PropertyTaxHawk™

Guided Abatement Packet — $79

You’re about 10 minutes away

That’s all it takes for most people — much of the form fills itself from public records, every question is skippable, and a ready-to-file packet waits at the end.

The report is generated automatically from the information you provide. No manual or human review is involved. The more accurate information you provide, the more useful the automated report.

What your $79 packet gives you

  • A clear read on whether your assessment is worth challenging, and roughly what the difference is worth per year.
  • A record-card checklist that pinpoints exactly what to verify on your home.
  • A comparable-sales worksheet and the specific questions to ask your assessor.
  • Your town's abatement deadline, official forms, and resource links, gathered in one place.

If your assessment is overstated by even $50,000, that is roughly $500 to $700 in tax every year, and it recurs until someone catches it. The report is $79, one time. (Illustrative; actual impact depends on your town's rate and is not a guarantee of any result.)

Step 1 of 9: Property basics

Property basics

Tell us where the property is. Owner name is optional.

The fastest path: enter just your address and town below, click this, and we’ll pull your assessed value, fiscal year, living area, lot size, year built, and property class from your town’s official records. You can correct anything afterward.

Assessment and tax information

Enter your current assessment and either your annual tax amount or tax rate.

Where these numbers live: your quarterly tax bill shows the assessed value (usually labeled “Total Assessed Value”), the tax rate per $1,000, and the bill number. Living area, lot size, and year built are on your property record card, free on your assessor’s website. Or skip the typing: use Auto-fill from public records on the previous step, or attach your bill below.

It’s attached to your packet and used to verify the figures. Automatic extraction from the photo is coming; for now please confirm the fields below match your bill.

Enter either an annual tax amount or a tax rate so the report can estimate tax impact.

Property record card facts

Enter the facts shown on your property record card. Leave blank what you do not have.

Guided questions: errors and condition issues

Every question starts at No — the filled side shows your current answer. Tap Yes only where it applies: each “Yes” helps build the case in your appeal, so add a short detail and a photo where you can.

Record-card items to confirm and correct

Is the finished living area on your record card larger than your home’s actual finished area?

Does the card list more bedrooms or bathrooms than your home actually has?

Is a basement or attic counted as finished when it is actually unfinished?

Is your home’s condition or quality grade rated higher than its true condition?

Does the record list features your home does not have (fireplace, central air, deck, pool, etc.)?

Is the recorded lot or land area larger than your actual lot?

Does the record list outbuildings (shed, barn, extra garage) you do not have?

Does the card assume renovations or an effective age newer than your home’s actual updates?

Condition and factual issues to document

Does your roof need replacement or major repair?

Are your heating, cooling, or other major systems old or failing?

Has the home had water intrusion, flooding, or moisture/mold damage?

Are there structural, foundation, or settlement problems?

Is there significant deferred maintenance (dated kitchen or baths, worn systems)?

Does your home lack amenities the assessment seems to assume (e.g., central air)?

Is value hurt by an external factor (busy road, power lines, easement, flood zone, etc.)?

Did you buy this home recently for less than its assessed value?

Anything else

Comparable sales

Property Tax Hawk includes comparable sales drawn from your town’s sales records in the report — you don’t need to find them. Optionally, add up to 6 sales you believe are comparable; these appear as user-provided comparison properties (not certified as comparable).

Closer is stronger. Assessors and the Appellate Tax Board give the most weight to homes in your own neighborhood, where land values and conditions match. A wider radius gives a larger sample — useful when few similar homes sit nearby — but distant comparables are easier for the assessor to discount, especially across neighborhood lines. The wider the net, the more the average reflects other neighborhoods rather than yours.

If your chosen radius yields fewer than three solid comparables, the report widens the search just enough to reach a defensible sample — and says so.

Documents

You can skip this step. Nothing here is required — if you don’t have these handy, just press Continue. If it’s easy, one photo helps the most:

Take a photo with your phone, or choose a saved file. It confirms your assessed value and tax rate.

For example: the old roof, the wet basement, the dated kitchen. Photos are the strongest evidence.

I have other documents to add (optional)
Uploaded materials are used to generate the automated report and are not sold. Do not upload documents you do not want processed for this report.
Required confirmations

One checkbox and you’re through — please read and confirm:

  • This is an automated informational self-check report only.
  • Property Tax Hawk does not provide legal advice, tax advice, appraisal services, market value determinations, representation, filing services, or outcome guarantees.
  • I am responsible for verifying all facts, deadlines, forms, filing requirements, and official procedures with the applicable city or town.
  • The report is based on the information I provide and may be incomplete or inaccurate if that information is incomplete or inaccurate.
Form 128 — Abatement Application

We have pre-filled your Form 128 (State Tax Form 128, Application for Abatement of Real Property Tax) from the information you entered. Review each field, correct anything that is wrong, and confirm the reason for the abatement. Your completed form is included in the report package as a ready-to-sign, ready-to-mail document.

About this form. Form 128 is the Massachusetts Department of Revenue standard abatement application. Filing it with your local Board of Assessors is the first step in challenging your assessment. The form must be filed on or before the due date of your first actual (non-preliminary) tax bill for the fiscal year. You sign and mail the completed form yourself. Property Tax Hawk does not file it for you.

This explanation appears on the form. Do not include legal argument. Stick to factual description of the basis for the claimed overvaluation.

Payment of taxes. Filing Form 128 does not stay collection of your taxes. To preserve your abatement and appeal rights, you must pay all installments of the tax when due. If an abatement is granted, any overpayment is refunded.

Generates the official Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Tax Form 128 with the information above filled in. Review it on screen, then print, sign, and mail it to your Board of Assessors by the deadline. Property Tax Hawk does not file it for you.

Included with your full packet: this is the Form 128 itself. When you complete your order, your packet also adds Exhibit A — your comparable-sales analysis, the assessed value-per-square-foot comparison, and the supporting evidence the form refers to, prepared from public records for your property.
Review and generate

You checked out before this form, so there’s nothing left to pay — review your summary, then generate your report.

Guided Abatement Packet

$79

  • Property summary, assessment and tax calculation, and estimated tax impact
  • Property-card issue checklist and your comparable-sales worksheet
  • Questions to ask your assessor, plus your town's deadline and forms

Paid at checkout — a one-time flat fee, never a percentage of your savings (free during the beta). You review everything before you sign and file.

This automated report is informational only. It does not provide legal advice, tax advice, appraisal services, market value determinations, representation, filing services, or outcome guarantees. TermsPrivacy.