Massachusetts Tax Loophole Could Backfire on Your Property Taxes

Can You Legally Refuse Entry to a Massachusetts Tax Assessor?

Everyone has that one friend who can get a little salty at times. They might be short with a waiter or sharp with a cashier. They're otherwise friendly people, just a bit unrefined when it comes to dealing with the public.

My wife and I were out to dinner with her and her husband this past weekend when she told us about a disagreement she'd had recently with a tax assessor in her North Shore town. The assessor had been trying to set up a time to enter her home for an interior inspection.

Yes, You Can Say No to a Massachusetts Tax Assessor

Granted, I wouldn't be thrilled about a tax assessor visiting my house either. They’re probably not there to lower your property taxes. But my friend didn’t hesitate; she flat-out denied the assessor entry.

I was honestly surprised that “no” was even an option. I always assumed it was mandatory. So we did a little digging and found out that in Massachusetts, you can legally deny a tax assessor access to your home.

Refusing Entry Could Cost You More in the Long Run

Before you refuse access, though, you may be playing with fire.  Denying entry to a Massachusetts tax assessor might not be a great idea.  If the assessor can’t see the inside of your home, they have no choice but to estimate its condition.  Without entry to your home, they may assume you've got a fully updated kitchen with granite countertops and heated floors throughout the house.

In other words, the value of your home might go up and so will your property taxes.  All because you had to flex on the assessor.

How to Avoid a Surprise Property Tax Hike in Massachusetts

As we all learned in kindergarten, it’s best to play nice in the sandbox.  Asessors are just doing their jobs. By letting them do what they need to do, chances are they will treat you fairly.