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Old 24-07-2017, 19:47   #1
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HELP how dispute boat tax california

Just moved my boat to new county. It is on the hard.

New County assessor assessed my boat for full NAPA value even though it is

1. Never been in water for 12 years. On the hard. Dry storage.

2. No engine

3. 20% more than previous California county assessed for the boat 10 years ago !!!!!!!

4. It is a 40 year old boat !!!!!!


Totally unfair.

Would like to hear how other owners disputed the assessment of your boat.

Thanks,

archie
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Old 24-07-2017, 20:43   #2
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Re: HELP how dispute boat tax california

Quote:
Originally Posted by arch007 View Post
Just moved my boat to new county. It is on the hard.

New County assessor assessed my boat for full NAPA value even though it is

1. Never been in water for 12 years. On the hard. Dry storage.

2. No engine

3. 20% more than previous California county assessed for the boat 10 years ago !!!!!!!

4. It is a 40 year old boat !!!!!!


Totally unfair.

Would like to hear how other owners disputed the assessment of your boat.

Thanks,

archie
Read the paperwork that came with the assessment and it will tell you how to appeal the valuation. Contrary to popular opinion, I have found the CA tax assessor to be reasonable when provided with legit information. Provide them the info on the condition of the boat and and evidence of the actual value and they will change the assessment to be more accurate.
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Old 24-07-2017, 21:10   #3
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Re: HELP how dispute boat tax california

They assessed my boat at more than I paid for it. Wrote them a detailed letter detailing the negatives that were the reason I got the boat for the price and a copy of the bill of sale. They lowered the assessment to the sales value. Never changed the assessed value for the 4 years the boat was in Alameda despite sinking almost as much into it as I paid for the boat getting it to my specifications. Did write to them that I'd permanently moved the boat out of California when I left. Have heard stories of them hounding owners for back taxes when they brought the boat back into CA years later if you don't tell them you left.

Yeah, yeah I know a cheap boat is never cheap.
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Old 24-07-2017, 21:17   #4
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Re: HELP how dispute boat tax california

Read the paperwork you received and file an appeal exactly as told there, not missing any dates and doing it as soon as possible. If you have questions, contact the county appraiser's office. They really are not normally unreasonable. Just the assessor doesn't have the information you have so has to start with book value. They had no way of knowing there was no engine or of knowing that it hadn't been used for 12 years.

We had to deal with the San Diego assessor and we found them to be most professional and to do exactly what they agreed to.
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Old 25-07-2017, 06:32   #5
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Re: HELP how dispute boat tax california

I found the ones in the SF office to be professionals, too, but my issue was a bit more complicated so found it necessary to go in person. Notes and phone calls to them did not resolve it.
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Old 25-07-2017, 08:04   #6
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Re: HELP how dispute boat tax california

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I found the ones in the SF office to be professionals, too, but my issue was a bit more complicated so found it necessary to go in person. Notes and phone calls to them did not resolve it.
We also went in person in San Diego. Where possible, in person always beats phone. Now, when legally filing an appeal, make sure all the paperwork is done and received by them.
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Old 25-07-2017, 08:58   #7
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Re: HELP how dispute boat tax california

To the OP: Please let me know how you resolve this. I'm an SD resident in the market for a first boat and balancing out the finances on paper is very important to me. An over-assessment is something I expect, but from reading here sounds resolvable.
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Old 25-07-2017, 08:59   #8
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Re: HELP how dispute boat tax california

One thing to be aware of is that the assessor may demand payment for the full amount and you then 'fight' for a lower value and then get a refund. I've had this happen a couple of times with cars in Massachusetts.

Good luck,
Jeff
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Old 25-07-2017, 09:28   #9
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Re: HELP how dispute boat tax california

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Originally Posted by jeffp2 View Post
One thing to be aware of is that the assessor may demand payment for the full amount and you then 'fight' for a lower value and then get a refund. I've had this happen a couple of times with cars in Massachusetts.

