Personal Property Taxes

Personal property tax is deductible if it is a state or local tax that is:

1. Charged on personal property,
2. Based only on the value of the personal property, and
3. Charged on a yearly basis, even if it is collected more than once a year, or less than once a year.

A tax that meets the above requirements can be considered charged on personal property even if it is for the exercise of a privilege. For example, a yearly tax based on value qualifies as a personal property tax even if it is called a registration fee and is for the privilege of registering motor vehicles or using them on the highways.

Example. Your state charges a yearly motor vehicle registration tax of 1% of value plus 50 cents per hundredweight. You paid $32 based on the value ($1,500) and weight (3,400 lbs.) of your car. You can deduct $15 (1% × $1,500) as a personal property tax, since it is based on the value. The remaining $17 ($.50 × 34), based on the weight, is not deductible.

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