So, I know there are some other CT people out there. We’ve had horses in this town in CT for over 40 years. Legally, if you don’t have a farm exemption, your horses may be taxed. At the town’s discretion. Or not. And how they are valued…well, state statute is unclear
I’m very interested in knowing…Any other Connecticut horse owners, are your horses taxed as personal property and assessed at the personal property tax rate??
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Yep. My horses aren’t worth anything, and I submit that, so there’s no tax owed on them.
So, under the $1000 exemption? If you don’t mind me asking, how pushy was the tax collector on evidence that they are under that?
They have no footing to be pushy. I declare that they’re worth slaughter value and that’s that.
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Hmmm, I clearly have to learn to play hard ball! For context, for various reasons, the horses’ ‘ownership’ has fallen out of farm class this year, they should be back in it next year, but I am just No good at working the system.
The pony, yeah…I bought her years ago at under the exemption, her arthritis isn’t better! The big boy? What really is the value of a grade draft, not broke to ride, with a vet verified history of nearly completely torn DDFT hind tendon, and a history of kicking to connect? The young boy is a grade draft, green broke, sort of…with sticky stifles and a ewe neck (Beauty is in the eye of the beholder here…I love them, and they are the best partners in the woods I could ask for…)
I just have to man up and deal with the town.
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They’re contesting your valuation??
Were they valued higher in previous years? What is the town even going on?
If you previously submitted as a business, did you submit all your equipment etc associated with the business? Maybe the town is looking to recoup that value, since you’re not submitting as a business this year?
Actually, the problem all started because we were stupid enough to start a business this year and that triggered a business property valuation form (as it should). I want to get it into farm class starting next year. But right now, the business (forestry/wood production/orchard) is outside of the ag exemption.
For decades our town’s tax assessors didn’t want to hear about horses, it was always slaughter weight.
However, the new assessor is already demanding a complete itemized list of anything used in the business. If you have ever looked at the form, they can ask you to list anything, right down to a broom used to sweep the floor, they just generally don’t. Even if the tool is primarily not used by the business but by the home. This includes your personal computer and phone. Answer any business emails on a personal computer? You better be listing that. And the chair. And horses. And even if the horses aren’t part of the business, they are personal property that is taxable.
Having never, in all my life had to deal with this, I’m just wondering if other CT tax assessors have suddenly started to crack down. If they are, they are. But…I certainly wish I could leave this state right now!
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The form they are asking you to fill out is a Form of List, required for any business operating in that town – and yes, it generates a personal property bill based on what you itemize/list as items used for that business.
However, your horses shouldn’t be declared under the FoL if the township is already taxing livestock separately.
If your town values farmland and agricultural revenue, it’s counterintuitive to introduce a livestock tax, but I understand CT does things their own way.
Taxing horses sounds like a nightmare - saying this as both an Assessor and a horse person. I understand some townships tax horses based on breed, with their value being established by a very outdated ‘cost manual’ that references breed only in value, some use slaughter weight. There is no way to quantify training, quality, or competitive record so Assessors don’t do it.
They really have no recourse if you provide that they are worth meat price only. They don’t care about conformation, training, or past injuries - just point out neither are riding horses and have no value beyond meat price.
If they don’t budge, ask when you can submit an abatement application. Just know as a tax payer, you do have rights to submit an appeal (if they deny your abatement application) with CT’s version of the ATB, which I think is called the CT Judicial Branch.
Thanks. I don’t really mind the business list. I mean, I think it is beyond stupid; but I also knew about it. Though, talking with other people in town, the new tax assessor is certainly making a lot of enemies real fast in less than a year on the job. Mostly about depreciation schedules.
I just wasn’t expecting the horses to turn into an argument as well. Thankfully they are both grade, because yes breed was getting included in the assessment.
In CT, horses are only livestock if they are owned by a farm class business. That does not include: personal horses, riding schools, carriage rides, or competition horses. It only includes horses used in breeding or horses used Exclusively in farming (any carriage rides, shows for monetary gain can trigger the loss of the exemption). However, there is a $1000 exemption for all other horses, which is usually simply given out. That has changed, at least in this town.
I am very glade these tax accessors can identify a horse’s specific breed, here we had to remove the wording pony or horse from ordinances because animal control could not for sure identify correctly if what was before them was a horse or pony …let alone id the breed.
I guess this is just another reason so many businesses are leaving Connecticut.
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Yeah, this is why we haven’t pursued ag status. Really hard to make the lines cross on tax savings vs expense of having all business items taxed.
I’m just gobsmacked they’re pushing back on you, though.
