If you happen to be a homeowner in certain areas of the South or Southwest, your property tax bill this year is probably a whole lot more manageable than if you lived, say, in New York or New Jersey.
In Apache County, Ariz. and St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, the median property tax bill for owner-occupied housing in these two regions were less than $150 each, according to the Tax Foundation.
With property taxes on the rise, some states have stepped in to alleviate that burden on taxpayers, said Dubay.
In 2006, the state of New Jersey instituted a 1 percent state sales tax increase, from 6 percent to 7 percent. Half of the $1.2 billion that is expected to be generated is earmarked for property tax relief.
Plenty of Americans bungle their return every year and pay extra in penalties as a result. Here's how you avoid making those same mistakes. (more) 
