Assessor's Office Income & Expense Requests - MGL 38D Ch. 59

[Rob Beland]

I'm curious to hear from other Massachusetts landlords that have received notice from their local assessor's office to fill out an income and expense report on your property. In Leominster, I receive these forms every year on all of my properties and I always throw them away. According to the form, MGL Section 38D Chapter 59 requires that I "contribute to the establishment of fair assessments..." and basically they say i have to fill this form out or else...

I have never filled one out. The only drawback I see is that if this form is not filled out I can not appeal the assessment of my property. The form also says that I could be fined $250 for not returning the form.

What do you all think? Does anybody actually fill this form out? I've been doing this for a long time and I've never been fined for not filling it out but in all reality it may be a lack of "manpower" in my local assessors office to follow up and complete the necessary paperwork to issue the fine. I guess any given year they could get their act together and start following up on this.

Your thoughts and feedback are appreciated...