Needing some opinions

This is starting to sound like Europe. Gee maybe we all should use a differeet currency also.I thought this was the UNITED STATES of AMERICA not the INDEPENDENT STATES of AMERICA. All sarcasm aside I think this can be solved in some way other than moving North duing incliment weather and inherent personal risks. Somewhere there must be some intelligence on this planet.

Missing a couple of facts. What are you doing with the boat. Cruising, sitting in a marina or having it worked on? If you are cruising, go to Georgia, the Bahamas or Alabama at the end of the 90 days, stay for the required time and then return for the 2nd 90 days (used to be 180 days in a year).

If you are having the boat worked on then check to see if this stays the 90 period (time in the yard doesn't count toward 90 days).

As far as the arbitrary nature of the 90 days, it used to be 30 days in Maryland.

Marty

kpinnn said:

60 day, 90 day? Please give me some logic to this insanity. Has our government gone completely nuts. It must be me. There must be some logical reason for the rules. Or is this just another way to rape the public by the government, (state in this case).

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Oh God, you had me going there for a min. I actually thought you were :lol:asking a real question here.

If this is a real question, then ....well..... yes they are completely nuts and seem to prove it on a daily basis.

Oh by the way I am in healthcare so don't get me started.


Pay Fl. tax. get Fl registration, keep proof if asked in the future. You said Mass does not reg. out of state boats so then I guess when in Mass. your boat is just visiting.

Can we all pool our $$$ and buy an island somewhere and start our own country??

Bay Pelican said:

Missing a couple of facts. What are you doing with the boat. Cruising, sitting in a marina or having it worked on? If you are cruising, go to Georgia, the Bahamas or Alabama at the end of the 90 days, stay for the required time and then return for the 2nd 90 days (used to be 180 days in a year).

If you are having the boat worked on then check to see if this stays the 90 period (time in the yard doesn't count toward 90 days).

As far as the arbitrary nature of the 90 days, it used to be 30 days in Maryland.

Marty

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not true you only have a safe harbor while getting repairs for 20 days.


"Florida’s Safe Harbor Act
If sales or use tax has not been paid on a boat, the boat is exempt from tax if it remains in this state for a
maximum of 20 days in any calendar year. The 20-day per
iod is calculated from the date of first dockage or
slippage at a registered facility that rents dockage or slippage space in this state.
If a boat enters Florida for repairs or modifications and is placed in a registered repair facility, it may stay
without taxation until the repairs are completed. The 20-day period stops while the vessel is undergoing
repair. Once the repairs are complete, the owner has the balance of the 20 days to remove the boat from
Florida.
These repairs, additions, alterations, refitting, or modifications may be subject to sales tax and the
applicable discretionary sales surtax.
Storage of a boat in Florida will not qualify for the “safe harbor” exemption. A boat listed for sale, contracted
for sale, or sold using a registered boat dealer or yacht broker will qualify for the exemption if sold while in
Florida under the safe harbor provisions"

from http://dor.myflorida.com/dor/forms/2011/gt800005.pdf

Scott, good luck with the health care LOL. By the way Mass allows 60 days. Georgia is also 60 days. What is this all about? This tomfoolery wasn't just dreamed up. It must have come from some situation. I gut tells me the states simply saw what they thought were deep pockets and went after them. Essentially if I do not find a solution involving paying some kind of temporary status long enough to safely motor the boat North. I will sell it.

I don't see how they can police this law with all the boats, marinas, anchorages in Florida. There is no way they know who is where and for how long.

windmill29130 said:

I don't see how they can police this law with all the boats, marinas, anchorages in Florida. There is no way they know who is where and for how long.

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Really??? in this day and age you believe that?

Sure tax evasion is easy, you should write a book, good luck with that but IMHO it's bad advise to give.

Perhaps you should tell us here on the internet all about your tax evasion experience.

Call
800-FL-AWARD (1-800-352-9273) (in Florida only) or
850-617-8586

Compensation for Tax Information - Reward Program

In certain circumstances, you may also be eligible for a monetary reward.

http://dor.myflorida.com/dor/taxes/violations.html

Sleep well

California taxes boats like real estate and homes. Thus, I expect no-charge police and fire protection, rescue, and blackwater pump-out facilities whenever needed.

Recently realized Solano County where my boat resides has property taxes about 70% of my land-based residence in Contra Costa County. Helps to offset the $5 bridge tolls.

SCOTTEDAVIS said:

Really??? in this day and age you believe that?

