 |
 |
 |
|
Tax Assessor
- General Information, Additional PP Info |
ADDITIONAL BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY INFORMATION
| WHAT IS BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY? |
| IN THE MOST GENERAL TERMS, PERSONAL PROPERTY IS EVERYTHING SUBJECT TO OWNERSHIP, EXCLUDING LAND, AND ANY INTEREST IN LAND OR ANY PERMANENT IMPROVEMENT THEREON. IT IS PROPERTY NOT PERMANENTLY AFFIXED TO OR PART OF THE REAL ESTATE. IN ACCORDANCE WITH CONNECTICUT GENERAL STATUTE §12-41, ALL PROPERTY OWNED BY ANYONE ENGAGED IN A BUSINESS ENTERPRISE IN THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT, UNLESS SPECIFICALLY EXEMPT, MUST BE ASSESSED FOR PROPERTY TAX PURPOSES. INDIVIDUALS MAY ALSO BE SUBJECT TO ASSESSMENT FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX PURPOSES. FOR EXAMPLE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH CONNECTICUT GENERAL STATUTE §12-71D, THE UNREGISTERED MOTOR VEHICLES, OF INDIVIDUALS AS WELL AS BUSINESS ENTERPRISES, MUST BE ASSESSED FOR PROPERTY TAX PURPOSES. |
| WHAT TYPE OF BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY IS EXEMPT FROM TAXATION? |
| EXEMPTIONS MAY BE STATE MANDATED (I.E., APPLICABLE IN ANY CONNECTICUT CITY OR TOWN), OR ALLOWED BY LOCAL OPTION. LOCAL OPTION EXEMPTIONS ARE THOSE ENACTED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CITY OF NORWALK COMMON COUNCIL. THE ARE VARIOUS TYPES AND DEGREES OF EXEMPTIONS. PROPERTY THAT MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR EXEMPTION INCLUDE, MOBIL HOMES, AIRCRAFT, WATER/AIR POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT, LIVESTOCK, FARM MACHINERY, ELIGIBLE PROPERTY CERTIFIED BY THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT'S DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS BEING IN A CITY OF NORWALK ENTERPRISE ZONE, AND NEW MANUFACTURING MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT. |
| WHO MUST FILE A PERSONAL PROPERTY DECLARATION WITH THE ASSESSOR? |
| ALL OWNERS OF TAXABLE PERSONAL PROPERTY, PRIMARILY THOSE WITH BUSINESS ENTERPRISES IN THE CITY OF NORWALK. THE "DECLARATION" IS USUALLY FILED DURING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER EACH YEAR. NEW BUSINESSES SHOULD CONTACT THE CITY OF NORWALK, OFFICE OF THE ASSESSOR, AS SOON AS THE BUSINESS IS OPENED OR, IDEALLY, PRIOR TO OPENING THE BUSINESS. PLEASE REMEMBER, THE RESPONSIBILITY OF KEEPING THE OFFICE OF THE ASSESSOR INFORMED OF ANY CHANGES IN THE BUSINESS ADDRESS, LOCATION OR MAILING CHANGE IS THAT OF THE TAXABLE PERSONAL PROPERTY OWNER. |
| WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE DECLARATION? |
| THE COMPLETED DECLARATION PROVIDES MOST, IF NOT ALL, OF THE INFORMATION NEEDED TO DETERMINE THE TAXABLE VALUE OF THE PERSONAL PROPERTY. FOR EXAMPLE, ALL PERSONAL PROPERTY USED FOR A BUSINESS SHOULD BE LISTED AND CATEGORIZED COMPLETELY. THE DECLARATION ALLOWS THE PROPERTY OWNER TO SELF REPORT THEIR ASSESSED VALUE, I.E., ACQUISITION COST, LESS ASSESSOR'S SCHEDULED DEPRECIATION, MULTIPLIED BY THE 70% ASSESSMENT RATIO. |
| HOW DO I OBTAIN A PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX DECLARATION? |
| DECLARATIONS ARE NORMALLY MAILED BY OCTOBER 1 OF EACH YEAR TO PERSONAL PROPERTY OWNERS OF RECORD. DECLARATIONS MUST BE FILED ANNUALLY DURING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE A DECLARATION BY OCTOBER 15, PLEASE CALL THE OFFICE OF THE ASSESSOR @ (203) 854-7826. |
| CAN AN EXTENSION BE FILED FOR? |
| SECTION 12-42 ALLOWS THE ASSSESSOR TO GRANT A PROPERTY OWNER A DECLARATION FILING EXTENSION OF NO LONGER THAN 45 DAYS FOR GOOD CAUSE.. |
| DOES THE FORM HAVE TO BE NOTARIZED? |
| IF YOU ARE NOT THE OWNER THE FORM MUST BE NOTARIZED OR SIGNED IN THE PRESENCE OF A MEMBER OF THE ASSESSMENT STAFF. |
| I HAVE NEVER FILLED THIS OUT BEFORE. HOW DO I COMPLETE THESE FORMS? |
|
A)
|
READ THE BACK OF THE M-15 FORM. |
|
B)
|
MAKE A LIST OF EACH ITEM OF BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY THAT YOU OWN BY CATEGORY. |
|
C)
|
NOTE THE YEAR YOU PURCHASED EACH ITEM AND THE AMOUNT YOU PAID |
|
D)
|
ADD UP ALL OF THE ITEMS BY CODE AND YEAR OF PURCHASE |
|
E)
|
ENTER THESE FIGURES ONTO THE CONFIDENTIAL FORM 2. CARRY FORWARD THE TOTALS FOR EACH CODE TO THE M-15 DECLARATION FORM. |
|
F)
|
IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE, CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT AND BRING ALL OF THIS INFORMATION INTO THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE. |
| I NEED A COPY OF LAST YEAR'S FILING. HOW DO I GET A COPY? |
| SINCE THE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS ARE CONFIDENTIAL, THE PERSON WHO COMPLETED THE REPORT LAST YEAR SHOULD COME TO THE OFFICE WITH A PHOTO ID TO OBTAIN A COPY. THE COST IS $1.00 PER PAGE. |
| HOW CAN I MOVE ITEMS PREVIOUSLY FILED UNDER CODE #10 MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT AND MOVE IT TO CODE #13 NEW OR USED MANUFACTURING MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT? |
| REQUEST AND COMPLETE FORM M-65 FOR THE ITEMS YOU ARE MOVING TO CODE #13. |
| WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN THE DECLARATION SAYS, "DISTRESSED"? |
| IT MEANS THAT THE ITEMS REPORTED ON THIS DOCUMENT HAVE QUALIFIED UNDER THE DISTRESSED MUNICIPALITY EXEMPTION PROGRAM. SEE CONNECTICUT GENERAL STATUTES § 12-81 (60) FOR DETAILS. |
| WHAT IS CONSIDERED TO BE LEASEHOLD IMPROVEMENTS? |
| IMPROVEMENTS OVER AND ABOVE WHAT WOULD BE PROVIDED BY THE LESSOR IN A TYPICAL LEASE AGREEMENT, E.G., ANYTHING MORE THAN PERIMETER DRYWALL, BASIC PLUMBING, HEATING AND ELECTRICAL. |
| WHAT IS AN UNREGISTERED MOTOR VEHICLE? |
| A VEHICLE, OTHER THAN INVENTORY, THAT IS NOT REGISTERED WITH THE CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES. |
| WHAT DEPRECIATION SCHEDULE DO I USE FOR BUSINESS SIGNS AND OTHER ITEMS THAT DO NOT HAVE A SEPARATE DEPRECIATION SCHEDULE? |
| THE SCHEDULE FOR CODE #24. |
| WHAT IS A CODE #26? |
| THIS INDICATES THAT THE PRIOR YEAR'S DECLARATION WAS NOT FILED. |
| WHAT IS FORM M-28? |
| THIS IS A FARM MACHINERY EXEMPTION APPLICATION. |
| I RECEIVED TWO SETS OF FORMS FOR THE SAME BUSINESS. WHAT SHOULD I DO? |
| COMPLETE ONE AND AFTER NOTING "SAME BUSINESS", STAPLE THE OTHER TO THE ONE YOU HAVE COMPLETED. |
| I RECEIVED A BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY DECLARATION FOR ANOTHER BUSINESS THAT I NEVER HEARD OF BUT I DIDN'T RECEIVE A BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY DECLARATION FOR MY BUSINESS. WHAT SHOULD I DO? |
| USE THE DECLARATION THAT YOU RECEIVED FOR YOUR BUSINESS AND CHANGE THE INCORRECT INFORMATION. |
| I RECENTLY MOVED MY BUSINESS TO ANOTHER CONNECTICUT TOWN. WHICH TOWN DO I COMPLETE A BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY DECLARATION FOR? |
| IF YOU MOVED OUT OF THE CITY OF NORWALK AFTER THE MOST RECENT OCTOBER 1, COMPLETE THE DECLARATION FOR CITY OF NORWALK. IF NOT, COMPLETE IT FOR THE OTHER TOWN. |
| I RECENTLY MOVED INTO NORWALK FROM AN OTHER TOWN AND THAT TOWN SENT ME A BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY DECLARATION. DO I COMPLETE THEIR DECLARATION? |
| IF YOU MOVED INTO THE CITY OF NORWALK PRIOR TO OCTOBER 1, COMPLETE THE DECLARATION FOR THE CITY OF NORWALK. IF NOT, COMPLETE IT FOR THE OTHER TOWN. |
| DO I REPORT THE 70% VALUE? |
| NO. |
| IF I REQUEST AN EXTENSION, DO I RECEIVE CONFIRMATION? |
| YES. |
| I JUST WENT OUT OF BUSINESS, WHAT SHOULD I DO AND WHAT IS MY TAX LIABILITY? |
|
A)
|
A) SEND US A LETTER STATING THAT FACT AND THE DATE THAT YOU DISSOLVED THE BUSINESS.. |
|
B)
|
B) YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL TAX DURING THE FISCAL YEAR FOR YOUR LAST REQUIRED FILING OF YOUR DECLARATION. |
| WHAT IS FORM M-65? |
| A FORM THAT IS COMPLETED TO QUALIFY FOR THE MANUFACTURING MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT EXEMPTION, CODE #13.. |
| WHAT IS FORM M-55? |
| A FORM THAT IS COMPLETED TO REMAIN ELIGIBLE FOR A DISTRESSED MUNICIPALITY EXEMPTION FOR PROPERTY IN THE CITY OF NORWALK, ESPECIALLY IN THE DESIGNATED ENTERPRISE ZONE. |
| I ONLY BRING MY BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY INTO NORWALK FOR A PORTION OF THE YEAR. HOW DO I FILE? |
| THE SAME AS YOU WOULD HAD YOUR PROPERTY REMAINED IN NORWALK FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR, ASSUMING THAT THE PROPERTY WAS IN NORWALK FOR A GREATER AMOUNT OF TIME THAN ANY OTHER CONNECTICUT MUNICIPALITY. IF YOU ARE UNSURE, CALL THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE. |
| ARE SALES TAX, DELIVERY COSTS AND INSTALLATION COSTS INCLUDED IN THE ACQUISITION COST? |
| YES. |
 |
 |