 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: edk
Date: 2007-02-15 15:40
I'm strongly considering ordering a clarinet from our Canadian friends to the north - I'm in the Chicago area. Does anyone have any experience concerning what additional fees, taxes, etc. might be applicable (besides normal shipping and handling?)
Thanks-
edk
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Author: Imperial Zeppelin
Date: 2007-02-15 19:27
You'll have to pay US duty which I think is 10%, but don't quote me....
AND HERE'S THE KICKER!!! You'll owe Illinois Sales Tax!!! I bought a piece of fine Venetian glass in Venice and had it shipped to my home in Illinois a few years ago. This item was in the same price range as a Buffet Prestige. Paid my duty and got my art. A couple of years later the "dear" State of Illinois sent me a note saying I owe them sales tax on this item and, since I didn't pay it right away, I also owed them interest!! They must check the import duty tax rolls for Illinois residents. I never thought that "fine art" from a foreign country qualified for sales tax, but in Illinois' mind, anything you buy from overseas qualifies for sales tax. They sent a lovely pamphlet stating as "responsible citizens" we all should declare whatever we buy from anywhere that is sent to Illinois. Yeah, right!
Do yourself a favor and hope that WWBW get's it's act together. Then drive out there, pick out an instrument and have them ship that one back to your home, sales tax free. Our great state has yet to figure that one out, but I'm sure it will happen someday too...
Post Edited (2007-02-15 19:29)
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Author: stevensfo
Date: 2007-02-15 19:57
-- "You'll have to pay US duty which I think is 10%, but don't quote me...." --
We have the same problem in Europe. Here in Italy, we should pay about 20% tax on imports above...approx $40. I've got away with it most times, but occasionally someone in the post office has obviously had too much caffeine and I have to pay.
It still works out cheaper than Europe!
-- "I bought a piece of fine Venetian glass in Venice and had it shipped to my home in Illinois a few years ago." --
Venice is the most romantic city in the world! But never, ever go between mid June and end of August! If you have to go in the summer, always find a hotel on the 'Lido'. It's not in the centre, but apart from being cheaper, it's only a short boat trip from the centre and has the advantage of great beaches.
Steve (wondering what this has to do with clarinets)
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Author: ABerry
Date: 2007-02-15 20:41
EDK, If you're looking for a Buffet, you may want to give Walter Grabner a try. He is right there in the Chicago area at ClarinetXpress...
Allan
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2007-02-15 21:10
Imperial Zeppelin wrote:
>
The most blatantly disregarded tax is call the "use tax" and it's on almost every state income tax form (if you have income tax & a sales tax) or a special form if you have sales tax only. All purchases from out of state are supposed to be declared and tax paid. Uh huh, like anyone records them ...
But, this is the rationale for a coordinated "Internet tax" on sales ...
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Author: John O'Janpa
Date: 2007-02-15 23:22
North Carolina "estimates" how much out of state sales tax you should pay based on your income. You have to pay it unless you can prove you bought less than the amount they estimate.
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Author: Merlin
Date: 2007-02-16 01:58
John O'Janpa wrote:
> North Carolina "estimates" how much out of state sales tax you
> should pay based on your income. You have to pay it unless you
> can prove you bought less than the amount they estimate.
Didn't your country fight a war 200 and some odd years ago over this very thing?
(Strikes me as taxation w/o representation...)
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Author: Brenda ★2017
Date: 2007-02-16 02:30
If you decide to drive across the Canadian border to pick it up you´d most likely pay GST on the item. The GST tax is recoverable by visitors to Canada, but only if you buy the item before April 1st, 2007 and export it within 60 days of purchase. This GST rebate program is soon being axed by the Federal Government.
If you order your item and it´s delivered to you outside of Canada, chances are you won´t be charged GST. In the remote chance you are then it´s recoverable up to April 1, 2007. Instructions are on the CRA website: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tax/nonresidents/visitors/individuals/receipts-e.html#P79_4805
Tax in your state is another story.
When Canadians buy items abroad we have a certain dollar amount that we´re allowed to bring into Canada based on the time we were out. Above that we have to pay duty and both the GST and the provincial tax at the border. Anything shipped to us is eligible for both taxes as well, the same as if it were purchased here. Looks like the story is the same, just the amount of tax is different depending on where you live.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2007-02-16 03:59
Here is Israel for any order exactly or over $50 we have to pay VAT + tax which varies depeneding on the item from 15.5% to 36%. If what you order (like 99% of all things) is not in the customs list, then they can choose what the % of tax is, most likely based on their mood at the moment. Sometimes orders will go through without any tax, which is time for a party 
I haven't yet heard of a country with a higher import tax than mine, but maybe there is one. Does anyone know?
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Author: Merlin
Date: 2007-02-16 11:10
Brenda wrote:
"If you decide to drive across the Canadian border to pick it up you´d most likely pay GST on the item. The GST tax is recoverable by visitors to Canada, but only if you buy the item before April 1st, 2007 and export it within 60 days of purchase. This GST rebate program is soon being axed by the Federal Government."
If he drives across the border, he'll pay GST & PST if it's a province that has those, or alternately, HST.
If a customer is taking the item from the shop, the business is obliged to charge the taxes, unless they present a PST # and waiver form, or unless the customer has tax free status (e.g. First Nations Canadians).
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Author: dgclarinet
Date: 2007-02-16 12:34
I had a similar question regarding the ICS conference this July in Vancouver. Will purchases made there will be subject to all the above taxes (GST, PST, whatever else Canada and BC come up with between now and July)? They wouldn't do that to poor clarinet players would they?
I'm a cpa, but dealing with sales type taxes between different countries is a little out of my realm. Canada does seem to tax anything and everything they possibly can though.
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Author: Brenda ★2017
Date: 2007-02-17 03:19
The GST (Goods and Services Tax) is the Canadian federal tax, and since July 2006 it's been reduced to 6%. (There are thick books of ifs, ands and buts declaring innumerable variations for particular industries and circumstances, but for the average consumer, GST is 6%). Then each province has its own tax. British Columbia (where Vancouver is located) has a 7% provincial sales tax, better than Ontario (8%) but worse than Alberta (0%).
So when buying something in B.C., expect to pay 13% sales tax. There are always exceptions when something is shipped outside of the province. Check with the retailer, they´ll know. Some retailers include all taxes in the selling price, so check that out when buying something. A couple of BB posters are from there and can probably say with more certainty what happens there at these events.
Here in Ontario the PST people are extremely vigilant about collecting their pound of flesh, even at fairs and the sort. They´d love to have people collect the tax at a garage sale if they could! (That´s from a conversation one of our office staff had with the PST office regarding a client´s question.)
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Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2007-02-17 18:02
I purchased a clarinet from Stephen Fox (Toronto) in 2000 and had my GST refunded at the Michigan border, but I understand that this program has changed.
Googling "ontario travel gst" gave these hits and much more:
Link 1
Link 2
Link 3
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2007-02-17 19:40
I must live in tax paradise - 7.6% VAT on everything above ~50$ (depending on sun spot activity and Dow Jones index), plus import duties and a handling fee. Cheap clunkers from That Auction Site usually come free, for everything else there's a 20% chance you pay for some meaningless papers and an extra sticker on the box.
--
Ben
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