Question about car property taxes and BK

[thewidow]

I filed for bankruptcy back in 2005 before the new laws took effect. I was discharged in January of 2006. I voluntarily gave up my car 4 months before filing and my car was included in my debts when filing. Today (May 13 2009) I got a letter out of the blue from lawyers stating I owed back property taxes from 2005 for $345. Since my car was included in bankruptcy and I freely gave it up months before filing, am I liable for these taxes or do I fax the lawyers my bk discharge papers and not pay the taxes? The property tax bill is from Virginia and I filed BK in Nevada. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[BornAgain]

Ha! You threw me there for a minute. I'm in Oregon and it's easy for me to forget that some states tax the value of peoples' cars each year! Ugh!!

So when you said back property taxes, then, my car -- I was thinking, "HUH?"

Okay, I know a bit that may apply and may help.

In Oregon, the only ad valorem tax we have is on real property. Dirt and the stuff attached to the dirt. Those taxes are levied by the state, covering a period of 12 months. In Oregon it's July-June. For whatever partial part of those months we own land that's the period we must pay the taxes for.

Questions to ask yourself: 1) What period of months are taxed in that state on cars, and 2) how many of those months did I own the car?

All that may give you a hint about why you owe taxes on a car you owned for a partial year.

To the nature of the debt being taxes, I don't know if they would be discharged as any consumer debt obviously would be discharged.

By the way, what's that like, getting a tax bill for your car each year? Bet you've got sales tax there too. Ca-ching. Ca-ching. Your states are crazy. Do the advertisements for "Dollar Menu fast food" have to have a disclaimer that if you go in with just one dollar that you won't actually be able to buy a hamburger! Ha! LOL

[thewidow]

Born Again,
I'm going to have to do a bit of digging to find out for what months I owned the car but, I will do that today. It's been so long, I've forgotten.

To answer your question, it sucks getting a car tax bill every year (even when you own the car free and clear). In Virginia (*my home state) you get taxed for literally everything with the exception of medicine...car(yearly), property (yearly), grocery stores, state taxes, eating out, phone usage, etc and on and on. It sucks and is part of the reason I moved further West where you're not taxed on most of that and your money goes much further because of it.

LOL! When it comes to McDonalds in Virginia, you cannot walk in with $1 and buy anything. You'd definitely be taxed on it. Better to come in with $1.06 because you just may be able to purchase that all important hamburger.

[thewidow]

Thanks for answering, btw