Languish.org

It's called a "use tax" in South Carolina, anyway.  Other states and countries may differ on the terminology, and some jurisdictions do not require them at all, but the general idea is that physical shit you buy from out of jurisdiction through Amazon or similar, to be used in your jurisdiction, should be reported on your tax return and your refund debited to the amount your jurisdiction sets.  It's essentially a sales tax that you haven't paid but your government is legally due.

I added up my stuff from amazon.com and amazon.co.uk and it seems I owed about $70 in use tax.  It's lame, and sales taxes are sort of evil in principle, but it is the law and I can't really say that having to pay 6% on what really amounts to luxury goods is egregiously unfair.*  So, I reported and paid it out of my refund.

Did you remember?  Did you even care?

*Indeed, SC--the state that produced economic psychopath Jim DeMint--has been surprisingly progressive as far as their sales tax regime goes.  The tax on groceries is only 1%--this doesn't include cat food, though, and I'm considering calling my state rep to see if he can get that changed.  Kitties gotta eat too.

Why are sales taxes - as long as they do not apply to "staples" - any more or less evil than income taxes?

I'm pretty sure my state requires the vendors to charge me the tax, so I pay it at point of sale.

Oh - also: I haven't paid a "use tax", because Oregon has no sales tax.

Quote from: fahdiz on February 27, 2013, 06:58:27 PM
Why are sales taxes - as long as they do not apply to "staples" - any more or less evil than income taxes?

Sometimes a poor person wants to buy a DVD, Paternalistic Pete.

Sales taxes are evil, no matter how complex and nuanced they may be, because there is a far superior revenue generator: progressive taxes on paychecks and profits.

Quote from: fahdiz on February 27, 2013, 07:00:49 PM
Oh - also: I haven't paid a "use tax", because Oregon has no sales tax.

And Oregon will be spared from the flood.  So stop being contrary.

What's the point of a use tax if most people fail to pay and rarely does the gov't check?

Quote from: Ideologue on February 27, 2013, 07:02:00 PM
Sometimes a poor person wants to buy a DVD, Paternalistic Pete.

Moral argument against sales taxes: insufficiently progressive, affect the poor to a greater degree than the wealthy. Understood.

QuoteSales taxes are evil, no matter how complex and nuanced they may be, because there is a far superior revenue generator: progressive taxes on paychecks and profits.

Sudden shift in moral argument against sales taxes: morality is determined by efficiency of revenue generation. Okay.

Quote from: Ideologue on February 27, 2013, 07:02:33 PM

Quote from: fahdiz on February 27, 2013, 07:00:49 PM
Oh - also: I haven't paid a "use tax", because Oregon has no sales tax.

And Oregon will be spared from the flood.  So stop being contrary.

I'm not being contrary; I answered your fucking poll with one of the answers you provided :P

Quote from: fahdiz on February 27, 2013, 07:06:23 PM

Quote from: Ideologue on February 27, 2013, 07:02:00 PM
Sometimes a poor person wants to buy a DVD, Paternalistic Pete.

Moral argument against sales taxes: insufficiently progressive, affect the poor to a greater degree than the wealthy. Understood.

QuoteSales taxes are evil, no matter how complex and nuanced they may be, because there is a far superior revenue generator: progressive taxes on paychecks and profits.

Sudden shift in moral argument against sales taxes: morality is determined by efficiency of revenue generation. Okay.

I didn't say more efficient.  While that may also be the case, I said superior, i.e. morally superior.  Sales (and property) taxes are morally inferior to wage and profit taxes, because the former--even when relatively well-designed--are far likelier to exact an unfair result, and indeed, can seriously impact people who don't even have wages or profits.

Quote from: Ideologue on February 27, 2013, 07:14:07 PM
I didn't say more efficient.  While that may also be the case, I said superior, i.e. morally superior.  Sales (and property) taxes are morally inferior to wage and profit taxes, because the former--even when relatively well-designed--are far likelier to exact an unfair result, and indeed, can seriously impact people who don't even have wages or profits.

Ah, I took your "superior" in terms of effectiveness rather than morality.