Good luck,
Jeff
My experience is that normally there is plenty of time between the assessment being issued and payment due to resolve it. Now, it's not saying you don't sometimes encounter what you did.
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Old 25-07-2017, 11:23   #10
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Re: HELP how dispute boat tax california

Quote:
Originally Posted by BandB View Post
Read the paperwork you received and file an appeal exactly as told there, not missing any dates and doing it as soon as possible. If you have questions, contact the county appraiser's office. They really are not normally unreasonable. Just the assessor doesn't have the information you have so has to start with book value. They had no way of knowing there was no engine or of knowing that it hadn't been used for 12 years.

We had to deal with the San Diego assessor and we found them to be most professional and to do exactly what they agreed to.
What he said. In the adult world nobody is likely to lead you by the hand.
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Old 25-07-2017, 19:26   #11
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Re: HELP how dispute boat tax california

In addition to reading the paperwork and following the instructions: Do not forget, you need evidence of how and why your boat is worth less than the NAPA value you say they used. Might be worthwhile (depending upon the amount in question) to see if you can find someone to testify as an knowledgeable expert. Barring that, you need to do your homework and present the evidence at the hearing. Find listings for exemplars of your boat, with and without engines, and ones that have been on the hard for extended periods. If she is on a trailer, do not forget the trailer does not count in the value (it is handled in the DMV registration for motor vehicles). What was the assessed value in the prior county (not just a percentage of increase)? Usually, boats decrease in value, not increase. Equipment becomes outdated and corrodes. In other words, unused boats tend toward death, they do not acquire a beautiful patina like barn stored cars. Do not forget you can present information found on Craigslist, eBay, etc. and other online sources. Have photos of your boat -interior and exterior- to compare with those you found on line (this means print out the listings, including the descriptions amd photos). If yours is an unusual vessel, find comparable vessels if your do not find much direct data (other 32 footers, or whatever). Consider using reviews to establish comparisons. DO NOT BE HOSTILE or churlish, and do not blame the hearing officer. DO BE POLITE and RESPECTFUL. BTW, if you are rally organized, have your evidence in a three ring binder, and have a copy for the officer. It is not unlike real property, they are not unwilling to make changes, but they need evidence to justify the changes. Good luck -it can be done, but work is required.

As a completely unrelated matter, and without information, if a sailboat, is she a Westsail or a Dreadnought 32. If she is a powerboat, I have no guesses.
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Old 25-07-2017, 22:49   #12
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Re: HELP how dispute boat tax california

Have the boat surveyed by a licensed surveyor, and ask him to estimate fair market value in the written survey report. This will cost about as much as you will save on the first years taxes.
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Old 26-07-2017, 17:48   #13
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Re: HELP how dispute boat tax california

In Sonoma County I went to the office and talked face to face and go it resolved. I brought with me recent ads for similar boats that were in better shape than mine. Their sellers asking price less that one quater of what they were assessing mine at.

Go in person.
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Old 18-12-2019, 15:13   #14
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Re: HELP how dispute boat tax california

Well, I have been all over the world sailing for a couple years and come back to
Alameda to rest and repair. There I got all my mail, most of which was from the assessors office asking for three years of taxes for unsecured boat taxes. Almost fell off my boat. Bought the boat for 20K and they had it assessed for 140K and were sending the mail to an address I haven’t used for years. Luckily I’ve sold the boat, but will need to waste my time contesting the assessed value, which they have assessed at 7 times the boats value. My tax bill on a $20K boat is almost $8000.00 for three years. Take the bread off my table and put it on someone else’s table. In hind-site get your boat assessed as low as you can at the time of purchase, then submit that to the assessors office. You shouldn’t have to pay more than $500 a year when living in California which I would gladly pay.
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Old 18-12-2019, 17:19   #15
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Re: HELP how dispute boat tax california

I bought a Macgregor 25 for $100.
They said it was worth $5000.
I told them to sell it for me and I would split the profit with them.
They are all very unrealistic and you should go in person.
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