Assessors Office
Kathleen M. Keefe, Principal Assessor
54 South Avenue
Whitman, Massachusetts 02382
781-618-9760
FAX: 781-618-9796
assessor@whitman-ma.gov
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Are you on line?
A. Real Estate assessment information may be found on-line by clicking here
Q. Why isn’t my deceased husbands name off the tax bill?
A. We cannot go and make any changes on a property record card unless we receive some type of paper work from the Registry of Deeds.
Q.What determines how much money the town raises through taxes?
A. The tax rate is determined by the amount of monies appropriated at town meeting.
Q. My assessment is way too high and I could never get this amount for my property?
A. The values are determined by the sales for two years ago and the assessment date is of January 1st of the next year. If you feel this assessment is still too high you have thirty days from the date of issue of the actual tax bill to file an over valuation form with the Board of Assessors.
Q. My excise tax bill is too high and I didn’t even pay that much for this vehicle.
A. Excise is based on the year of the vehicle and the manufacturing list price.
Q. The value on my excise bill is the same as last years why didn’t it go down?
A. Once the vehicle gets to the fifth year it goes down to 10% and will not go down any lower.
Q. Why is my 1995 ford value less than my 1994 cadillac?
A. Because the 1994 cadillac is worth more brand new than the 1995 ford.
Q. When the actual real estate bill goes out in January the taxpayers ask why the exemption isn’t on the tax bill.
A. We cannot process the exemptions until after the tax rate is certified and once this is done we process the exemptions so they can receive them before the actual bill is due.
Q. I purchased the property in February and the new owners name is still on the real estate tax bill, Why?
A. Who owns the property on January 1st and the new owners name will show up with %.
Q. Why do I have do pay this excise bill when I do not have the vehicle any more?
A. The laws changed and the bill must be paid in full and then you can apply for an abatement.