by Mark Dzeda
Welcome to the ITC Tax Podcast, where we cut through the complexity of taxes and help businesses plan smarter, save money, and stay ahead. Each episode we’ll dive into real conversations about things that matter right now: data centers, site selection, incentives, property tax, and more. If your business is growing or planning big projects, you don’t have to navigate it alone. Let’s get into it.
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Publishing Since
12/2/2025
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June 19, 2026
<p>This week on the ITC Tax Podcast, the conversation turns global. Recorded at SelectUSA, the premier event for connecting international investors with opportunities across the United States, this episode tackles a question on the minds of companies from Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and beyond: how do you maximize tax savings when bringing major capital into the U.S.? With the Korean government alone committing up to $350 billion across semiconductors, shipbuilding, defense, and energy, the stakes for getting incentives right have never been higher.</p><p>Mark and Colin lay out a deceptively simple principle that most investors learn too late: your leverage with state and local tax authorities exists before you announce your investment, not after. Once the announcement is public, incentives shift from a negotiating tool to a diminished reward. Mark explains why treating site selection as a competitive process across states, not cities, is the single most effective way to unlock the deepest sales tax, property tax, and job credit incentives available.</p><p>But landing the incentives is only the beginning. Colin walks through the compliance obligations that follow, framing every incentive agreement as a binding contract with real terms to meet and real consequences for falling short. From staying on top of reporting requirements to watching for clawback provisions, this episode is essential listening for any company planning a U.S. investment and unwilling to leave money on the table.</p><p>#PropertyTax #ITCTax #TaxStrategy #TaxCompliance #BusinessTaxes #TexasTax #TaxExemptions #TaxSavings #BusinessPersonalProperty #SmallBusiness #USInvestment #SelectUSA #ForeignDirectInvestment #TaxIncentives</p><p><strong>Key Takeaways</strong></p><p>● The United States actively courts foreign investment and will roll out the red carpet, but the investor's leverage with state and local tax authorities exists only before the investment is publicly announced.</p><p>● Once an announcement is made, incentives become a reward rather than a negotiating tool, and the returns on your investment diminish significantly.</p><p>● To maximize incentives, shop around and compare states, not cities, and make the process a competitive siting so authorities know they are bidding against one another.</p><p>● Properly negotiated incentives can deliver substantial savings across sales tax, property tax, job credits, and additional support from local communities.</p><p>● Every incentive agreement is a binding contract. Securing the deal is just the start; meeting the contract's terms is what protects the savings.</p><p>● Investors must stay on top of ongoing compliance requirements and watch carefully for clawback provisions that can reclaim incentives if obligations are not met.</p><p>● Asian investors from Korea, Japan, and Taiwan are committing massive capital to U.S. sectors like semiconductors, shipbuilding, defense, and energy, yet many are not fully aware of the tax incentives and savings available to them.</p><p></p><p><strong>Connect</strong></p><p>● Podcast: https://www.itctax.com</p><p>● Guest: Colin YOON, Tax Savings Specialist, KPMG, <u><a href="https://kpmg.com/us" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://kpmg.com/us</a></u> Executive advisor to ITC Tax </p><p>CEO, Asia Global links</p><p>Mentioned in this episode:</p><p><strong>Optimize Your Property Tax!</strong></p><p><a href="https://itc-tax.captivate.fm/itctax">ITC Tax</a></p>
June 5, 2026
<p>This week on the ITC Tax Podcast, Dawn walks through exactly what to do after you file a property tax protest in Texas. From requesting evidence to spotting errors in the appraisal district's records, she breaks down the entire ARB process in a way that makes it approachable for any property owner, whether you are protesting real estate or business personal property.</p><p>Dawn explains the difference between informal and formal hearings, why uniform and equal arguments often produce the biggest wins, and how to gather the right documentation to support your case. She shares a real client example where a simple comparison to a neighboring property delivered a $7,000 tax savings, proof that showing up and protesting can pay off in a real way.</p><p>If you have ever felt intimidated by the appraisal review board or assumed the system was stacked against you, this episode is your roadmap. Dawn makes it clear: the ARB is built for everyday property owners, the appraisers expect protests, and the remedies available after a formal hearing only exist if you go through the process.</p><p>#PropertyTax #ITCTax #TaxStrategy #TaxCompliance #BusinessTaxes #TexasTax #TaxExemptions #TaxSavings #BusinessPersonalProperty #SmallBusiness #ARBHearing #PropertyTaxProtest #AppraisalDistrict</p><p><strong>Key Takeaways</strong></p><p>● Always request the appraisal district's evidence after filing a protest. The tax code requires them to deliver it at least 14 days before your hearing, and if they fail to provide it, they cannot use it against you at the ARB.</p><p>● For real estate protests, verify the physical characteristics on file, square footage, amenities, and condition, then gather photos, repair quotes, and maintenance records to support a lower value.</p><p>● A uniform and equal argument means your property must be appraised the same way as comparable neighbors. Lot value per square foot is one of the easiest places to spot inequity.</p><p>● For business personal property, review the depreciation schedules carefully. Check that costs are accurate, economic lives are reasonable, and non-taxable items like software are not being appraised.