One factor that really effects your checkbook is paying your property taxes.  Even if you don’t own you home, indirectly you pay taxes since the landlord needs to pass his overhead into the rent if he is going to stay in business.

One of the last things you think about when you order your personal checks is sending checks to the tax assessor. You should, however, think about appealing them. Studies have shown that 40-60% of property tax assessments are wrong.

Take property owners who don't agree with the county's assessment of their property value can file an appeal. The form needed for an appeal is included with the revaluation letter property owners received in the mail

In News From The Carolinas, Raleigh tax official McArtor said 30 percent to 40 percent of all appeals are successful, and several factors contribute to that.

"There could be data issues, maybe the square footage we show maybe is incorrect, that's part of the reason, or the number of baths we show is incorrect, or we're not aware of some physical deterioration of the structure,” he explained. "[There could be] some foundation problems or some rotting of some of the siding material.”

If you are looking for an authoritative and resonably cheap source for information and help in reducing you property taxes online look at http://www.housetaxax.com  I’ve used their manual and save almost a thousand dollars a year in lowered taxes. My checkbook smiles a bit.