Sure tax evasion is easy, you should write a book, good luck with that but IMHO it's bad advise to give.

Perhaps you should tell us here on the internet all about your tax evasion experience.

Call
800-FL-AWARD (1-800-352-9273) (in Florida only) or
850-617-8586

Compensation for Tax Information - Reward Program

In certain circumstances, you may also be eligible for a monetary reward.

FL Dept Rev - Report Tax Violations

Sleep well

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I wasn't suggesting that anybody evade taxes jackazz! I was making a statement to the fact that there are many stupid laws on the books that cannot be enforced. Send me a copy of your tax return and I'll bet you money you did not do it right and cheated the government! BTW, do you file a use tax for all that stuff you buy on the internet and don't pay sales tax? Sleep on that one!

In Washington many of the marinas are County Port Districts or City boat harbors. Since county and city government share the tax revenue, yes they do monitor the boat registration in the marinas. July of each year, I have to give them a copy of my registration and insurance policy.

Also Port Security walks the docks every evening documenting what boats are in what slips in the marina. In the world of computers, it's no problem for them to document and track boat movements.

Private marina's, I don't know what efforts are made to locate tax evaders. But there is a reward program for reporting vehicle tax evasion, boats, planes and motorhomes. Neighbors love to report someone getting away with not paying a tax they have to pay. The evasion penalty is twice the tax due, plus a penalty fee.

LB

I spent over 2 hours this afternoon ungrounding the NJ Division of Taxation boat that was out checking.

I'll never be paying sales tax on a boat again...

windmill29130 said:

I wasn't suggesting that anybody evade taxes jackazz! I was making a statement to the fact that there are many stupid laws on the books that cannot be enforced. Send me a copy of your tax return and I'll bet you money you did not do it right and cheated the government! BTW, do you file a use tax for all that stuff you buy on the internet and don't pay sales tax? Sleep on that one!

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I wont call you any names please feel free to act the same, unless you need to in order to communicate it which case I understand.

It was clear what you were implying so don't try to be cute and suggest otherwise.

As for the comments about my tax's, I won't dignify them with a response.

Good day,

Edelweiss


Very much the same here as well

kpinn,
Take a deep breath, go through the suggestions, don`t throw the baby out with the bathwater. Look for the best (? least worst) solution.
Governments think boat owners are rich and ripe for taxing. You`d hope for better state to state arrangements, looks like they are anything but, and you were given poor initial advice. You have to find the best of a bad situation.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't there one political party in this country that feels that almost all matters should be left up to the individual states rather than the Federal government.

brian eiland said:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't there one political party in this country that feels that almost all matters should be left up to the individual states rather than the Federal government.

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Is that an argument for a one-world government?

I knew this string was going to be trouble when I saw the title, "Needing some opinions". Because you can see, no one on this board has any "opinons!!"

A guy is walking along a beach when he comes across a lamp partially buried in the sand.

He picks up the lamp and gives it a rub.

A genie appears and tells him he has been granted one wish.

The guy thinks for a moment and says, "I want to live forever."

"Sorry," said the genie, "I'm not allowed to grant eternal life."

"OK, then, I want to die after a Labor government balances the budget and eliminates the debt."

"You crafty little bastard," said the genie..

Edelweiss said:

I knew this string was going to be trouble when I saw the title, "Needing some opinions". Because you can see, no one on this board has any "opinons!!"

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I've learned to be very specific as to the subject matter I was seeking opinions on to

Wow!!! I think there is a lot of misunderstanding. This is not about not wanting to pay the tax. It is about wanting to do the right thing and not being told the way to do it. It appears that since I PAID for the 90 day extension due to my sincere plans to move North, as can be seen by the pase posts in this thread, I will be fined if I now go to Florida and ask to pay the sales tax. It is also about being able to leave a boat in any state dueing incliment weather and or personal conditions that may not allow you to move on. Scott, Mass doesn't require a registration for boats with haleing ports in the state or maybe it is if you are a resident. The point is that to apply for a Soljoourner registration in Florida you need to present a registration. I do not have one because Mass does not require one. Again this is simple. I own a boat and I am preceding with the paperwork as is required, taxes etc. I do not mind paying for the abulity to continue to support Floridas economy by having work done and storage in the state until I can go North safely in March or April. What could be simpler. There is really something wrong with the thought process in Florida. I was told not that many years ago if you moved to Florida you had to pay a large fee if you brought your car into the state. The reason, I was told, was they wanted to increase new car sales in the state. WOW!!! talk about screwed up and hedgemonic thinking / activity. Just think Florida is considered a swing state politically. No wonder the country is economically failing. But that is another subject and not one for here. Don't get me wrong Mass has it's problems in this area also, big ones. Logicaly I should pay the sales tax in Florida. Thise funds should stay in Florida no matter where the boat ends up. I should be able to name the port af call on the federal documentation papers anywhere I want. I may be asked to pay a temporary resident fee if the vessel stays in Florida for any extended length of time. If is really that simple. If anyone has any logicall reason why this is wrong I would love to hear them. I do not mean something like because the law doesn't allow it. Not all laws are written very well. I still have hope that someone in Florida's tax office has some degree of intelligence. I really can't believe there isn't a simple solution.

