Cumberland County Assessor Kelli Buchannon is urging local business owners to review their recently received Personal Property Assessment Change Notices, specifically those marked with the account type “Forced Asmt.” This status indicates that the business failed to file a Personal Property Schedule by the March 1 deadline, requiring the Assessor’s office to estimate the business’s value based on county-wide averages for similar industries. Because these averages are often inflated by larger corporations, the “forced” value may be significantly higher than the actual assets owned by small shops, home-based businesses, or new startups.

To rectify this, owners are encouraged to file a schedule before the end of May to ensure their assessment is accurate and to avoid paying potentially inflated taxes. The Assessor’s office is offering one-on-one assistance to help taxpayers navigate the filing process. Business owners with questions or those needing to file can visit the office at 2 South Main Street in Crossville or call (931) 484-5745 for guidance.