Talk with the assessor. During this informal session you can learn how your assessment was made, what factors were considered, and what type of records are kept regarding your property. After this review, if I still think the assessment is incorrect, what can I do? The next step is to file an objection with the Assessor's Office. Your objection must be written and must be filed on or before the third Monday in May. Forms are available in the Assessor's Office. When you receive your tax bill in December, it is too late to file an objection. Paying your taxes under protest does not constitute an assessment objection unless you have first filed an appeal with the Board of Review.
Your appeal will be assigned to an assessor from our office. To properly review the assessment, the assessor will need to go through your property. During the inspection, you can provide any information you feel will be helpful in reviewing the assessment. After the review, the assessor will recommend a value to the Board of Assessors, a group of supervisors responsible for reviewing all assessment objections. You will receive written notification of the Board's decision.
The City of Milwaukee Board of Review (“Board”) is an independent board of citizens appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Common Council to hear assessment objections.
The Board is responsible for correcting any assessment errors. It meets regularly throughout the year and conducts its hearings in a manner similar to a court. Hearing dates are dependent on the number of appeals brought to the Board, among other factors.
Appeals can be withdrawn or settled at any stage in the process. If you don't agree with the Board of Review’s decision, you have the option of appealing to the Circuit Court or to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR).
An appeal to the circuit court must be made within 90 days after notification of the Board of Review’s determination. The circuit court’s decision is based solely on the evidentiary record that was presented to the Board of Review. See Wis. Stat. Section 70.47(13).
The processes and time frames for appealing to the Wisconsin DOR are different than those for a circuit court appeal. See Wis. Stat. Section 70.85.