Is there a Bluebook for sailboats?

[RandyMoon]

I was wondering if there is a bluebook of sorts for sailboats.

When we bought our 2005M, the property tax people said their listing only went to 2004 Macs and that the property tax would run $400 per year.

The bill got here and it is going to run more like $900 per year. I know all states are on different tax structures, but to me that seems steep. I bought a new Trailblazer for about the same price as the Mac and it costs about $600 per year for tax.

Any ideas on the "bluebook" for various years and models?

[Catigale]

NADA is the definitive source, but indeed, they only go to last years model.

I would think a 2005M would be taxed as new, so the value should be pretty much what you paid?

Incidentally, a used 2004M shows as average retail $15400 without options or motor. Pricing used boats is obviously highly dependent on the loaded down factor. Duanes boat is worth more than my house, except when my 7 years olds write a 5 page story for a school report on why we like sailing with my Daddy and how special it makes me feel.....

Priceless .....

[Sloop John B]

Wow, $900 a year!

Randy, I bet you were born in Kansas and don't know any better when its time to run for it.

Good grief, what else have they got for taxes in your 'ski vacation' tornado alley rectangle?

[Mark Prouty]

Jeepers. I gotta agree with Sloop on that one. $900 bucks for a boat and $600 for the Trailblazer. Time for a tax revolt. I'd have to sell my boat and truck and carpool up north in a '87 Camray with my conoe on top if I was taxed like that in my state.

[dclark]

And I thought it was bad out here...

Actually I'm confused (nothing new). I've never heard of paying property tax on a Automobile. The only annual fee is the DMV registration.

Property tax as I always understand (and not being a homeowner it may be that I just don't understand) is collected by the County and is a percentage of the value of the property. I believe where I live it's 1%. They valued my boat based on the purchase price which with the motor and options was about $25K. I currently get a bill for about $250/year. I'm pretty sure I could argue the value like could a home. I believe if it were I home I'd need to have an appraisal so I'd imagine I'd need the something similar. I've always figured it's not worth, wrote the check, and wrote it off on my federal tax return along with the interest on the loan.

Th e biggest problem I have is I usually get two bills. One from the county I live in and another from the county that the boat is slipped. I pay the county that the boat is kept in.

[dclark]

Or maybe blue hulls are just taxed at a higher rate

[RandyMoon]

And to add insult to injury, when the Admiral talked to the tax office, the guy made the comment, "now you know why everyone registers their boat in Oklahoma."

We filed a protest and get to go to a tax hearing in a few weeks and debate their logic.

John, actually I am a transplanted Florida Boy (Sarasota) where taxes are sure not as bad as Kansas. Maybe it is time to move back there and anchor offshore.

Dave, I think each state is different in who they put the tax screws to the most and apparently in Kansas it is sailboats. And thanks for the blue hull joke. I would have said that but I was afraid Admiral Prouty would start another poll.

I have a few years left to retirement and you can bet Kansas will NOT be my home port.

[Frank C]

Dave,

California now only assesses property taxes for buildings (real property) and vehicles (personal property). Business furniture (also considered personal property) is still taxed too, but buildings and vehicles are the major property taxes.

Of the average $500 we pay DMV annually for a late model vehicle, only $50 is actually for the registration and road tax. The remaining $450 is really a personal property tax. It's just easier for them to track and collect by license plates, then the State sends the property taxes to the County.

The County still handles it (personal property taxes) for vessels, and obviously with lots of confusion as you mentioned.

[pwoods]

Move to Delaware and sail on the Chesapeake - no tax

[jsserene]

I know one of the main books that boat brokers use is the BUC. See here.

Jeff

[Chuck Healey]

Wow! I guess I should consider myself lucky to live in New Hampshire, no sales tax, no state income tax, yearly boat registration about 61 bucks.

[Rick]

Most recent NADA retail values for Mac 26M, boat only:

2005-18,990
2004-18,150 (Used trade-in 13,250 low and 15,400 high)

To determine the value the taxing authority has on your property you divide the tax amount by the tax or milleage rate, which equals your assessed value. You then divide the assessed value by the assessment ratio to determine the taxing authority's fair cash value of your property.

[Moe]

Wow! I guess I should consider myself lucky to live in New Hampshire, no sales tax, no state income tax, yearly boat registration about 61 bucks.

And probably lower insurance premiums because of no hurricanes.

However, if you divide the annual fees and taxes for boating by the number of months in the boating season, it gives a more palatable picture of the costs... at least for the Kalifornia crowd.

--
Moe

[cuisto]

Up here in Canada...
We pay a lot of taxes..gas is +- $3.00 us a gallon
But I paid $75 to license my 99x , $150 yr to insure.
No yearly tax on boats or cars or any other assets.
Only income and property tax.
Move your boat off the farm and hit the great lakes.
My family is originaly from Salina Ks, Got smart 40 years ago and came the the great white north.