Notice of Property Assessments & Tax Notices

NOTICE OF PREPARATION OF ASSESSMENT ROLL 2024

Notice is hereby given that the assessment roll of the Town of Magrath made under the provision of the Municipal Government Act, has been prepared and is now open for inspection at the Town office during business hours from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Any person who desires to object to the entry of their name upon the said roll or to the assessed value placed upon any property must, within sixty (60) days from the date of this notice, lodge the complaint(s) on an approved Assessment Appeal form with the Chief Administrative Officer of the Municipality. An appeal fee of $20.00 must be paid at the time the appeal is made. This appeal fee will be refunded if the assessment is altered by the Assessment Review Board. Assessment Appeal forms may be obtained at the Town Office located at 6 North 1^st St West.

Dated this 16th day of May 2024.

James Suffredine

Chief Administrative Officer

2024 Tax Information

Property Assessment Notices for the 2024 tax year were mailed out on May 16^th, 2024. This bill covers the period from January 1 through December 31, 2024. If you are not participating in the Tax Installment Prepayment Plan (TIPP), tax payment is due by June 30. A 12% penalty will be applied to all outstanding taxes on July 2^nd and a 2% per month penalty on all outstanding balances will be applied on the 1^st day of each month thereafter. 

Sign up for TIPP

If you would like an automatic way to pay your property tax, you can sign up for the TIPP program. Participation in TIPP means that you don’t have to worry about the payment deadline or late payment penalties. Your taxes are spread over monthly payments, and the amount is withdrawn from your bank account automatically. Contact the Town Office for more information.

About Property Assessments

Property assessments in Alberta are governed by the Municipal Government Act. Your Notice of Assessment is based on the physical condition of your property as of December 31 of the previous year as well as the valuation of your property as of July 1 of the previous year. All assessed values are completed within these guidelines to ensure fairness and equity using mass appraisal techniques.

The purpose of assessment is not to reflect a single sale price but to assess all properties at typical market value on the same valuation date so that taxation is fairly and uniformly shared. The Town of Magrath has contracted a qualified accredited assessor who performs this function based on provincial legislation and regulations.

How Market Value is Determined

Market value, as defined in the MGA, 1 (n), means “the amount that a property might be expected to realize if it is sold on the open market by a willing seller to a willing buyer.” Market value assessments are done using mass appraisal techniques, which determine property values by grouping similar properties as of July 1, of the previous year.

Some of the factors that determine the value of your home include style of house, square footage, lot size, basement finish, walkout, year of construction, overall quality, and location. Unique location influences like mountain and river views naturally lend themselves to an overall higher market value compared to other locations.

If you have questions or concerns regarding your property tax assessment, please call Assessor Ryan Vogt with Benchmark Assessment Consultants Inc. at 403-381-0535 to discuss your assessment.

Tax Bill Calculations

Municipalities levy taxes to help pay for services such as solid waste, FCSS, fire, bylaw enforcement, parks, recreation, libraries, and public works. The Town Council reviews and approves the amount required to fund these services each year.

From this amount sources of revenue other than property taxes, such as provincial grants, license fees, and user fees, are subtracted. The balance after that is the amount to be collected through property taxes.

To determine the amount of your property tax, the assessed value of your property is multiplied by the combined Mill Rates for the year. A minimum tax of $575 applies to all properties in the Town of Magrath.

Payments

You can pay your taxes online through banks that offer online payment options. This is an easy process, and we highly encourage you to investigate paying taxes this way, or through TIPP. To pay online, go to your bank’s online payment portal, use the six-digit “account number” shown on the top center of your assessment notice, and pay the amount owing to The Town of Magrath Taxes or The Town of Magrath Utilities. Please pay for just one property at a time. You can contact your bank for more help or information.

Alternatively, you may pay online via e-transfer by sending money to payments@magrath.ca (Please note your name and roll number in the memo) You may pay by credit card using OptionPay Services (additional fees will apply) at https://www.magrath.ca/make-a-payment.