The federal form of government impose taxes at federal, state, and local levels. Taxes are charged on income, payroll, property, capital gains, and other areas. They are imposed on the net income of individuals and corporations. On the other hand, property taxes are generally imposed on realty and some forms of business property. It is levied by most local governments on the basis of the fair market value of a property. The real estate covers all ownership interests in land, buildings, and improvements. Ownership includes the ownership of title and some other specific rights to a property. Registration fees for automobile and boat are a subset of this tax.

The assessment of the taxes is different for different states. Each jurisdiction assesses the value of a property and then determines the amount of tax based on the value of the property. Property owners can contest the value determined. Once it is decided, the last owner of the property is notified. After the settlement, the bills are sent to the property owners. It is imperative that the property records be maintained as they help in filing tax returns. Here is a list of the benefits of keeping property records:

• They help to maximize all expenses that you claim and can help lower your tax obligations.

Property records can be maintained physically or electronically. The basis is the amount of investment in property for the purpose of tax calculation. The basis is used to calculate the gain or loss on a sale, disposal, or exchange of property. This also includes deductions for depreciation, amortization, depletion, and casualty losses.