NASSAU COUNTY HOMEOWNER RESOURCES
How much does a Nassau County tax grievance cost?
The County charges nothing to review your assessment. What you pay, if anything, is a fee to whoever helps you — and that is where the numbers get interesting.
Filing with ARC is free, and you do not need an attorney. Nassau County says so in its appeal instructions. SCAR, the optional court step afterward, has a separate $30 filing fee. Those are the only costs the County sets.
What the County charges
An appeal to the Assessment Review Commission costs nothing to file. Nassau County’s instructions state that there is no fee and that a homeowner is not required to hire an attorney; the County’s FAQ describes the same process. If ARC leaves your assessment unchanged and you go on to Small Claims Assessment Review, the County lists a $30 filing fee for that petition.
Everything beyond those two figures is a private arrangement between you and a representative. The County neither sets nor collects those fees, so the amount depends entirely on what you sign.
The three ways representatives charge
Firms that file grievances on homeowners’ behalf generally use one of three structures. The names vary; the mechanics do not.
- A percentage of first-year savings. You pay a share of the reduction in your first year’s tax bill. Many such agreements charge nothing if there is no reduction, but that is a term to confirm rather than assume. The fee grows with the savings, so the larger your reduction, the more you pay.
- A flat fee. You pay one fixed amount regardless of the result. The fee is known in advance and does not change with the size of the reduction, which also means it is owed even if the savings are small.
- A hybrid. A smaller fixed charge plus a smaller percentage, or a percentage with a minimum or a cap. These need the most careful reading, because the effective cost depends on which part applies to your outcome.
None of these is automatically the right choice. Which one costs less depends on the reduction you actually receive, which nobody knows before ARC decides.
Flat fee and percentage fee, side by side
Move the first slider to your annual tax bill and the second to a hypothetical percentage. The comparison holds the reduction fixed at 10% for both columns so that only the fee changes. Percentage fees vary between firms; the slider’s range is an illustration, not a survey of the market.
Percentage fees vary. Check any agreement before signing.
| 50% fee | Good Grieves flat $200 | |
|---|---|---|
| If your bill were 10% lower | $1,500 | $1,500 |
| Fee | $750 | $200 |
| What you’d keep |
Illustrative annual savings, less one $200 service fee. Not an estimate or promise. Actual savings depend on your assessment, exemptions, and tax rates. The percentage fee is a hypothetical for comparison only, not any firm’s rate.
Common questions
How much does it cost to file a tax grievance in Nassau County?
Nothing, if you file yourself. Nassau County states that there is no fee to file with the Assessment Review Commission and that you are not required to use an attorney. Small Claims Assessment Review, the optional court step after ARC, has a separate $30 filing fee.
Both figures come from the County: its appeal instructions and its SCAR page. Any other cost is a fee you agree to pay a representative, not a County charge. Confirm the SCAR fee for your filing year, since the County can change it.
How do tax grievance companies in Nassau County charge?
Representatives generally use one of three structures: a percentage of your first-year savings, a flat fee, or a hybrid that combines a smaller fixed charge with a smaller percentage. Rates and terms differ between firms, so the agreement itself is the only reliable source for what you would owe.
This guide describes the structures in general terms and attributes no rate to any firm. Use the comparison below to see how each structure behaves as the size of a hypothetical reduction changes.
Is a flat fee or a percentage fee better?
It depends on the size of the reduction and the terms of the fee. A percentage fee rises with your savings; a flat fee does not. For a small reduction, a flat fee can cost more than a percentage; for a larger reduction, it can cost much less. Run the numbers for your own bill, and read how and when each fee is owed before choosing.
The calculator on this page puts both side by side for the same hypothetical reduction. It is an illustration, not an estimate: no service can tell you in advance whether ARC will reduce your assessment or by how much.
How much does Good Grieves cost?
Good Grieves charges a flat $200 service fee and takes no percentage of your tax savings. Savings are not guaranteed. This website does not enroll you in the service or collect payment.
The fee is described on our pricing section. The free tools on this site — the property checker and the homeowner guides — do not file an appeal or authorize anyone to represent you.
Questions to ask before you sign any agreement
Whatever the structure, the agreement decides what you owe. Before signing, find the answers to these questions in the document itself, and ask the representative to point to the clause if you cannot find it:
- How is the fee calculated? A percentage of what, exactly — the first year’s savings, the reduction in assessed value, or something else? Does “savings” include or exclude exemptions such as STAR?
- When is it owed? At signing, when ARC decides, or when the lower bill arrives? What happens if the reduction is later reversed?
- Does it apply if the reduction comes from SCAR? If ARC leaves the assessment unchanged and the reduction comes only after a court petition, is that step included, billed separately, or not covered?
- Does it renew each year? Some agreements authorize the representative to file again in future years unless you cancel. Check whether the fee applies to every year they file.
- How do you cancel? Is notice required, by when, and in what form? Is there a charge for cancelling after a filing has been made?
These are questions to put to any representative, including us. This page is general information, not legal advice; if an agreement is unclear, ask a lawyer to read it.
What Good Grieves charges
Good Grieves charges a flat $200 service fee and takes no percentage of your tax savings. Savings are not guaranteed: ARC may leave your assessment unchanged, and a lower assessment does not fix your bill on its own, because tax rates can change. If you would rather file on your own, the County’s instructions are linked above and our process guide walks through each step.
Keep reading
Can filing raise your assessment?
The County states that ARC will never increase an assessment. What that means, and what filing actually costs you.
How the tax grievance process works
The full sequence, from the tentative assessment roll through ARC’s review and Small Claims Assessment Review.
See how it applies to your home
Review your available County record alongside what you’ve learned.
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