</p><p>● Idle, obsolete, or underutilized equipment should be flagged with evidence such as scrap value, repair costs, or utilization data to bring the assessed value down.</p><p>● Ask for an informal meeting with the appraiser before the formal hearing. Most disputes are settled at this stage, and one taxpayer saw his $500,000 building value drop to match a neighbor's $110,000 valuation, a $7,000 tax savings.</p><p>● If you rendered assets you should not have, like software, intangibles, or leasehold improvements already captured in real estate, it is not too late to correct it after the notice of value comes out.</p><p>● Protests must be filed within 30 days of receiving your notice of value. For real estate without a notice, the deadline is May 15. For business personal property, it is 30 days from the date on the letter or the date received, whichever is earlier.</p><p>● The formal ARB hearing is run by three of your peers from the county, not the appraisal district. It is structured but friendly, and going through it preserves your right to additional remedies afterward.</p><p></p><p><strong>Connect</strong></p><p>● ITC Tax Podcast: https://www.itctax.com</p><p>Mentioned in this episode:</p><p><strong>Optimize Your Property Tax!</strong></p><p><a href="https://itc-tax.captivate.fm/itctax">ITC Tax</a></p>
May 29, 2026
<p>This week on the ITC Tax Podcast, Mark sits down with the Honorable John Brusniak, one of Texas's most prominent property tax attorneys, who has been litigating property tax cases since the state's tax code was adopted in 1982. John walks through exactly why every property owner should file, what a protest needs to contain, and the procedural moves that quietly determine whether you win or lose at the appraisal review board.</p><p>John explains the three most common grounds for protest, the new $125,000 business personal property exemption, and a critical mailing change that took effect last Christmas Eve. He also breaks down the burden of proof in Texas, how to use photographs as evidence, and why an informal conference before your hearing is often your best shot at a settlement. Spoiler: roughly 60 to 70 percent of taxpayers who protest get a reduction.</p><p>For owners weighing what to do after the appraisal review board rules, John lays out all three appeal paths, district court, binding arbitration, and the State Office of Administrative Hearings, including the deadlines, dollar thresholds, and one rule that can sink your appeal entirely if you ignore it. If your notice of appraised value just hit your desk, this is the conversation to listen to before you act.</p><p>#PropertyTax #ITCTax #TaxStrategy #TaxCompliance #BusinessTaxes #TexasTax #TaxExemptions #TaxSavings #BusinessPersonalProperty #SmallBusiness #PropertyTaxProtest #TexasPropertyTax #AppraisalDistrict</p><p></p><p>Key Takeaways</p><p>● Filing a protest protects your legal rights. Skip the deadline and you forfeit your chance to challenge anything the appraisal district does with your property that year.</p><p>● The three most common grounds for protest are excessive market value, unequal appraisal compared to similar properties, and missed exemptions, including the new $125,000 business personal property exemption now available in Texas.</p><p>● If you did not receive a notice of value, file a protective protest anyway. Appraisal districts are not required to send a notice when nothing changed from the prior year, and waiting can cost you your appeal rights.</p><p>● The U.S. Postal Service no longer cancels mail the day you drop it off. To lock in your filing date, walk your protest into the post office and ask the clerk to hand cancel the envelope across the postage stamp.</p><p>● Always check the box requesting the appraisal district's evidence. It gives you a 15-day preview of their case and legally freezes their testimony so they cannot introduce anything new at the hearing.</p><p>● Always request an informal conference. It is your best opportunity to settle before the appraisal review board, and panels are skeptical of taxpayers who have not tried to resolve their disputes.</p><p>● Texas law places the burden of proof on the appraisal district for value and equity protests, but appraisal review boards still expect physical evidence. Bring photographs, use close-ups, and document damage in detail.</p><p>● Your property value cannot be raised as a result of a protest hearing, but anything you testify to under oath can be used against you in future years, including omitted property the district was previously unaware of.</p><p>● Top-line agreements let you bypass the appraisal review board entirely while preserving your right to appeal to a higher authority.</p><p>● Appeals after the ARB ruling include state district court (60 days, any property), binding arbitration through the Comptroller (60 days, up to $5 million non-homestead), and the State Office of Administrative Hearings (30 days, $1 million minimum). To preserve your appeal, you must pay at least the tax amount you admit you owe.</p><p>● Roughly 60 to 70 percent of taxpayers who protest receive some value reduction. The odds favor filing.</p><p></p><p>Connect</p><p></p><p>● ITC Tax Podcast: https://www.itctax.com</p><p>● ITC Tax on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/itc-tax</p><p>● Mark Dzeda, Host, ITC Tax: https://www.itctax.com</p><p>Mentioned in this episode:</p><p><strong>Optimize Your Property Tax!</strong></p><p><a href="https://itc-tax.captivate.fm/itctax">ITC Tax</a></p>
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Welcome to the ITC Tax Podcast, where we cut through the complexity of taxes and help businesses plan smarter, save money, and stay ahead. Each episode we’ll dive into real conversations about things that matter right now: data centers, site selection, incentives, property tax, and more.
If your business is growing or planning big projects, you don’t have to navigate it alone. Let’s get into it.
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