Frequently Asked Questions
Why did I get 2 excise tax bills for the same car back to back?
The Registry of Motor Vehicles creates all the excise billing information based on active registrations. It is then sent to the towns in installments. There could be as many as 11 installments, called commitments, for any given year. These will actually be received by the town spread over a period of up to 2 years. Fequently 2 commitments are received by the town simultaneously for 2 different years. To see if your bills are from different years check the commitment number in the upper right hand corner of your bill. For example a bill with commitment 2003-01 would be for the year 2003 and a bill with 2004-01 would be for the year 2004.
Why wasn't there a value on my first tax mailing?
The first mailing you receive is "Preliminary". Monson is on a quarterly tax billing cycle and the current value is not available when the "Preliminary" bill is issued. The tax on the "Preliminary" bill is based on 50% of the prior year's value. Once the values are approved by the Department of Revenue and the tax rate is set, the 2nd mailing, called "Actual" bills, are sent with all the pertinent information on them.
Why did my taxes go up higher than my neighbors?
Assessments are based on 100%of full and fair cash value. Massachusetts is an ad valorum state. Ad valorum means that taxes are based on value and not on the ability to pay. If 2 people own identical properties in every way, their tax burden would be exactly the same. However no two properties are exactly alike, so adjustments to value are made based on those differences; difference in value equals difference in taxes.
Why are the taxes on the "Actual" bill different than the "Preliminary" bill?
When the "Preliminary" bills are calculated it is done based on the tax rate and value of the prior fiscal year. The "Actual" bills are done using the new tax rate and the new values. The "Actual" bills make up the difference between the two sets of bills. For example if you added a shed to your property, it's value would not have been on the bill from the year before so it would not be seen on the "preliminary" bill. The shed would be added to the "Actual" bill and the results are an increase in value. Or if you had 3 building lots on your property and zoning or some other influence reduced it to only 2 building lots. The "preliminary" bill would be higher based on the 3 lots. The "Actual" bill would be based on the change to 2 lots, resulting in a decrease in value.
What is a Revaluation?
It is the process used by the Assessor's Office to ensure that property in Monson is valued accurately and consistantly using current Monson sales data.
Why is a Revaluation needed?
The State of Massachusetts now requires that cities and towns perform a revaluation annually so that all properties can be brought to current market value and contribute an equitable portion of the total tax burden.
What is market value and who determines my property value?
Market value is determined by the activity in the real estate market; in essence, what houses are selling for on the open market in Monson. The value of your property is based on an analysis of the entire market for the full calendar year prior to the year of the Revaluation.
It is the Assessor's job to research and analyze the values in town based on the market. The Assessor has specific guidelines to follow. Factors that are examined for each property are: Building style, selling prices, location, size, quality of construction, age of improvements, topography, utilities, zoning restrictions, if any, etc.
Will a Revaluation increase taxes?
A Revaluation does not mean that property taxes will increase. Assessments are only the base that is used to determine the tax burden. The tax burden is the amount that the Municipality must raise to operate the local government and support the many services each of us has come to expect such as schools, police, fire, highway, etc. If the same amount of money is to be raised after the Revaluation as the previous year and each assessment doubles, the tax rate would be cut in half.
How will I know if my assessment is equitable?
There are two very good methods of determining this. First, compare your property to similar properties that sold in the previous year. (If you live in a colonial do not pick a ranch as a comparison choose other colonials) Your value should be in line with these sale prices. Second, if no recent sales are available, compare your assessment to other similar properties in your area. Your value should be in line with these similar properties. Remember, very few properties are exactly alike. Your value should be comparable, but it seldom will be exactly the same as what seems to be a similar property.
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