Don't ask for intelligence in these State tax offices. They are following the laws written by the State legislators. Many of those guys are as bad as our current crop of Congressmen. They are not looking out for average-joe. They are looking out for re-election, AND they need money to keep fueling their 'system', so lets see where we can get revenue, regardless of the other States.

Unless I am mistaken (happens occasionally!!) the sales tax in FL is 6% and sales tax in MA is 6.25%. So, you pay the 6% in FL, then you owe a net 0.25% in MA. I would double check with MA tax people. You may not have a problem if you intend to keep the boat in MA and pay MA sales tax anyway. Also, when we bought our boat in 2006, Charles Martin at Fl Revenue Boat Enforcement, Tallahassee, was quite helpful.

brian eiland said:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't there one political party in this country that feels that almost all matters should be left up to the individual states rather than the Federal government.

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Bingo! I would have bet good money that this response was inevitable!

SCOTTEDAVIS said:

I wont call you any names please feel free to act the same, unless you need to in order to communicate it which case I understand.

It was clear what you were implying so don't try to be cute and suggest otherwise.

As for the comments about my tax's, I won't dignify them with a response.

Good day,

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No where in my comment did I suggest avoiding taxes, I am in the tax business so I would never suggest that. We deal everyday with people that are less than honorable when it comes paying their fair share. The government passes laws that allows for this type of activity and the boating laws in Florida are a perfect example of this type of incompetent government. I am sorry that you interpret my statement the wrong way, that is your problem. BTW, have you filed that use tax yet for all your internet purchases? Do I need to report you? FL Dept Rev - Use Tax on Out-of-State Purchases

KPinn:
Even if you do not intend to keep your boat in RI you could register it there initially. Does not cost much for one year- no sales tax issue. That gives you RI docs you can use in FL. Then deal with MA later.
But, I would also encourage you to go talk with Charles Martin (assuming he is still there) at FL Tax (see above). Illogical situations can sometimes be corrected or worked-around.

Move to South Carolina, the maximum amount of sales tax on any purchase is $300!
Maximum Sales Tax

windmill29130 said:

No where in my comment did I suggest avoiding taxes, I am in the tax business so I would never suggest that. We deal everyday with people that are less than honorable when it comes paying their fair share. The government passes laws that allows for this type of activity and the boating laws in Florida are a perfect example of this type of incompetent government. I am sorry that you interpret my statement the wrong way, that is your problem. BTW, have you filed that use tax yet for all your internet purchases? Do I need to report you? FL Dept Rev - Use Tax on Out-of-State Purchases

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Like I posted in post #101...spent 2 hrs with the NJ div of taxation on the water guy....mostly pulling him off ground...so much for his enforcement day!

I knew what you meant...I brought it up in another thread... and ....

There are major differences between tax evasion and tax avoidance. Tax avoidance is legal.

windmill29130 said:

Move to South Carolina, the maximum amount of sales tax on any purchase is $300!
Maximum Sales Tax

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Yeah but when my buddy moved there with his 42 Catalina...his annual personal property tax was going to be an annual tax that was the same as most one time sales taxes in other states...

Then after months of research and wrangling..there are ways of reducing it to a fraction...but it still is going to be more than a 6% sales tax if he remains there with that boat for say 10 years.

Can't say exact numbers as I forget...but this starts to sound like the classic what states are better for taxes thread....it all depends on your personal financial situation.

As bad a Jersey is for taxes...they don't tax my military retirement and living on a boat I don't have their huge property taxes. So for me it's an OK state to live in...for most retirees with a taxable pension that want to live in certain areas...their property taxes alone exceed $20,000/year, let alone their income taxes.....

windmill29130 said:

Move to South Carolina, the maximum amount of sales tax on any purchase is $300!
Maximum Sales Tax

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Moonstruck's hailing port is Charleston, SC. Wonder why?