homestead exemption on my home. What should I do?

With the exception of conditional rescinds, recent tax law changes allow the Township to correct the homestead status for the current year, and up to three prior years. After approval, if you are due a refund from prior year’s tax payments, your refund will be issued by the Ingham County Treasurers Office.

To correct your exemption, please complete a PRE application and submit to the Assessor’s Office as soon as possible. Also, please make sure we are alerted that your property PRE status needs a correction.

5. Who qualifies for the principal residence / homestead exemption?

If you own and occupy your principal residence, it may be exempt from a portion of your local school operating taxes. To claim an exemption, you must complete the Principal Residence Exemption Affidavit and file it with the Assessor’s office by November 1 of the year of the claim. The Assessor’s Office will adjust your taxes on your next property tax bill. Note that this is an exemption from part of the taxes and does not affect your assessment. You must own and occupy your principal residence to receive this exemption. Owning means you hold the legal title to the principal residence or that you are currently buying it on a notarized or recorded land contract. Renters should not file this form.

Occupying means this is your principal residence, the place you intend to return to whenever you go away. It is the address that appears on your driver’s license or voter registration card. You may have only one principal residence at a time* (See Exception below). Vacation Homes and Income property which you do not occupy as your principal residence may not be claimed. If you are living only in a part of the home you may file a partial homestead exemption. Please call the Assessor’s Office at 517-694-1502. We will help you calculate the proper percentage.

You may also file an exemption(s) if you own vacant and contiguous land next to your homestead property. View more information from the state about the principal residence and homestead exception:

• Active Duty Military PRE Affidavit
• Claim for Farmland Exemption from Some School Operating Taxes (PDF)
• PRE Affidavit (PDF)
• PRE Guidelines (PDF)
• Qualified Ag Exemption Guidelines (PDF)
• Request to Rescind Principal Residence Exemption (PDF)
• Request to Rescind Qualified Agricultural Exemption Property (PDF)
• Treasury Website: What is a PRE/ Forms

6. How do I rescind my exemption?

If you claim an exemption, then stop using the property as a principal residence, you must notify the Township Assessor within 90 days of the change or you may be penalized. This can be done using the Form 2602 (PDF) request to rescind homeowner’s principal residence exemption.

• Conditional Rescind FAQ (PDF)
• Conditional Rescind Form (PDF)
• Conditional Rescind Guidelines
  
  

A conditional rescission allows an owner to receive a principal residence exemption (pre) on his or her current property and on previously exempted property simultaneously if the previous principal residence (all must apply): is not occupied, is for sale, is not leased, is not used for any business or commercial purpose.

In general, an owner may receive the PRE on the previous principal residence for up to three years if the conditions above are met. The owner must annually submit Form 4640 on or before May 1 in the initial year and December 31 thereafter. Only the owner who previously occupied the property as his or her principal residence qualifies for the conditional rescission. Conditional rescissions are not retroactive. At this time the July and December Boards of review do not have jurisdiction over them to make changes if you miss the filing deadline.

7. What if I am moving?

If you are moving, please inform the Assessor’s Office in writing as soon as possible. Please include your name, parcel number, current address, address where you’d like your mail to now go, and your phone number. Please make sure we can read it. Our address is:
Assessor’s Office
2074 Aurelius Road
Holt, MI 48842
Fax: 517-694-3316.

You may also submit your request via email to Assessing@delhitownshipmi.gov. 

8. What if I changed my name?

If you recently married and wish to change your name on your Delhi Charter Township accounts please supply the Assessor’s Office with a short note letting us know you would like to change your name, a copy of your marriage license and a copy of your driver’s license (with picture) reflecting your new name, and we will change the accounts.

If someone on the title of your property has passed away and you would like their name removed from your Delhi Charter Township accounts please supply the Assessor’s Office with a copy of the death certificate and a short note letting us know you would like the name removed and we will change the accounts.

Using a marriage license or death certificate to change/remove a name from a Delhi Charter Township account will NOT change the title of your property. To change title you must draft a legal instrument (i.e. deed). If you wish to change title of your property you should seek legal counsel to help you do so. Delhi Charter Township employees can not provide you with any legal counsel.

9. Who must file a personal property statement?

Public Act No. 206 of 1893 of Michigan State law mandates that all businesses must annually file a declaration of personal property with the Assessor of the jurisdiction where the property is situated on December 31. All commercial and industrial businesses have the responsibility of filing a statement with the Assessor, whether a statement was mailed to them or not. If a business has no personal property which is assessable, they still must sign and return the form with a declaration of why no assessable property exists.

• 2023 Personal Property Statement (PDF)
• 2023 Affidavit of Eligible Personal Property Claim Exemption From Collection of Taxes (PDF)