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Hi everyone, I'm new here but have been reading for a long time. I'm sorry if this off topic, but is there a county tax for owning a boat? Got a letter today from Baldwin county about the boat I bought in the spring. I can't find anything from them until Tuesday. Is this like some kind of car tax?
Houston Co. does. Mine was 90.00 dollars for 2014 on a 2001 boat.:banghead
Advalorem tax. Don't know if that's spelled right. They'll tell you ur boats worth xx amount of $ an u owe tax on that. To me it's not right ur paying tax on something every year tax after tax. Not right.
I get one from time to time from Houston county and file it straight to the round file. I pay for the trailer tag, but they can bite me before I will pay a
"luxury tax" for my boat.
i got them and never paid my boat was so old it didn`t have any tax value .:biggrin
Thomas Co. has a "personal property tax". Yep they want $ every year just for you owning it. I pay for registration and a tag.
I am a rebel.
I filed mine in garbage for years and they quit sending. When you buy do separate bill of sales for outboard, boat and trailer. Value mostly outboard.
Yes the round file!Quote:
Originally Posted by crappielimits
I haven't received one in a couple years now.
Thanks guys, I think I'm going to see just how much they want and then decide where to file it.
They hounded me until I eventually proved to them that I had depreciated the "property" to a point where it was below their radar. Check with your county to see what their definition is. I mean if Gwinnett County determined I was a collector of guns or other things that they normally could not reach out and tough and it was over the limit (don't remember where that line was drawn) then they can approach me to pay a "personal property tax" on that collection.Quote:
Originally Posted by tablesaw
Don't quote me on this but I think its the boat registration at the state level triggers the county to know you have something worth something and they are then compelled to tax you one it. :twocents
More info:
According to the Gwinnett County Assessor’s Office website they will accept Personal Property Tax Returns from January 1 to April 1. If you own a business with furniture, fixtures, machinery, equipment, and/or inventory, an airplane, or a boat and/or motor, you must file a return. You are responsible for reporting all taxable personal property or penalties will be assessed. We mail Personal Property Tax Return forms as a courtesy, but not receiving one does not relieve your responsibility for filing a return.
Now no value is set for "personal" property but under Business Personal Property it defines it as "Personal property valued at $7,500 or less is automatically exempt from ad valorem taxes. The property, however must be returned, valued, and entered on the tax digest. Owners of personal property with a value of less than $7,500 receive no bill."
So there may be a gray area worth checking into. This says I should report my boat every year, which I have not since I convinced them it was worth less than the $7,500 fair market value.
All counties can have this tax, whether or not they inforce or collect is up to them. My understanding in Bibb County is that it is taxed if the value is over $1000.00. Many years ago I was sent a questionaire on the value of the boat and if the motor was running as best as I remember. They messed up when they asked me what I thought it was worth on the questionaire. Do they only go by that questioning, I do not know.
I had a friend in Crawford County where the tax accessors put a $10,000.00 value on a boat worth less than a $1000.00 just because they saw it sitting in the yard. He tried to sell it to them for $800.00 and they said it was not worth. He said that is my point exactly. Sometimes they may not ask you like in his case.