Why do I get a Personal Property tax bill for my home and how is the value calculated?

Early in the writing of MA General Laws a personal property tax was created on a property owner's non real estate items such as farming tools and equipment, horses, cattle, furniture, appliances, etc. After many years the law was revised to exempt these items from taxation if the property was the "domicile" or primary residence of the owner.

Rather than requiring that Assessors value all the furniture, appliances, and furnishings in each city and town, the Department of Revenue requires that a study be conducted on second homes by the Assessing office every six years to determine the average value of the furniture, appliances and furnishings in homes, as a percentage of the building value. Our data indicated that on average the estimated market value of the personal property in Lenox is 3% of the building value for residential parcels and 3% for condominiums.

SECOND HOMEOWNERS -  PLEASE BE AWARE THAT  IF YOU ARE THE ASSESSED OWNER AS OF JANUARY 1st. 2024, YOU WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING THE ENTIRE FY 2025 PERSONAL PROPERTY BILLS.

MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL LAW Ch. 59 Sec. 18 provides that tangible personal property taxes shall be assessed to the owner of record as of January 1st.  The Supreme Judicial Court has held in all its cases that the question of ownership relates to the date when the status of the property is ascertained for the current year.  It is further held that taxes are assessed annually, not however, for a period of time but as of a fixed day and that it is immaterial if the property has been sold, destroyed or removed.  Therefore, the tax is due and payable for the entire Fiscal Year.