I am honestly thinking of selling my car. This is how I feel about how much we had to pay this year: +o( And amazingly my assessment went UP $4000 this year. I've never heard of a car INCREASING $4000 in a year. Maybe I should make a living buying and selling used cars. Hold them for a year and make $4000!
There's no real point about this except to vent. The timing is related to the fact that I just got a bill for an additional 10% because I paid 12 hours late. My own damn fault, but I'm so annoyed generally. My penalty for my car was more than three times the penalty I was assessed for a much larger bill to the fed government (which was a mistake and I didn't actually owe). That makes no sense to me.
When we register our car every year we pay a tax based on our county and age of the car, it was something like $47 for DH's 1992 truck and $70 something for my 2004 car.
(I understand I will look less sympathetic when I put this is real numbers.) My car tax is $1820 this year. Last year it was $17-something. The assessment went from $47000 to $51000. I know, I know. The tax was due last week so it's too late to appeal at this point. When I looked into and called, I was told (and it appears to be confirmed by city ordinance) that the only basis to appeal is based on the physical/mechanical condition of the car. My car is in excellent shape and has less than 20,000 miles in 2 years. I saw it as a waste of time.
I love my car. But I don't love it $1800/year so now I'm not sure what to do.
And to the person who asked, yes there is car tax relief, but it only applies to the first 20K - it still saves me $550.
Before I bought my car (the only new car I've ever had), I had a 12 year old car for which I paid $56/year. I had no idea car tax would be this much. I guess I should have known - but it didn't occur to me to look into it.
(I understand I will look less sympathetic when I put this is real numbers.) My car tax is $1820 this year. Last year it was $17-something. The assessment went from $47000 to $51000. I know, I know. The tax was due last week so it's too late to appeal at this point. When I looked into and called, I was told (and it appears to be confirmed by city ordinance) that the only basis to appeal is based on the physical/mechanical condition of the car. My car is in excellent shape and has less than 20,000 miles in 2 years. I saw it as a waste of time.
I love my car. But I don't love it $1800/year so now I'm not sure what to do.
And to the person who asked, yes there is car tax relief, but it only applies to the first 20K - it still saves me $550.
Before I bought my car (the only new car I've ever had), I had a 12 year old car for which I paid $56/year. I had no idea car tax would be this much. I guess I should have known - but it didn't occur to me to look into it.
Yup, you look a lot less sympathetic to me now! ;D
If you lived in my city, your car tax would be $3,060/year.
Though 4000 still seems crazy - did the car tax cuts finally expire?
YES! I gained an extra $160 a month moving from MD to VA. No regrets here...it all goes into my TSP. That is with taking a little extra out for state tax just to make sure I won't owe.
MD is crazy expensive when it comes to registering a car too.
Bird - I know the DMV is a PITA, but I would really get to the bottom of this. It makes no sense...you at least deserve a rational, logical explanation from someone
Eh I would take a higher tax in MD for better government services, but that could be all based on where I lived in MD vs where I live now in VA.
And the increased registration fees I think equal out once you realize how much you pay in personal tax + registration in VA.
Post by midnightmare81 on Oct 15, 2012 12:14:18 GMT -5
Stupid question, but WTF is a car tax? I have always paid tax on the purchase price of a car, but after that its always just reg. cost based on the year grouping your vehicle falls into regardless of make/model.
With taxes like this, I often wonder how people can afford to live...
Stupid question, but WTF is a car tax? I have always paid tax on the purchase price of a car, but after that its always just reg. cost based on the year grouping your vehicle falls into regardless of make/model.
With taxes like this, I often wonder how people can afford to live...
It is a yearly tax, paid to my city, that is based on the assessed value of the car. I live in New England, and I know that they have car tax in at least Maine, Mass & RI. The money is supposed to pay for things like snow plowing, pot hole filling, etc. In RI, the car tax rate varies per city. The rate in my city/town is $60 per $1K of value. So my car is valued at approximately $15K and I pay $900/year.