Quote from: Ideologue on February 27, 2013, 06:53:16 PM
*Indeed, SC--the state that produced economic psychopath Jim DeMint--has been surprisingly progressive as far as their sales tax regime goes.  The tax on groceries is only 1%--this doesn't include cat food, though, and I'm considering calling my state rep to see if he can get that changed.  Kitties gotta eat too.

I'm confused. As far as I know most places don't charge tax on food groceries.

I'm so fucking honest.

Here, let me tell you a quick story. So last Saturday I fly back from Cuba. In Cuba I bought two bottles of Havana Club rum. That's two 700 ml bottles. Now, Canada Customs allows you to bring back 1.14L of alcohol without paying duties. I have no idea where they got that number but they did.
So, I fill out my declaration form on the plane and tick the "Are you bring more than your allowance" or whatever it actually says.
So I show my declaration card to the officer at the counter. A cute young blonde, for what its worth. She looks over my form:
"What you bringing over the allowance?"
"Well, I brought back two bottles of rum and that puts me slightly over the allowance."
"Two 750 ml bottles?" she nods.
"Actually two 700ml bottles."
She smiles. "You're right that is over. Most people don't seem to think so."
Me, a bit relaxed and feelign slightly flirtatious now. "Yeah, people say you can bring back two bottles, but on the form it says 1.14L"
She signs my card and says. "You know in all the years I've done this you're the first person to actually declare two bottles." She smiles, a bit too condescendingly i thought. "But thanks for being honest."

:D

"I will never, ever fuck you."

Quote from: Josephus on February 27, 2013, 07:29:43 PM
She signs my card and says. "You know in all the years I've done this you're the first person to actually declare two bottles." She smiles, a bit too condescendingly i thought. "But thanks for being honest."

Good you made her waste more of her time.

Should have downed half the bottle. "There, now I'm under the limit!"

:P

Quote from: Josephus on February 27, 2013, 07:29:43 PM
Me, a bit relaxed and feelign slightly flirtatious now. "Yeah, people say you can bring back two bottles, but on the form it says 1.14L"

The seduction community salutes you for your suave line of patter.

Quote from: fahdiz on February 27, 2013, 07:30:38 PM
:D

"I will never, ever fuck you."

Chicks like guys who appear to be dangerous rebels.  Being honest on your customs declaration?  No chance.

Quote from: Admiral Yi on February 27, 2013, 07:47:15 PM

Quote from: Josephus on February 27, 2013, 07:29:43 PM
Me, a bit relaxed and feelign slightly flirtatious now. "Yeah, people say you can bring back two bottles, but on the form it says 1.14L"

The seduction community salutes you for your suave line of patter.

"If you take out the weight of the glass, it's less than 1.14L" :nerd:

Quote from: garbon on February 27, 2013, 07:43:46 PM

Quote from: Josephus on February 27, 2013, 07:29:43 PM
She signs my card and says. "You know in all the years I've done this you're the first person to actually declare two bottles." She smiles, a bit too condescendingly i thought. "But thanks for being honest."

Good you made her waste more of her time.

Are you a moron in addition to being a faggot?  Where else did she have to be?

Quote from: fahdiz on February 27, 2013, 07:50:08 PM

Quote from: Admiral Yi on February 27, 2013, 07:47:15 PM

Quote from: Josephus on February 27, 2013, 07:29:43 PM
Me, a bit relaxed and feelign slightly flirtatious now. "Yeah, people say you can bring back two bottles, but on the form it says 1.14L"

The seduction community salutes you for your suave line of patter.

"If you take out the weight of the glass, it's less than 1.14L" :nerd:

A litre is a measure of volume, not mass.

Quote from: Neil on February 27, 2013, 07:51:41 PM

Quote from: fahdiz on February 27, 2013, 07:50:08 PM

Quote from: Admiral Yi on February 27, 2013, 07:47:15 PM

Quote from: Josephus on February 27, 2013, 07:29:43 PM
Me, a bit relaxed and feelign slightly flirtatious now. "Yeah, people say you can bring back two bottles, but on the form it says 1.14L"

The seduction community salutes you for your suave line of patter.

"If you take out the weight of the glass, it's less than 1.14L" :nerd:

A litre is a measure of volume, not mass.

