Practice Areas

Department of Finance Consulting Services

The New York City Department of Finance ("DOF") makes errors from time to time in its imposition of real estate taxes and in the implementation of the various real estate tax benefit programs that it administers. If left unchecked and uncorrected, such errors can be very costly. During the past several months, Seiden & Schein, P.C. (the "Firm") has handled over 100 matters before DOF in areas such as:

1) imposition of excessively high assessed value;

2) failure on the part of DOF to properly allocate assessed value among condominium units;

3) incorrect Tax Class assignment;

4) failure on the part of DOF to implement exemption or abatement benefits or to correctly allocate exemption or abatement benefits to tax lots;

5) corrections to vacant land data (including the size of a tax lot); and

6) requests for re-allocations and refunds of credits for overpayment of property taxes.

We look out for our clients interests prospectively, as well, by taking advantage of existing laws to reduce assessed values during the course of construction and thereafter. To that end, we are well versed in the following areas:

1) administrative challenges to progress assessments under Section 11-209 of the Administrative Code;

2) comparative analysis of the assessed value of surrounding properties;

3) clearing taxes for the merger and/or apportionment of tax lots;

4) analysis of property tax bills during the merger or apportionment of tax lots or during the formation of condominium regimes; and

5) coordination with tax certiorari counsel.

Through its work on these matters, and others, the Firm has developed solid relationships with the DOF officials who are responsible for assessing real property, implementing tax exemption and abatement benefits and administering the tax lot merger and apportionment process.

Please contact Daniel M. Bernstein at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or Adam A. Levenson at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) if you require the Firm's assistance with any of the above-listed services or with other DOF matters.