Charleston County hires firm to track tax dodgers

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Charleston County has hired an outside company to help it track down tax dodgers.

The Post and Courier of Charleston reports (http://bit.ly/1nNzgzG ) that officials think hundreds of millions of dollars of property in the county may be undertaxed.

That’s because some people may be claiming rental or vacation properties are their primary residence. Vacation properties are taxed at a higher rate.

The county has hired Tax Management Associates, of Charlotte, North Carolina, to check the records on almost 90,000 owner-occupied homes against a nationwide database.

That will show if people claiming to live in the county have residences elsewhere.

Those claiming an improper tax break will owe up to three years of back taxes at the higher rate, interest and must forfeit the tax they previously paid as a penalty.