We recently had the county tax assessor come to visit.

This happens ever couple of years, and each time it surprises me how little time they spend to evaluate the worth of my home. In just a few minutes, these people can have a giant impact on how big of a property tax bill I’ll have.

This year I was reminded of how important it is to make sure that the county assessor’s office has accurate information about your home. We found that the county had inaccurately recorded the number of bedrooms and baths in our home. My parents, who live next door, said the county had their house being larger than it actually was!

It may not seem like a big deal to keep track of this, but several years ago a co-worker of mine had to fight a huge city assessment for sidewalk replacement because the city assessor had incorrectly recorded the size of her lot.

It’s best to make sure that all your numbers are accurate so that you’re not hit with any surprises later.