(That's the point.)

Are you fucking kidding me?

Quote from: Neil on February 27, 2013, 07:51:00 PM

Quote from: garbon on February 27, 2013, 07:43:46 PM

Quote from: Josephus on February 27, 2013, 07:29:43 PM
She signs my card and says. "You know in all the years I've done this you're the first person to actually declare two bottles." She smiles, a bit too condescendingly i thought. "But thanks for being honest."

Good you made her waste more of her time.

Are you a moron in addition to being a faggot?  Where else did she have to be?

Time, darling, not place. :hug:

She could have been using her downtime to contemplate world peace or alternative energy. Instead she had to listen to a geezer trying to be clever. :D

:lol:

I actually use out of province retailers to avoid it.

<---- filthy tax cheating fuck

Quote from: garbon on February 27, 2013, 07:59:49 PM

Quote from: Neil on February 27, 2013, 07:51:00 PM

Quote from: garbon on February 27, 2013, 07:43:46 PM

Quote from: Josephus on February 27, 2013, 07:29:43 PM
She signs my card and says. "You know in all the years I've done this you're the first person to actually declare two bottles." She smiles, a bit too condescendingly i thought. "But thanks for being honest."

Good you made her waste more of her time.

Are you a moron in addition to being a faggot?  Where else did she have to be?

Time, darling, not place. :hug:

She could have been using her downtime to contemplate world peace or alternative energy. Instead she had to listen to a geezer trying to be clever. :D

She's in Canada Customs.  The only thing she was conemplating is the obscene ways she was going to sex guys who were daring enough to sneak through extra duty-free booze.

And the reason that it is 1.14 L for the duty free amount is that 1.14 L is roughly 40 imperial ounces.  Thus, you can bring a 40 in duty free.

Quote from: garbon on February 27, 2013, 07:59:49 PM

Quote from: Neil on February 27, 2013, 07:51:00 PM

Quote from: garbon on February 27, 2013, 07:43:46 PM

Quote from: Josephus on February 27, 2013, 07:29:43 PM
She signs my card and says. "You know in all the years I've done this you're the first person to actually declare two bottles." She smiles, a bit too condescendingly i thought. "But thanks for being honest."

Good you made her waste more of her time.

Are you a moron in addition to being a faggot?  Where else did she have to be?

Time, darling, not place. :hug:

She could have been using her downtime to contemplate world peace or alternative energy. Instead she had to listen to a geezer trying to be clever. :D

Downtime? At Pearson International Airport? You're kidding right.

Quote from: Neil on February 27, 2013, 08:03:48 PM

And the reason that it is 1.14 L for the duty free amount is that 1.14 L is roughly 40 imperial ounces.  Thus, you can bring a 40 in duty free.

See I learned something today. I never knew that.

Quote from: Josephus on February 27, 2013, 08:14:54 PM
Downtime? At Pearson International Airport? You're kidding right.

That means nothing to me. :unsure:

Quote from: garbon on February 27, 2013, 08:21:24 PM

Quote from: Josephus on February 27, 2013, 08:14:54 PM
Downtime? At Pearson International Airport? You're kidding right.

That means nothing to me. :unsure:

Canada's busiest Airport. It's our O'hare.

Quote from: Neil on February 27, 2013, 08:03:48 PM
She's in Canada Customs.  The only thing she was conemplating is the obscene ways she was going to sex guys who were daring enough to sneak through extra duty-free booze.

:lol:

I've noticed a few hotties working Canadian customs.

Even odder than that is how freakin' young some of them are.  "Are you girls doing this as a junior high project?"

Quote from: garbon on February 27, 2013, 07:18:56 PM

Quote from: Ideologue on February 27, 2013, 06:53:16 PM
*Indeed, SC--the state that produced economic psychopath Jim DeMint--has been surprisingly progressive as far as their sales tax regime goes.  The tax on groceries is only 1%--this doesn't include cat food, though, and I'm considering calling my state rep to see if he can get that changed.  Kitties gotta eat too.

I'm confused. As far as I know most places don't charge tax on food groceries.

Some state do, some don't.  Of the ones that do, most tax groceries at a lower rate than other stuff, but even that's not universal (or at least it didn't use to be).

