Tax Calculations

Tax rates are based on millages. Millages are voted on by the public for the various governmental services the public deem necessary. The tax rate in Tangipahoa Parish will vary from area to area because each part of the parish has its own special districts or taxes that have been approved by the public. Examples of such special districts are: fire, recreation, drainage, etc. The easiest way to understand tax millages is to use a 1 mill tax as an example. A one mill property tax will produce $1.00 in taxes on each 1,000 dollars of “assessed value”. You must always convert “market value” to “assessed value”. The average millage rate for Tangipahoa Parish is 100 mills.

Property values are created by the “market”, the buyers and sellers of real estate. The assessor does not create the “market”. He/she must use the market as a guide in establishing property values. Market sales are recorded in the Clerk of Court's Office. He/she must then analyze this data and arrive at values that are consistent with the different areas of the parish. To accomplish this task, the assessor must use a Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal (CAMA) System.

To calculate taxes on a parcel of property, you must take the “market value” for assessment purposes and apply the assessment ratio to this value to arrive at the assessed value. All taxes are calculated on “assessed value”.

Example 1

This first example will be a parcel of residential property which is subject to a 10% assessment ratio:
With Homestead Exemption

Market Value $100,000
x 10% = 10,000 Assessed Value
Homestead Exemption $75,000
x 10% = 7,500 Assessed Value
Market Value Less Homestead Exemption $25,000
x 10% = 2,500 Assessed Value
Tax Rate 100 Mills
Assessed Value x Tax Rate 2,500 x 0.100 = $250 Taxes


Without Homestead Exemption

Market Value $100,000
x 10% = 10,000 Assessed Value
Tax Rate 100 Mills
Assessed Value x Tax Rate 10,000 x 0.100 = $1,000 Taxes

Example 2

This second example will be a parcel of commercial property with a building. The land is assessed at 10% of market value and the building at 15% of market value:

Market Value of Land $50,000
x 10% = 5,000 Assessed Value
Market Value of Building $50,000
x 15% = 7,500 Assessed Value
Total Market Value $100,000
Total Assessed Value 12,500
Tax Rate 100 Mills
Total Assessed Value x Tax Rate 12,500 x 0.100 = $1,250 Taxes

Example 3

This third example will be a parcel of residential property which is subject to a 10% assessment ratio and a $20,000 market value increase:
With Homestead Exemption

Market Value $120,000
x 10% = 12,000 Assessed Value
Homestead Exemption $75,000
x 10% = 7,500 Assessed Value
Market Value Less Homestead Exemption $45,000
x 10% = 4,500 Assessed Value
Tax Rate 100 Mills
Assessed Value x Tax Rate 4,500 x 0.100 = $450 Taxes

So, with a 10% assessment ratio and a tax rate of 100 mills, if a residential property with a market value of $100,000 were to experience a $20,000 market value increase while receiving homestead exemption, the taxes would increase by $200.

Without Homestead Exemption

Market Value $120,000
x 10% = 12,000 Assessed Value
Tax Rate 100 Mills
Assessed Value x Tax Rate 12,000 x 0.100 = $1,200 Taxes

So, with a 10% assessment ratio and a tax rate of 100 mills, if a residential property with a market value of $100,00 were to experience a $20,000 market value increase while NOT receiving homestead exemption, the taxes would increase by $200.

Example 4

This fourth example will be a parcel of residential property which is subject to a 10% assessment ratio and a 20 mill increase:
With Homestead Exemption

Market Value $100,000
x 10% = 10,000 Assessed Value
Homestead Exemption $75,000
x 10% = 7,500 Assessed Value
Market Value Less Homestead Exemption $25,000
x 10% = 2,500 Assessed Value
Tax Rate 120 Mills
Assessed Value x Tax Rate 2,500 x 0.120 = $300 Taxes

So, with a 10% assessment ratio and a market value of $100,000, if a residential property with a tax rate of 100 mills were to experience a 20 mill increase while receiving homestead exemption, the taxes would increase by $50.

Without Homestead Exemption

Market Value $100,000
x 10% = 10,000 Assessed Value
Tax Rate 120 Mills
Assessed Value x Tax Rate 10,000 x 0.120 = $1,200 Taxes

So, with a 10% assessment ratio and a market value of $100,000, if a residential property with a tax rate of 100 mills were to experience a 20 mill increase while NOT receiving homestead exemption, the taxes would increase by $200.

Example 5

This fifth example will be a parcel of commercial property with a building. The land is assessed at 10% of market value and the building at 15% of market value:
With a $20,000 Market Value Increase

Market Value of Land $60,000
x 10% = 6,000 Assessed Value
Market Value of Building $60,000
x 15% = 9,000 Assessed Value
Total Market Value $120,000
Total Assessed Value 15,000
Tax Rate 100 Mills
Total Assessed Value x Tax Rate 15,000 x 0.100 = $1,500 Taxes

So, with a 10% assessment ratio on the land and a 15% assessment ratio on the building and tax rate of 100 mills, if a commercial property with a $100,000 total market value were to experience a $20,000 market value increase, the taxes would increase by $250.

With a 20 Mill Increase

Market Value of Land $50,000
x 10% = 5,000 Assessed Value
Market Value of Building $50,000
x 15% = 7,500 Assessed Value
Total Market Value $100,000
Total Assessed Value 12,500
Tax Rate 120 Mills
Total Assessed Value x Tax Rate 12,500 x 0.120 = $1,500 Taxes

So, with a 10% assessment ratio on the land and a 15% assessment ratio on the building and a tax rate of 100 mills, if a commercial property with a $100,000 total market value were to experience a 20 mill increase, the taxes would increase by $250.

When placing a value on public service properties such as utilities, telephone companies, and railroads and pipelines, a market value of $100,000 would produce an assessed value of 25,000; public service properties are assessed at 25% of market value.