Burnett & Associates

Burnett & Associates is a Colorado Springs law firm that handles property tax appeals as part of a broader tax law practice. For homeowners and commercial property owners who think El Paso County has overvalued their property, the firm offers a clear path through the appeals process, from the initial informal protest all the way to the Board of Assessment Appeals if that's what it takes. Their attorneys know Colorado's assessment statutes and build cases on real comparable sales data, not guesswork. What makes this firm a practical option is its ability to handle overlapping financial problems under one roof. A client dealing with a high property tax burden might also need guidance on debt or family law matters, and Burnett & Associates covers all of that. They're upfront about which appeals are realistically winnable and which ones probably won't move the needle, which is a quality that's harder to find than you'd expect. Their contingency model for appeal cases means most clients aren't taking on financial risk just to find out whether a protest is worth it.

Burnett & Associates handles the full spectrum of property tax appeal work for El Paso County clients. On the residential side, they review assessment notices, pull comparable sales from the county's own records, and prepare evidence packages that match the county's own methodology so there are no easy objections. They also check property record cards for data errors, which are more common than most people expect and often produce the quickest results. For commercial clients, the analysis is more involved. The firm uses all three standard valuation approaches depending on property type: sales comparison, income capitalization, and cost. Multi-family buildings, retail centers, office properties, and industrial spaces each have different market dynamics, and the attorneys understand those differences well enough to argue them in a hearing. Beyond assessment protests, the firm handles bankruptcy matters and family law disputes, which means clients whose property tax problem is part of a larger financial situation can often address multiple issues without needing to hire separate counsel. That cross-practice capability is a real differentiator for clients dealing with layered financial stress rather than a single isolated dispute.

The process starts with a free review of your assessment notice. If the numbers look off, the firm requests your property record card from the county to check for errors in the data, things like square footage, bedroom count, or lot size that could be inflating the assessed value. From there, they pull comparable sales from the same period the county used and run their own analysis. If the evidence supports an appeal, they file the formal protest before Colorado's deadline, which is typically May 1 for odd-year reassessments. They prepare written evidence packages and, where it makes sense, attend the hearing in person. If the county's hearing officer doesn't offer an acceptable reduction, they can escalate to the Board of Equalization and, if necessary, the Colorado Board of Assessment Appeals. They keep clients informed at each stage so there are no surprises about where the case stands or what comes next.

Burnett & Associates primarily serves clients across El Paso County, including Colorado Springs, Fountain, Manitou Springs, Monument, Black Forest, and Peyton. They handle cases in neighboring Teller County on a case-by-case basis. The firm's main office is in Colorado Springs, making in-person consultations straightforward for most Front Range clients. Remote consultations are available for clients outside the immediate area who need help with an El Paso County assessment dispute.