I voted "other".  I don't even know if NC charges a use tax, and I have no intention of finding out.

Where's the option for "I was too broke to buy anything so I have no taxes to pay"? :unsure:

:P

Quote from: dps on February 27, 2013, 10:00:50 PM

Quote from: garbon on February 27, 2013, 07:18:56 PM

Quote from: Ideologue on February 27, 2013, 06:53:16 PM
*Indeed, SC--the state that produced economic psychopath Jim DeMint--has been surprisingly progressive as far as their sales tax regime goes.  The tax on groceries is only 1%--this doesn't include cat food, though, and I'm considering calling my state rep to see if he can get that changed.  Kitties gotta eat too.

I'm confused. As far as I know most places don't charge tax on food groceries.

Some state do, some don't.  Of the ones that do, most tax groceries at a lower rate than other stuff, but even that's not universal (or at least it didn't use to be).

I'm pretty sure it was less than a decade ago SC changed it--it used to be 6% like everything else.  (Well, almost everything.  Restaurant tax in Richland Cty. is like 9%.  Retarded.)

QuoteI voted "other".  I don't even know if NC charges a use tax, and I have no intention of finding out.

Quote from: NC Dept. of RevenueWhat is use tax?

The use tax is a tax due on purchases, leases, and rentals of tangible personal property and certain digital property purchased, leased or rented inside or outside this State for storage, use, or consumption in North Carolina. The use tax is also due on taxable services sourced to North Carolina. The use tax is paid to the North Carolina Department of Revenue by the purchaser when the North Carolina tax has not been collected by the seller.

What is the use tax rate?

The use tax is calculated at the same rate as the sales tax.

:)

The European Union and customs make sure that I pay VAT no matter where I order something.No self declaration necessary.

Cheating on taxes is my God-given right as an American.

Quote from: Habbaku on February 28, 2013, 12:48:09 AM
Cheating on taxes is my God-given right as an American.

God's gonna claim plausible deniability on that one.

Quote from: fahdiz on February 28, 2013, 01:01:27 AM

Quote from: Habbaku on February 28, 2013, 12:48:09 AM
Cheating on taxes is my God-given right as an American.

God's gonna claim plausible deniability on that one.

That's because he also cheats on his taxes.

Quote from: Habbaku on February 28, 2013, 12:48:09 AM
Cheating on taxes is my God-given right as an American.

Typical Southern Conservative. :rolleyes:

I haven't heard of a use tax here. But I'm sure Massachusetts will be looking at such a thing soon. New ways of taxing are always a win idea here.

I heard on the news this morning that the state is going ahead with a new type road toll on the Tobin bridge in Boston. People will pay tolls electronically with their ezpass device or pictures of license plates will be taken and you'll get a bill in the mail. Oh happy days. Partly because we use less gas in our fuel efficient cars the state needs new avenues of taxes for roads. Time to go back to the gas guzzlers I guess.     ;)

Quote from: Habbaku on February 28, 2013, 12:48:09 AM
Cheating on taxes is my God-given right as an American.

Oh, so you also claim the 10% you give to the church every year? :)

Quote from: KRonn on February 28, 2013, 09:27:07 AM
I haven't heard of a use tax here. But I'm sure Massachusetts will be looking at such a thing soon. New ways of taxing are always a win idea here.

Google shows that Massachusetts has it.

On that toll road bit, that's how it is already on the Mass Pike. :unsure:

Quote from: dps on February 27, 2013, 10:00:50 PM
Some state do, some don't.  Of the ones that do, most tax groceries at a lower rate than other stuff, but even that's not universal (or at least it didn't use to be).

Well I looked and CA, MA and NY don't so that's good enough for me.

Quote from: Razgovory on February 28, 2013, 07:52:38 AM

Quote from: Habbaku on February 28, 2013, 12:48:09 AM
Cheating on taxes is my God-given right as an American.

Typical Southern Conservative. :rolleyes:

Typical Whiny Raz. :rolleyes:

Quote from: Zanza on February 28, 2013, 12:44:34 AM
The European Union and customs make sure that I pay VAT no matter where I order something.No self declaration necessary.

