New Lease Tax Law Likely to Be On Top of Attendees’ Minds

MEDIA INFORMATION
Contact: Mark Bilek
Senior Director of Communications and Technology
Chicago Automobile Trade Association
Office: (630) 424-6082
Cell: (847) 652-0632
Email: mbilek@drivechicago.com

Contact: Jennifer Morand
Director of Public Relations and Social Media
Chicago Automobile Trade Association
Office: (630) 424-6084
Cell: (630) 391-1986
Email: jmorand@drivechicago.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW LEASE TAX LAW LIKELY TO BE ON TOP OF ATTENDEES' MINDS

CHICAGO (Jan. 8, 2015) – Thanks to a new Illinois law that took effect Jan. 1, 2015, state taxes on vehicle leases were reduced by as much as 50 percent, allowing consumers to get more car for less money. House Bill 2317, signed by Gov. Pat Quinn in May 2014, alters the way taxes are collected on light-vehicle leases.

Prior to Jan. 1, a leasing customer paid tax on the entire purchase price of the vehicle. Now, customers who lease a vehicle pay taxes only on money due at lease inception and monthly lease payments. Because most vehicles have a residual value of 50 percent or more, this change reduces the taxes owed by new lessees by 50 percent.

Nationally, the number of new-vehicle owners that are leasing has grown to 26 percent – a figure that has doubled over the last five years. Illinois has lagged well behind at just 14 percent. Leasing rates in Chicago are among the lowest for any metro market in the United States. By comparison, New York metro has a lease rate of 50 percent and Cleveland, 48 percent. The change in the way vehicle leases are taxed in Illinois should make leasing a much more attractive option for new-car shoppers.

“The Chicago metro market has never had good lease penetration because of the way the state taxed vehicle leases,” said Colin Wickstrom, Chicago Auto Trade Association (CATA) chairman. “With this change in the tax law customers will be able to afford more car than ever – perhaps lowering their monthly payments at the same time.”

While many assume new-vehicle leasing is reserved just for luxury brands, a list of the top 10 models leased in the United States renders that assertion false. According to Experian Information Solutions, each of the top 10 lease vehicles has a starting M.S.R.P below $25,000. In addition, compared to buying, leasing can lower the monthly payment by $100 or more.

The Illinois new-car dealers accounted for $28.4 billion in total retail sales in 2013 – 15 percent of the state’s total. “The CATA, along with the Illinois Auto Dealers Association, worked to show the Illinois Department of Revenue that changing the way the state collects tax on vehicle leases would not only be good for the consumer, but would result in more revenue for the state,” said Dave Sloan, CATA president.

On Jan. 1 the CATA launched a million-dollar educational campaign branded “The Lease You Can Do: More Car, Less Money.” The multifaceted print, broadcast and online effort is designed to help Chicago area buyers understand why vehicle leasing makes financial sense and how the leasing tax law changes will help them lower monthly payments or afford a more expensive vehicle.

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About the Chicago Auto Show
The Chicago Auto Show is the largest auto show on the continent, spanning more than 1 million square feet of production, concept, and exotic vehicle exhibit space. In addition to hosting multiple world and North America vehicle debuts, the Chicago Auto Show's First Look for Charity raises more than $2 million annually for 18 vital Chicago organizations in a single night. The 2015 public show will be February 14-22. For more information, visit ChicagoAutoShow.com or Facebook.com/ChicagoAutoShow.

About The Chicago Automobile Trade Association
Founded in 1904, the Chicago Automobile Trade Association is the nation’s oldest and largest metropolitan dealer organization. It is comprised of more than 400 franchised new-car dealers and an additional 150 allied members. The group’s dealer members employ about 19,000 people in the metropolitan area. The association has produced the world famous Chicago Auto Show since 1935. For more information please visit CATA.info.

The 2015 Chicago Auto Show is officially sanctioned by the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers. Founded in Paris in 1919, it is known as the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobiles.

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