Thinking about moving back home to Mass & have a question about excise tax

[intheflow]

I moved out of Massachusetts in 2001 to attend grad school in Colorado. Had no intention of ever moving back but now that my first grandchild has been born in Springfield, I am seriously reconsidering.

Here's my question, though: I think I left an excise bill unpaid. I didn't register my car in Colorado until 2004 (when I made the decision to stay here after grad school). How long do those taxes and charges remain on the record? How long do they seek collections? I imagine I could potentially owe thousands of dollars and that thought alone might keep me from returning home.

Anyone have any idea or experience with this?

[Warpy]

1. No idea. I always drove tuna wagons in Mass.

and never got hit with enough excise tax to bother ducking--or collecting if I'd ducked it.

I would think that yes, it's on the books and eventually you'll have to come up with a payment plan.

[intheflow]

3. Yeah, that's my worry - they don't offer repayment plans.

It looks like you have to cough up the full amount at time of demand.

[friendly_iconoclast]

2. Best to look into it. Most cities and towns are pretty militant about it.

[MannyGoldstein]

4. Forever, I believe.

I think that you can't register a car here until the excise taxes are paid - but I think the fine/interest is on he order of $50 per year.

Check it out, though. I may be wrong.

[intheflow]

5. Well, you give me hope it may not be as crippling a debt

as I fear. You may be wrong, but you're comforting and that counts for a lot.

[MannyGoldstein]

12. Here...

http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cisexc/excidx.htm

[pipi_k]

6. here ya go...

I tried reading through it so I could summarize, but didn't understand the legalese.

http://law.onecle.com/massachusetts/60a/2A.html

Oh, and it's nice to "meet" someone from Springfield. I was born and raised there. Seems like most Mass residents...past and present...are from the Boston area.

[intheflow]

8. I couldn't make my way through the legalese, either.

Why can't they just be forthright and tell it like it is?

I see you on the board all the time and never knew you from Springfield! Very cool! I very rarely meet anyone from there, and the only place in Massachusetts anyone has ever heard of out here is Bahston. I'm always being asked why I don't talk funny!

[pipi_k]

10. Oh yeah...

people think all Mass natives speak with the Bahston accent.

Not us. We don't have accents out here...

Anyway, I grew up in the North End till the age of ten, then moved to the Forest Park section, and then out to Pine Point till I got married.

Graduated from Commerce in 1970.

Which schools did you go to?

[intheflow]

11. I grew up in Wilbraham,

(Minnechaug Regional HS) but moved to the city when I turned 18. Lived down by Allen & Cooley for a few years, then in Forest Park for a few more. Moved to Watertown for a few years (yes, the very same Watertown that's been in the news so recently!) while I went to college. Then moved back and lived in FP and various outlying towns (mostly in Monson) until I moved out to Colorado. I would have been in FP on and off between 1982 and 1992.

[unhappycamper]

7. I'd suggest you give them a call and ask.

To reach the Telephone Center, you can call one of the following two numbers, depending on where you are located:

857-368-8000

From Massachusetts area codes 339/617/781/857
From outside of Massachusetts

[intheflow]

9. Thanks, unhappycamper!

I hadn't been able to find a number to call; can't even really remember the town I lived in where the tax might be levied as I moved a couple times in quick succession before moving west. This is very helpful.