If > 22 euros when ordering from outside the EU, in theory.  :smarty:

Quote from: Admiral Yi on February 27, 2013, 08:42:28 PM
I've noticed a few hotties working Canadian customs.

Even odder than that is how freakin' young some of them are.  "Are you girls doing this as a junior high project?"

If you are coming through in the summer it would be pretty close.  The border guard hires summer students as young as first year university.

Quote from: grumbler on February 28, 2013, 07:21:06 AM

Quote from: fahdiz on February 28, 2013, 01:01:27 AM

Quote from: Habbaku on February 28, 2013, 12:48:09 AM
Cheating on taxes is my God-given right as an American.

God's gonna claim plausible deniability on that one.

That's because he also cheats on his taxes.

If there's one organization on earth with more arbitrary power and inscrutable workings than God, it's the IRS.

Quote from: fahdiz on February 28, 2013, 02:36:36 PM

Quote from: grumbler on February 28, 2013, 07:21:06 AM

Quote from: fahdiz on February 28, 2013, 01:01:27 AM

Quote from: Habbaku on February 28, 2013, 12:48:09 AM
Cheating on taxes is my God-given right as an American.

God's gonna claim plausible deniability on that one.

That's because he also cheats on his taxes.

If there's one organization on earth with more arbitrary power and inscrutable workings than God, it's the IRS.

Unfortunately, it's a lot harder to simply not believe in the IRS ...

You may not believe in Them, but they believe in you.

I always pay my taxes as honestly as I can.  Fear is keeping the local systems in line, fear of the taxman.

Quote from: Valmy on February 28, 2013, 05:31:48 PM
I always pay my taxes as honestly as I can.  Fear is keeping the local systems in line, fear of the taxman.

Doesn't really speak to the use tax though. Until this thread, I had no idea such a thing existed and I've hardly kept track of my purchase made in state let alone out of state.

Quote from: garbon on February 28, 2013, 05:45:51 PM

Quote from: Valmy on February 28, 2013, 05:31:48 PM
I always pay my taxes as honestly as I can.  Fear is keeping the local systems in line, fear of the taxman.

Doesn't really speak to the use tax though. Until this thread, I had no idea such a thing existed and I've hardly kept track of my purchase made in state let alone out of state.

QuoteNew York State and local sales taxes are imposed on taxable property and services purchased or delivered to you in New York State. In most instances, when you purchase a taxable item or service in the state, or if it is delivered to you in the state, the seller will collect sales tax from you. The seller then pays the tax over to the Tax Department.

Use tax is a tax imposed on taxable items or services used in New York when the sales tax has not been paid. If a sales tax has not been collected by the seller on a taxable sale, or when taxable items or services are used in New York and the New York sales tax has not been collected, you must report and pay tax directly to the Tax Department. This bulletin discusses the circumstances when a resident of New York State would be required to pay tax on these sales and uses. There is a distinction between sales tax that should have been paid and use tax. However, for purposes of simplicity, the tax required to be paid is referred to in this bulletin as use tax.

:)

???

Quote from: Ideologue on February 27, 2013, 06:53:16 PM
It's called a "use tax" in South Carolina, anyway.  Other states and countries may differ on the terminology, and some jurisdictions do not require them at all, but the general idea is that physical shit you buy from out of jurisdiction through Amazon or similar, to be used in your jurisdiction, should be reported on your tax return and your refund debited to the amount your jurisdiction sets.  It's essentially a sales tax that you haven't paid but your government is legally due.

Corporations are required to perceive sales taxes, if they have a physical place in Canada (for the federal tax) or in Quebec for federal and provincial tax.  Buying from Amazon.ca, even if the product is shipped from the US, I have to pay GST only because they are located in Ontario.  If I buy from EA, I have to pay both taxes.

If I order from Amazon.com, technically, above 20$, I should ask the seller to declare the value on the package, and I would have to pay custom fees + federal tax.  But it only applies at custom/postal office, there's no place to declare this on my tax form.  Not that I would declare them anyway.

Amazon sent me a letter courtesy of the state of Tennessee telling me to pay the state their crazy 10% sales tax on some shit I ordered while I was living in Knoxville.  I did.   :sleep: