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This is a bit off the beaten path from what I normally post and it will only apply to a select few of you, but the potential savings is huge so I couldn’t not share! Keep in mind I’m not a tax pro, I’m just sharing this info, so that you can look into it more on your own.
If you:
a) Live in Georgia
b) Bought a car between January 1, 2012 and February 28, 2013
c) Don’t like paying property tax on your birthday every year
Then you’ll want to check into the Ad Valorem Tax option that Georgia passed earlier this year. If the Georgia part doesn’t apply to you, you may want to research if your state has a similar program.
Basically you can opt to pay a one time tax instead of paying each year. If your sales tax was high enough, you may not even owe anything with the Ad Valorem option AND you will no longer pay yearly property tax on that vehicle.
This has huge potential savings over the life of the car! Use their online calculator to see how much you will save. I got a heads up about this from a sweet friend in Georgia who saved over $3,000 over the life of her car – that’s a huge help to the budget!
You have until January 1, 2014 to opt into the one time tax and avoid paying property tax every year. How you opt in will vary from county to county. Some allow it by email, postal mail or you may have to go in person. You will need a copy of your GA Driver’s License and bill of sale.
Any automobile that was purchased March 1st, 2013 or after automatically falls under the Ad Valorem option, so you don’t have to opt in. You will pay the one-time tax instead of sales tax and not owe any property taxes going forward.
Random, I know, but feel free to leave a comment below if this saved you a bunch of money!