Stupid question, but WTF is a car tax? I have always paid tax on the purchase price of a car, but after that its always just reg. cost based on the year grouping your vehicle falls into regardless of make/model.
With taxes like this, I often wonder how people can afford to live...
It is a yearly tax, paid to my city, that is based on the assessed value of the car. I live in New England, and I know that they have car tax in at least Maine, Mass & RI. The money is supposed to pay for things like snow plowing, pot hole filling, etc. In RI, the car tax rate varies per city. The rate in my city/town is $60 per $1K of value. So my car is valued at approximately $15K and I pay $900/year.
CT does too. We have three vehicles (08 Ford, 04 Ford Truck, 02 Honda) and pay about $700 a year is taxes. I've never heard of a car tax assessment going up but that doesn't mean much.
Bird - I know the DMV is a PITA, but I would really get to the bottom of this. It makes no sense...you at least deserve a rational, logical explanation from someone
The DMV has nothing to do with it. It's the city (or county) tax assessment office.
I wrote an impassioned plea to a city councilman about the cost of raising a family in Alex. City and how a 10% penalty really isn't fair. It won't get me anywhere, but at least I felt better writing it. And because we have at-large members of city council, I specifically picked one up for re-election. I figured if anyone would be inclined to help, he might be.
Stupid question, but WTF is a car tax? I have always paid tax on the purchase price of a car, but after that its always just reg. cost based on the year grouping your vehicle falls into regardless of make/model.
With taxes like this, I often wonder how people can afford to live...
Honestly, this is the first time ever I've considered moving out of our neighborhood. Not so much about the car-tax per se (which applies state-wide) but the cost of raising a family in our city is so damn expensive. We work really hard to be able to afford what most would consider a relatively modest house, etc. (We'll leave my car out of it.)
Post by midnightmare81 on Oct 15, 2012 12:54:59 GMT -5
So you pay tax on it every year just for owning it? I mean I kinda get a house tax, but at least that can keep its value and last longer, you don't eventually have to replace it when it dies...
mrsjuleshs- I'm with you. I already paid tax on it, and am very happy just paying registration on it after...
So you pay tax on it every year just for owning it? I mean I kinda get a house tax, but at least that can keep its value and last longer, you don't eventually have to replace it when it dies...
mrsjuleshs- I'm with you. I already paid tax on it, and am very happy just paying registration on it after...
Yeah, the car tax really sucks in RI. It is really high. I didn't realize that the car tax would be so high when I moved here. It was a shock when I got my first bill.
You do realize that registration is just another way to say car tax right? ;D
Yes I do but $65/year is a HELL of a lot cheaper thaan this "car tax".
Ha, well it depends. I only pay $34 a year in car tax. Remember it is based on the value of your car. When I lived in a state that had "registration" over a "car tax" the amount was tied to the price of the car. So, for a new car the registration was a couple hundred dollars. Other states tie it to the weight of the car (so trucks pay more than cars, since they tear up the road a bit).
Lovetrains - That just means you pay two taxes. One an official car tax and one a registration fee
Yes I do but $65/year is a HELL of a lot cheaper thaan this "car tax".
Ha, well it depends. I only pay $34 a year in car tax. Remember it is based on the value of your car. When I lived in a state that had "registration" over a "car tax" the amount was tied to the price of the car. So, for a new car the registration was a couple hundred dollars. Other states tie it to the weight of the car (so trucks pay more than cars, since they tear up the road a bit).
Lovetrains - That just means you pay two taxes. One an official car tax and one a registration fee
Ha, well it depends. I only pay $34 a year in car tax. Remember it is based on the value of your car. When I lived in a state that had "registration" over a "car tax" the amount was tied to the price of the car. So, for a new car the registration was a couple hundred dollars. Other states tie it to the weight of the car (so trucks pay more than cars, since they tear up the road a bit).
Lovetrains - That just means you pay two taxes. One an official car tax and one a registration fee
VA has a registration fee too.
Yeah, I figured it did but I don't remember it. But I was mainly just saying that in states with ONLY registration it is essentially a tax.
But I just figure any money I give the gov is a tax ha ha