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Tom is a licensed Montana real estate agent helping a buyer finance the purchase of a home in Missoula. The buyer asks Tom whether they will need to pay Montana state sales tax on the purchase price at closing. How should Tom correctly respond?

Correct Answer

D) No, Montana has no general state sales tax, so no sales tax applies to the real estate purchase.

Montana is one of only five U.S. states with no general state sales tax. As a result, no state sales tax is imposed on real estate purchases or any other consumer transactions in Montana. Buyers and agents from other states sometimes incorrectly assume a sales tax component exists in Montana closing costs. This is a Montana-specific distinction that affects how closing costs are calculated.

Answer Options
A
Yes, Montana imposes a 2% real estate transfer tax that is split equally between buyer and seller.
B
No, real estate transfers are exempt from sales tax, but a documentary stamp tax of $1 per $1,000 applies.
C
Yes, Montana imposes a 4% state sales tax on real property transfers that is typically paid by the buyer at closing.
D
No, Montana has no general state sales tax, so no sales tax applies to the real estate purchase.

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Related Topics & Key Terms

Key Terms:

no_sales_taxclosing_coststransfer_taxmontana_tax_structurebuyer_costs

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