[cottercutie]

OK so another thread got me thinking about this. I found online that the tax is based on 70% of the actual value of the vehicle. But that was really all I could find. How are they determining the value? Is there an amount or percentage of the vehicle that the actual tax is based on?

I'm curious what the average is for CT, my last excise tax bill back in MA was on an 05 vehicle in 06 and was over $450. MA is $25 every $1000 the vehicle is considered worth, based on a % of MSRP depending on model year. So, for a new car valued at 20Kish, approx $400 is my point of reference and about what I was expecting in CT, but I can't figure out how CT calculates the value. I don't get it. I feel like it should be rather simple though.

Is there a way to try to figure out a guesstimate of the tax? What does CT use to value the vehicle?

[DawnMTL]

It's based on the mill rate of the town in which you reside.

So that 70% value is multiplied by the mill rate.

I came from a town in CT (West Hartford) that had a high mill rate, so our 2006 Mazda 6 and 2007 Saab 9-3 ran us $751 in taxes.

Then we moved to MA (Worcester), and those same cars cost us $52 in excise tax.

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Originally Posted by cottercutie

How are they determining the value?
What does CT use to value the vehicle?

Good question.

In this corner:Wilton, CT - Official Website, we have a town that claims the DMV supplies them with the average retail value that the 70% is to be based upon.-" Your automobile tax bill for this year is based on 70% of the vehicle's value as of Oct.1, 2007. The Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles provides this information to the Town each year."

And in this corner:DMV: Town Property Tax Information, we have the DMV saying that the average retail value is determined by your municipalities assessor.-"Motor vehicle assessments are based upon 70% of average retail value as determined by your local assessor."

Welcome to CT!!!!

[willow wind]

Vehicle tax assessments are based upon the New England edition of the NADA guides.

Take 70% of that assessment, multiply by the town of city's mill rate and there is your tax.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by DandJ

It's based on the mill rate of the town in which you reside.

So that 70% value is multiplied by the mill rate.

I came from a town in CT (West Hartford) that had a high mill rate, so our 2006 Mazda 6 and 2007 Saab 9-3 ran us $751 in taxes.

Then we moved to MA (Worcester), and those same cars cost us $52 in excise tax.

Okay, I am confused. If the OP paid $450 for an 05 vehicle in 06 and you are only paying $52 for two vehicles. Are you sure your bill is for a full year for both vehicles? Jay

[DawnMTL]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Okay, I am confused. If the OP paid $450 for an 05 vehicle in 06 and you are only paying $52 for two vehicles. Are you sure your bill is for a full year for both vehicles? Jay

Uhhhh. Oh my! I didn't think of that.

But when we were registering our cars at the DMV (which is called the RMV here), the girl told us that it was cheap.

I was guessing that ours were incredibly low because we live in Worcester, not exactly CT's version of West Hartford.

I'll check back in next year and let you know if something drastically changed.

ETA: Oh God, I think you might be right, Jay. I just pulled the paperwork. It's $25 per $1000 in Worcester, too, just like where the OP lives. It doesn't say anything about it being pro-rated, but the valuation on both cars is VERY low ($2600 for the Saab, $2450 for the Mazda). You'd think, though, that they'd put the *correct* valuation amounts, though, wouldn't they, and just write that it's for X date to Y date? Hmmm.

ETA2: You're right. I looked up the MA tax stuff. It's prorated. Still, a full year will cost us something like $150, so (a) still way cheaper than in CT and (b) I'm not sure how the OP cost such a whopping bill except for that the valuation is determined as follows:

The formula is as follows:

In the year preceding the model year
(brand new car released before model year)

50%

In the model year

90%

In the second year

60%

In the third year

40%

In the fourth year

25%

In the fifth and succeeding years

10%

[cottercutie]

MA does prorate, so if you moved to MA and registered in July, you only get 1/2 the bill amount

In 2006, I paid tax on 90% of value of a 23K car. Bill was over 450.

ETA: I always had newer cars when I lived in MA (you know, pre kids when I had that kind of money, LOL) so I averaged about 300-500 in excise tax yearly. Our cars aren't newer now (again, kids seem to suck you dry of money LOL) but seems to be a good thing I over estimated those.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by DandJ

Uhhhh. Oh my! I didn't think of that.

But when we were registering our cars at the DMV (which is called the RMV here), the girl told us that it was cheap.

I was guessing that ours were incredibly low because we live in Worcester, not exactly CT's version of West Hartford.

I'll check back in next year and let you know if something drastically changed.

ETA: Oh God, I think you might be right, Jay. I just pulled the paperwork. It's $25 per $1000 in Worcester, too, just like where the OP lives. It doesn't say anything about it being pro-rated, but the valuation on both cars is VERY low ($2600 for the Saab, $2450 for the Mazda). You'd think, though, that they'd put the *correct* valuation amounts, though, wouldn't they, and just write that it's for X date to Y date? Hmmm.

ETA2: You're right. I looked up the MA tax stuff. It's prorated. Still, a full year will cost us something like $150, so (a) still way cheaper than in CT and (b) I'm not sure how the OP cost such a whopping bill except for that the valuation is determined as follows:

The formula is as follows:

In the year preceding the model year
(brand new car released before model year)

50%

In the model year

90%

In the second year

60%

In the third year

40%

In the fourth year

25%

In the fifth and succeeding years

10%

D&J - are you sure those are the values of your vehicles? That seems very low unless that is the already discounted value. Jay

[DawnMTL]

Originally Posted by JayCT

D&J - are you sure those are the values of your vehicles? That seems very low unless that is the already discounted value. Jay

That's what it says on the bill that was sent, to pay the excise tax. I'm not going to argue. Now I'm curious as to what I get next year, though.

[cottercutie]

Originally Posted by DandJ

That's what it says on the bill that was sent, to pay the excise tax. I'm not going to argue. Now I'm curious as to what I get next year, though.

Just don't buy a new car and you should be OK