Some Iowa MH owners facing big tax problems.

RAS43 wrote:

TucsonJim wrote:
Wow - great article. If I was a resident of Iowa who'd registered my RV in Montana, I'd be real worried right now. I'd have to consider moving or paying up.

Colorado did the same thing about 5-6 years ago. Caught a lot of people with Colorado driver's license and homes and Montana plates on their vehicles. Millions into the state coffers and I don't see many Montana plates around much except in campgrounds.

Hmmmm ... wonder if the enforcement costs were higher or lower than the revenue generated? Based on what government usually costs versus the revenue, probably no easy answer.

But I'd have no problem betting it wasn't much gain for Colorado in the long run - maybe good return at first, but once the 'RV folks" figure it out, it won't last long - and the 'agency' will continue ad infinitum ...

TucsonJim wrote:
Wow - great article. If I was a resident of Iowa who'd registered my RV in Montana, I'd be real worried right now. I'd have to consider moving or paying up.

Colorado did the same thing about 5-6 years ago. Caught a lot of people with Colorado driver's license and homes and Montana plates on their vehicles. Millions into the state coffers and I don't see many Montana plates around much except in campgrounds.

Byrogie wrote:
If governments were fiscally responsibile, I wouldn't mind paying taxes/fees.
But, they are not, so I do whatever I can to avoid paying.

Once you learn this, then you can do what you can to avoid paying taxes by any legal means.

I've legally registered my coaches in several states over the years by using addresses I've gotten in those states. Five different states and counting. You don't need to get an LLC in Montana, that's just too costly to setup and maintain every year - just have an address there for the paperwork and title to come to. Oregon is a very good state to register your newly acquired coach in too. No sales tax last time I checked. Montana had a flat rate of $450.00 regardless what you paid for your unit when I checked several years ago. You can't beat that! With the Internet, you can research online any given state's rules to register in less than 5 minutes too.

DiskDoctr wrote:
Here's an interesting TWIST to this question...

If the MH is owned by a Corporation, does that make it a COMMERCIAL vehicle? As such, it would NOT be exempt from 'Commercial Drivers License' (CDL) requirements for drivers and/or DOT number requirements.

Thoughts?

It's not in Ca. Case in point. Friend has an LLC in MT. Has a class 8 Volvo and a 45 footer. He was pulled over in Ca for blowing a scale.

CHP came up and wanted he log books and CDL. He told him he didn't have them and didn't need them because his big rig was reg'ed as a MH. The CHP said we will see about that. He we back to his car and radioed in. He came back and tossed all his papers in the cab and said have a nice day, you're free to go.

So what if you 'rent' the RV from the LLC? If you have a rental agreement, you wouldn't need a CDL and shouldn't have a problem with 'ownership' right?

Even in Iowa you should be able to rent a MH, right?

I don't think I've ever had a 'local state' plate on any of the many, many rental vehicles I've rented, though they are certainly within the state for more than 90 days. Granted, not a MH.

But then as mentioned, the insurance (commercial?) may be different?

DiskDoctr wrote:
Here's an interesting TWIST to this question...

If the MH is owned by a Corporation, does that make it a COMMERCIAL vehicle? As such, it would NOT be exempt from 'Commercial Drivers License' (CDL) requirements for drivers and/or DOT number requirements.

Thoughts?

Supposedly - CA has done that.

LLC = Limited Liability COMPANY (or CORPORATION).

How/where enforced?
At the required Ag inspection on entering the state.

As well as -if the owner has a CA DL- requiring the LLC to be the "registered owner" in CA.

Giant can of worms!.:(

~

DiskDoctr wrote:
Here's an interesting TWIST to this question...

If the MH is owned by a Corporation, does that make it a COMMERCIAL vehicle? As such, it would NOT be exempt from 'Commercial Drivers License' (CDL) requirements for drivers and/or DOT number requirements.

Thoughts?

an interesting question, and how would that affect the insurance rate, classification, etc.?
bumpy

Here's an interesting TWIST to this question...

If the MH is owned by a Corporation, does that make it a COMMERCIAL vehicle? As such, it would NOT be exempt from 'Commercial Drivers License' (CDL) requirements for drivers and/or DOT number requirements.

Thoughts?

Try Mass on a new vehicle purchase ... pay state tax, then almost the same amount on local excise tax, then pay it again annually until the value reaches a certain point, then remains steady annually as long as you own the vehicle, and you still pay registration fees bi-annually as well, AND road fees as tax each time you purchase fuel.

Supposedly for maintenance of the roads (and of course, administrative) ... then bounce around on those supposedly maintained roads until you wear out your shocks.

I do believe if a tax is reasonable, and the taxes revenue spent in a manner than indicates the 'work' is properly done (read that road repair in this case), folks would not be so disheartened with the taxes, and would not attempt to 'evade' or find loopholes.

It's the "raise the tax to cover the fundamentals instead of streamlining the process" mindset that annoys the folks that pay for services.

belfert wrote:

westernrvparkowner wrote:
on the license plate on their vehicle. I happen to live in Montana. My RV has Montana plates. I would be fuming mad if I was singled out and forced to prove my residency because I happened to take my Motorhome to a football game in Iowa. No

So, you show your Montana driver's license and go on your way.

Showing your "papers" when crossing state lines is a very dangerous requirement.