Drivers who bought new hybrid cars this year are in for another headache.
If you, the car owner and user, just bought a new fuel-efficient and in-vogue hybrid vehicle, it would be such a pain in the ass, but sorry. To say in a more subtle manner, you should have never made the acquisition sooner, or you simply should have waited.
That is because effective January 1, 2006, owners and buyers of several latest models of hybrid cars would be imposed hefty tax credits. Those credits will differ and vary a lot. Several of the hybrid vehicles available in the market will still not be entitled to any tax credit at all.
Tax credit
What is a tax credit? The term refers to the dollar amount or tax imposition imposed or designated to certain hybrid car models. The tax credits vary and differ from one hybrid model to another, sometimes depending on the overall functionality and the popularity.
New hybrid car buyers at this point are already scratching their heads, thinking about the mess they would be entering. And they have enough reasons to take anti-depressant pills.
The new tax credit for hybrid cars in the United States is part of an energy legislation forged and ratified into a full pledged law or regulation.
The new rules are set to encourage consumers into buying green vehicles, or the so called hybrid cars, which are not only gasoline efficient but also environmentally friendly.
But problems and discrepancies come in when the changes or modifications from the old tax breaks systems for traditional gas-powered cars are altered or modified for certain hybrid cars models.
Computations
Perhaps, the problems and frustrations drivers and hybrid car owners encounter in the latest wave of tax credit grants are arising from the computations of the tax credit system.
These computations are not that simple and are made complex and complicated by the two important components. The first component is the fuel economy rating.
This is where most of the problems arise for the taxation of the hybrid cars, which is supposed to be simple and greatly appreciated by hybrid car buyers.
To the contrary, the tax measure is found to be miserable and complicated, making hybrid car buyers regret their purchase for a while.
It is because most of the hybrid cars available or purchasable in the market today fail on the fuel economy ratings, that are required by the federal government before the hybrid car is qualified for a tax credit.
So the effort to reduce the tax imposition for hybrid cars, and eventually entice car buyers into buying them, is made simply futile and a worthless initiative.
The other component of the tax credit computation is the ‘conservation credit.’ The conservation tax credit is based on the hybrid car model’s projected and computed fuel savings on it entire life span.
In this aspect, almost all the hybrid car models available in the market today are also failing. Thus, it is certain that if you are a hybrid car buyer this year, there is a lesser and slimmer chance for you to be able to secure tax credits or tax savings.
Computing and considering the tax savings you could probably save if your hybrid car is qualified for a tax credit would certainly make you falter and regret the tax system. For sure, you would have the sentiment that it could have been better if the tax credit is simply not offered at all.
List of hybrid cars on the tax credit system
To be able to get a complete and accurate listing of the new hybrid car models that are qualified to secure tax credits, visit the online site of the US Treasury.
The site can be accessed at www.ustreas.gov. If you recently purchased a hybrid car, or are planning to buy one, check if your hybrid car model is qualified for hefty tax credits.
