Assessor’s Office

THE 2023 REVALUATION HAS BEGUN. DATA COLLECTORS ARE OUT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS COLLECTING UPDATED INFORMATION FOR THE TOWN. 

SEE THEIR INFORMATION UNDER FILES AND FORMS.

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FOR ONLINE MAP AND PROPERTY CARD ACCESS.
PLEASE SEE THE LINK AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE

PLEASE GO TO THE BOARD OF ASSESSMENT APPEALS WEBPAGE FOR DATES OF APPEAL

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Eastford Assessment Information 

As a taxpayer, you may have questions about your assessments and how they are determined.

Q. What Types of property are subject to local property taxes?

• Real Estate: All real property listed on the current grant list.
• Personal Property: Equipment owned by industry, commercial furniture and fixtures, unregistered motor vehicles, campers and horses.
• Motor Vehicles: All motor vehicles registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles. These vehicles are coded by tax town and the Assessor is provided a list of registered vehicles annually by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Q. How is the value of my property arrived at?

• Personal Property is assessed at 70% of its market value, as determined by use of straight line depreciation, as of October 1st annually.
• Real Property is assessed at %70 of its total market value based on calculation from the index tables derived from the last revaluation as of October 1st annually. 
• Registered motor vehicles are valued using NADA cost guides and  assessed at 70% of the market value on October 1st annually. Supplemental bills are valued in the same manner and prorated by the date of purchase.

Q. What if I receive a tax bill for a vehicle I no longer own or have registered in another  state?

The motor vehicle tax bill you receive in July, is based upon the registration of that vehicle as of October 1st. The assessment calendar runs from October 1st through September 30th annually.  With the proper proof (s), your motor vehicle bill may be deleted or or pro-rated depending on the date of disposal. If your motor vehicle was sold, destroyed, stolen or registered out of state and NOT REPLACED with another vehicle using the same license plate.

In order to make an adjustment, you must provide two forms of proof to the Assessor. In addition to a plate receipt from DMV, one of the following forms of proof may be used.

1. Copy of bill of sale even in gifted situations
2. Copy of title transfer
3. Out of state registration
4. Insurance company statement -can only be submitted for totaled vehicles
5. Junked vehicle receipt
6. Copy of purchase agreement if traded in.

If you still have the vehicle, it is still taxable. You are required by state statute to claim this as an unregistered vehicle on the personal property form that can be obtained in the Assessor’s Office.

Q. What if I got a new vehicle and used the same plate?

If you took the plate from one vehicle and put it on another vehicle, you do not have to do anything. The billing will follow that plate. If you did this after October 1st the bill that you receive in July will be on the old motor vehicle, and next January you will receive a pro-rated tax bill on the new motor vehicle, with a pro-rated credit from the old motor vehicle applied to the new motor vehicle.

Q. What if I have license plates that I am no longer using or have lost?

Any plates that are not being used should be returned to the Motor Vehicle Department as soon as possible. Be sure to ask for a plate receipt and then bring a copy to the Assessor’s Office. If the plates are not returned they keep them active for two or more years and send us the listing, creating another tax bill. If you cannot find the plates or they are vanity plates that you want to keep, write to the DMV and list them as being lost.

Q. What if I no longer live in Eastford, but still live in Connecticut and I receive a motor vehicle tax bill from Eastford?

You will pay the July motor vehicle tax bill to the town you were residing in on October 1st. If you did not change your address with the DMV please do so as soon as possible. (Forms are available in the tax office.) The DMV sends your motor vehicle listing to the town that is on the address of your registration, as of October 1st. If the address is wrong, it will go to the wrong town and have to be transferred. We do not pro-rate between towns.

Q. What if I feel my property assessment is not accurate?

If you think your property assessment is not accurate or dispute its value, you have the right to request the Assessor to review it. You also have the right to appeal your assessment to the Board of Assessment Appeals (BAA). The BAA meets in March and September. You must notify the BAA in writing by February 20th for the March meeting and just show up at the Septmeber meeting as no application is required. The September meeting is only for motor vehicles.  Forms for this purpose are available online below and can be emailed or faxed by request from the Assessor’s Office. 

Q. What if I feel my vehicle assessment is not accurate?
First talk to the Assessor.  If not satisfied, you may appeal in writing to the Board of Assessment Appeals (BAA).

Q. Could I be eligible for any exemptions?

You may be eligible for one or more of the following exemptions:

• Veterans having served during a time of conflict.
• Spouse of a deceased veteran.
• Blind.
• M.V. of active duty service person stationed out of state.
• Forest/Farm/”Open Space.

FOR A FULL LIST PLEASE WATCH FOR THE ANNUAL ASSESSORS NOTICE which will be posted in the Communicator.

Please note some of the guidelines below.

Q. Are there any tax relief programs for senior citizens or for people on social security disability?

If you or your spouse are 65 years of age or older, or disabled and live in your own home, you may be eligible for a tax credit through the elderly/disabled low income homeowners program. Homeowners can get more information on this program by contacting the Assessor’s Office at 974-1291. If you are already on the program you will receive notice to file from the Assessor’s Office prior to the start of the program in the year you are due to file.

Q. How is the tax rate established?

In May of each year, the budget is voted on by the taxpayers at the Annual Town Meeting. If passed, the mill rate is set immediately following the meeting. The property tax rate is expressed in mills or thousandths of a dollar.

Elderly and Totally Disabled Tax Relief Program

The following tables show the levels of qualifying income for the Elderly and Totally Disabled Tax Relief Program for the current filing period. 

Homeowners Income and Grant Information-2022 Benefit Year  Filing Period: February 1st – May 15th
Income		Tax Credit %		Tax Credit Maximum		Tax Credit Minimum
Over	To	Married	Unmarried	Married	Unmarried	Married	Unmarried
$ 0	$20,200	50%	40%	$1,250	$1,000	$400	$350
$20,200	$27,100	40	30	1,000	750	350	250
$27,100	$33,800	30	20	750	500	250	150
$33,800	$40,300	20	10	500	250	150	150
$40,300	$49,100	10	0	250	0	150	0

The Additional Veterans’ exemption for income qualifying applicants will be based on the following income maximums: The maximum for single applicants will be $40,300, the maximum for married applicants will be $49,100. Also, if applicable the local option exemption for the Totally Disabled, Blind and Veterans’ programs can use these income maximums.

100% V.A. determined Disabled Veterans will continue to use $18,000 for single applicants and $21,000 for married applicants (adjusted gross income only; Social Security Income is not

The RENTERS PROGRAM filing period is April 1 – October 1

Please bring in your proof (s) of income, copy of tax return if applicable, SSA 1099 (s), Statement of rent payments from your landlord for the prior year or copy of cancelled checks and Utility statement for all payments made in the prior year. There maybe additional paperwork required for individual circumstances.

Assessor’s Office Files and Forms:

REVAL ID LETTER Asher – Eastford
REVAL ID LETTER Dave – Eastford
BAA APPLICATION FOR MARCH 2023
Long Declaration Form 2022
Short Declaration Form 2022
2022 Farm Machinery Exemption Application – M-28MHP
2022 Manufacturing Exemption Application
2022 Energy Exemption Application
Active Duty Military Exemption Application
Local Tax Deferral Application
Farmland Designation Application
Forest Land Designation Application
Open Space Application
PA-490 Farm Forest and Open Space Guide