The Tax Law Offices of David W Klasing

The Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing has built a reputation over decades as one of the more serious tax law practices in the Bay Area. David Klasing is a CPA and tax attorney, which means clients get both accounting precision and legal strategy under one roof. That combination matters when you're fighting an assessment or facing a complex property tax dispute. The firm handles everything from routine appeals to contested valuations across California's unpredictable property tax landscape. The office has deep experience with California's Proposition 13 framework and the reassessment triggers that can catch property owners off guard. Whether you bought a property, inherited it, or had a change in ownership that triggered a supplemental bill, this team knows how to review your assessment and identify whether an appeal makes sense. They're honest about cases where the numbers don't justify a fight, which saves clients time and money.

The firm's core property tax work covers formal appeals before county assessment appeals boards, written protest filings, and independent valuation reviews. For residential clients, services include comparing your assessed value against recent comparable sales, identifying errors in the assessor's records, and preparing a complete appeal package with supporting documentation. For commercial and investment property owners, the firm handles more complex cases involving income approach valuations, capitalization rate disputes, and cost approach disagreements. Beyond standard appeals, the office advises clients on change-in-ownership exclusions under Proposition 58 and Proposition 19, new construction exclusions, and base year value transfers. These planning services can prevent unwanted reassessments from occurring in the first place, which is often more valuable than winning an appeal after the fact. The firm also handles Proposition 8 temporary reduction claims for properties where market value has declined below the Proposition 13 base year value. Clients with multiple California properties can work with the team on a portfolio basis to identify which assessments are worth challenging and which aren't.

The process starts with a free initial consultation to review your most recent property tax bill and assess whether an appeal has merit. The firm will pull comparable sales data and review the assessor's records for your parcel before recommending a course of action. If an appeal makes sense, they handle all filing deadlines, which are strict under California law. Missing the appeal window typically means waiting another year. Once the appeal is filed, the team prepares a formal presentation of evidence for the county appeals board. This includes a written brief, comparable sales analysis, and in some cases an independent appraisal. Hearings are scheduled by the county and can take several months. If the board rules in your favor, your tax bill is adjusted and you may receive a refund for prior overpayments. The firm keeps clients updated throughout and explains the likely range of outcomes before the hearing so there are no surprises.

The firm serves clients throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, including San Francisco County, Marin County, San Mateo County, Alameda County, and Contra Costa County. They also handle California statewide matters for complex cases or clients with properties in multiple counties. Out-of-area clients who own California property can work with the office remotely for most services.