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1. What are personal property taxes?

All personal property located in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and personal property belonging to the residents of the Commonwealth wherever located, is subject to taxation unless expressly exempted by law.

For Fiscal Year of 2013 the City Council, at the request of the Mayor, voted in new legislation to raise the minimum taxable valuation on business personal property accounts from the low value of $500 to a more reasonable minimum value of $10,000. Passing this legislation helped the Mom and Pop and small corporate businesses that exist in our town.

2. What property is taxable?

Tangible (that is, physical) property is subject to the personal property tax unless exempted by statute. Items defined as tangible personal property range from the chairs in a barber shop, to the furnishings of a doctor’s waiting room; from the drills used by a dentist to the poles owed by a utility company. For a list of the taxation categories visit the Taxable Property page.

3. Where is personal property assessed?

Generally, all tangible personal property is assessed in the city or town in which the personal property is situated as of January 1. The principal exception in situations where personal property has only a temporary location as of January 1, the property is assessed at the residence of the owner.

4. What is the Form of List?

Each year, by March 1, all persons subject to taxation in a city or town must submit a list of all their personal property that is not exempt from taxation. These personal estate items must be included on the documentation known as the Form of List. Blank forms are available at the Assessor’s Office at:
36 Main Street
Agawam, MA 01001
Phone: 413-786-0400, ext. 8700.

Taxpayers are not required to estimate the value of the property included on the Form of List. The Assessor’s Office will determine the valuation, based on standard reference tables. In the event that a taxpayer does not submit the list, the Assessor will ascertain as best it can the personal estate belonging to the taxpayer and will estimate its value. Note: The Form of List is not open to public inspection.

5. Is there a penalty for not filing a Form of List?

There is a penalty for failing to file the Form of List pursuant to Massachusetts General Law’s c. 59, §64. A personal property taxpayer’s application for abatement may not be granted unless the taxpayer can show good cause for failure to file timely. Further, if the assessment of the personal estate exceeds by 50% the amount which would have been assessed had the list been timely filed, then only the amount which exceeds this 50% may be abated.

Information Requests - The Assessor’s Office may require an owner or lessee of personal property to provide certain information in writing, as may be reasonably necessary, to determine the actual fair cash valuation of the property. Failure to comply with the request within 30 days will bar any appeal of the tax assessed, unless the owner or lessee was unable to comply with the request for reasons beyond his or her control any false statement that is knowingly made will also bar the taxpayer from any statutory appeal.

6. Can personal property tax be abated?

Yes. However, applications for abatement of personal property tax are available only for 30 days after the issuance of the (first actual bill) which is usually the 3rd quarter tax bill. The filing deadline for Fiscal Year 2022 will be February 1, 2022.