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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Can anyone clarify for me? I've often over 5 years had people bring things down for me from the US, some of those things being sent to them by a dealer elsewhere in the country. My experience has always been that something sent between two states didn't incur sales tax. I've just ordered something from a nation-wide mail order service to be sent to a friend in the US, and have been charged sales tax. I queried this with them and was told that sales tax is always chargeable, whether across state boundaries or not. Only the rate changes a bit.
Is the difference here simply that this business only sells mail order, to all states, so don't have a "normal" State in which they do business? Or is what they say right, that sales tax should have been charged on all transactions and I've just been lucky for the past five years?
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 3,484
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In my experience sales tax (varied by counties and states) should not be charged when ordring out of state or if being delivered to a freight forwarded with out of state/int'l address.
But, it has been about 20 years now out of the US.
SIN
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 3,955
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States have attempted to fill the gap by passing their own laws requiring all shipments into that state be subject to sales tax, regardless of the company's origin.
Now, while the company can ignore this most of the time by claiming they are not subject to such out-of-state laws, larger companies (and many that also have brick-and-mortar divisions) sometimes play nice and simply charge tax everywhere in order to keep legislators off their backs and minimize lawsuits by attorneys general.
Also, my state, Ohio, requires that I claim any internet purchases not already taxed on my income tax form.
I will have a Belikin -- put it on klcman's tab.
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Joined: May 2001
Posts: 476
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That is a common point of confusion. There is a difference between whether or not you are obligated to pay sales tax and whether or not the store is obligated to collect it.
In Indiana and I am guessing most states we are obligated to report and pay sales tax on any items purchased from a store that is not obligated to collect it. In other words if we buy mail order and the company does not collect the sales tax for us, we have to send it directly to the state.
Of course in practice, the vast majority of individuals do not bother to report or pay this type of "lost" sales tax. So Indiana and probably most of the country is full of a bunch of sales tax cheats and most of them don't even realize it...
My advice is shop around until you find a place that won't charge you sales tax (will vary by the state you are shipping to and the location(s) of the store).
Last edited by ChrisW; 06/11/07 03:51 PM.
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 705
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Here in Wi, if the out of state company I order from has a store in WI, I pay WI sales tax. If they do not have a "presence" in the state, no sales tax, although I'm supposed to report these on my income tax return and pay the tax.
Flyfishing my way through mid-life crisis.
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Academic anyway, as the purchase has just fallen through for another reason - delayed beyond the departure date of the person travelling. But the above comments are interesting - thanks to all. Does anyone know of anyone who will be coming to Belize from the lower 48 in 2-3 weeks' time who might be prepared to bring something?
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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 484
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For the most part, if the state from which you order has a brick and mortar, you pay the ordering state's sales tax
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