Tax laws are the legal rules and procedures governing how federal, state, and local governments calculate the tax you owe. The laws cover income, corporate, excise, luxury, estate, and property taxes, to name just a few. When the property owner’s value changes, so do their assessed or appraised value.

Although it’s a bit easier now than it used to be, what complicates matters are the number of laws that dictate what you can and can’t do. Change is frequent – it seems as though every budget brings a change to the tax laws; that can add even more complications for you.

You probably haven’t come across them before, but there are a number of property tax laws that apply to you and any investments you make into a property. Tax laws tend to affect income from rental properties plus any profits you make from selling properties you own. Use this simple guide to wade through property tax and understand how it could affect reaching RealSuccess when investing in real estate.

The good news is if you’re selling a property that is your main home, you won’t pay tax on it, as long as you satisfy certain conditions. There’s nothing in the conditions to scare you. You’d have to purchase the property and spend money on upgrading it as your primary home rather than the purpose of making a profit. The house also needs to be your only home during the time you owned it and used as a place for your family. There can’t be more than one lodger with access to the property.

There’s also a condition that won’t expose you to property tax unless you have a huge amount of land. The garden and area of grounds sold with the house can’t exceed 5,000 square meters, which is about one and a quarter acres; this includes the actual house itself.

The law also includes,  if you are married or in a civil partnership and not separated; you and your spouse or civil partner can only have one home between you. However, there is some good news – even if you don’t meet all of these conditions, there is still a chance you are entitled to property tax relief on your property. Contact your local tax professional or accountant for more details in your state.

So what if you have a second home – will you be liable for property tax on that? It’s not an unusual question these days. Buying to lease is becoming a more and more popular investment.  Any tax laws that affect the profit you make from a sale will affect your future lifestyle (especially if you’re investing in property for your retirement).

For investments that are not your main home, will normally generate a capital gains tax if you make a profit when you sell the house.  When analyzing your profit, remember you can deduct some of the costs of buying, selling, and improving the property.

If you lose money on your investment, you may be able to offset it against other profits you make. This is a handy way to reduce your liability for the property tax if you are a developer who buys and sells properties regularly, but gets one wrong!

Finally, if living together you can transfer property to your husband, wife, or civil partner without having to pay a capital gains tax. Unfortunately, you can’t give it away or sell it cheaply to your children or anyone else. This may potentially make you liable to be charged a tax.