Does taxation inhibit collecting? (1 Viewer)

[panda1gen]

How much tax do you pay? In the UK it is easy to be taxed as follows,

on income

Up to 40% - if you collect toy soldiers you at risk of this rate of tax

9% of income on national insurance

purchases

Property tax - fixed tax on your house called rates - of £2-3000pa

plus other 'stealth taxes' on pension growth (LOL)

Petrol tax, most of the nearly £1 per gallon

VAT on just about all goods at 17.5%

22.5% import tax if from abroad, plus a customs charge plus postage.

I reckon a percentage change here coulod grow the market? What about you in the US, not as bad as this we imagine from this side of the pond?

 

[jazzeum]

In this country, the amount of income tax you pay depends on your income. It's called progressive taxation although a flat tax has been debated for a long time in Congress (Parliament). There is a sales tax, which varies state by state. In New Jersey it's around 6 percent. However, for internet purchases unless you live in the state in the seller resides, tax is not levied. There are no other taxes on purchases.

There are of course property taxes and taxes included in petrol.

If I purchase something from the UK, I do not get assessed duty when it arrives here. I believe it's different for you.

All in all, I would say the situation in this country is better tax-wise.

 

[OzDigger]

Our import tax threshold is AUD $500 per parcel so I try and stay under that. I have more of a problem with freight costs than taxes as our tax system isn't very harsh compared to most countries: http://comparativetaxation.treasury.gov.au/content/report/html/02_Executive_Summary.asp

 

[Wraith]

We can technically get import tax on any package valued at £18 or more (as I understand it). On top of whatever tax they want to impose, we get charged an additional fee (usually around £12) for the privilidge of having Royal Mail Parcel Force deliver the package to us (not negotiable).

Fortunately, it does seem to be a bit hit and miss when the Customs decide to levy the import duty.

BTW, I believe there's been a typo. We pay approx £4 per gallon here in the UK. I wouldn't want anyone thinking we were getting it cheap. (If it's not a typo, then please direct me to your petrol station!)

Simon

 

[panda1gen]

We can technically get import tax on any package valued at £18 or more (as I understand it). On top of whatever tax they want to impose, we get charged an additional fee (usually around £12) for the privilidge of having Royal Mail Parcel Force deliver the package to us (not negotiable).

Fortunately, it does seem to be a bit hit and miss when the Customs decide to levy the import duty.

BTW, I believe there's been a typo. We pay approx £4 per gallon here in the UK. I wouldn't want anyone thinking we were getting it cheap. (If it's not a typo, then please direct me to your petrol station!)

Simon

Simon

LOL, I meant per litre!

Brad, any jobs going in the US?

Kevin

 

[panda1gen]

Whilst discussing this, my wife just bought £76 of material from the US and was charged £33.62 at this end by customs and Royal Mail, not counting the postage from the US. This doesn't seem right.

 

[CannonFodder1971]

Whilst discussing this, my wife just bought £76 of material from the US and was charged £33.62 at this end by customs and Royal Mail, not counting the postage from the US. This doesn't seem right.

This may sound like that crucifixion scene from the "Life of Brian" but I can only utter the words "£33.62/76ths? Ha, a mere 44%. You lucky lucky brian. I lie awake at night, hanging upside-down, dreaming of being spat in the face my Customs like that".

http://www.mwscomp.com/movies/brian/brian-11.htm

The situation here in Ireland is infinitely more painful. Not only do they empty your pockets with VAT/customs charges and so forth they then extract a kidney for an 'administration charge' for so doing. I've sometimes been tempted to buy items separately in the hope that an avalanche of smaller parcels will see one or two make it through the net. (If even one $80 set makes it through, it would more than offset the shipping costs for the shoal).

Regards,
Joe

 

[Toy Soldier Brigade]

I hope our new Governor here in New Jersey doesn't read these posts. Or we'll be paying a new TOY SOLDIER TAX here to help balance the state budget deficit

 

[VIRIATO]

Here in Portugal, if you buy anything from outside the European Union, from the US for instance, and it costs more than 22€ with shipping, you have the privilege of paying the allmighty state 35% of the value ( which includes shipping ) . The taxes on these «imports» are VAT and customs. But it used to be a lot more, especially 15 or 20 years ago... If you buy from the European Union you pay zip...

 

[Shiloh]

Here in Tennessee we pay 9.75% sales tax. If I order it off the internet or out of a catalog as long as you don't have a brick and mortar store in the state it's free, no tax. Same for overseas no store in state no tax. But then again I haven't found a store in the state that carries toy soldiers so there are drawbacks to living in a rural state.

 

[Chuck Harris]

How much tax do you pay? In the UK it is easy to be taxed as follows,

on income

Up to 40% - if you collect toy soldiers you at risk of this rate of tax

9% of income on national insurance

purchases

Property tax - fixed tax on your house called rates - of £2-3000pa

plus other 'stealth taxes' on pension growth (LOL)

Petrol tax, most of the nearly £1 per gallon

VAT on just about all goods at 17.5%

22.5% import tax if from abroad, plus a customs charge plus postage.

I reckon a percentage change here coulod grow the market? What about you in the US, not as bad as this we imagine from this side of the pond?

I've heard you do not pay VAT on books. Is this correct? Is there a TV tax?

 

[vandilay]

If the value is higher than a couple of hundred bucks,
we are supposed to pay 12.5 % gst when it comes into
the country.
But its pretty random and of all the stuff i,ve bought from overseas I,ve only been pinged a couple of times.[long may that continue]
Our income tax rises the more you earn,we dont pay any tax on
buying or selling houses or capital gains on property.
Hence the reason every man and his dog tries to buy rental property etc.

 

[Wraith]

I've heard you do not pay VAT on books. Is this correct? Is there a TV tax?

No VAT on books, as these are seen as educational. I'm pretty sure I could come up with a similar arguement for toy soldiers, but the Chancellor hasn't consulted me personally on this one yet.

As far as TV goes, you have to pay a licence fee of £108 p.a. (might have gone up now) for the basic 5 (Yes, 5) channels. You pay through the nose for additional channels via satelite / cable, of anywhere up to around £50 / month.

Don't know how that compares with your side of the pond, but it always seems a little steep to me.

Simon

 

[King & Country]

Hi Guys,

Here in Hong Kong we have “Taxation but no representation”. However I can live with that because we only pay flat rate 15% income tax on earned income…and that's it. No sales tax…no import duties (we’re a free port)…no this no that.

And wait for it — less than 10% of Hong Kong's population actually pay tax at all!

Hong Kong's economy and well being is robust and healthy. We may not have the huge government infrastructure that you find in the U.S. and Britain but I guarantee you'll also see less real poverty than you do in Britain and America…a lot less crime…better education…and a health service for everyone (regardless of income) that is professional and first class.

Now, of course, we don't have democracy like you do in the West. But look on the bright side…we also don't have too many politicians (of left and right)…they're all in it for themselves anyway.

Of course Hong Kong is not perfect…the pollution is terrible…the place is overcrowded…but it's free!

And the harder you work the more money you actually get to spend the way you want to spend it.

What the West needs is less government…less taxes…more individual responsibility…and more working for yourself and not the taxman!

Best wishes and…happy collecting!

Andy

 

[panda1gen]

Hi Guys,

Here in Hong Kong we have “Taxation but no representation”. However I can live with that because we only pay flat rate 15% income tax on earned income…and that's it. No sales tax…no import duties (we’re a free port)…no this no that.

And wait for it — less than 10% of Hong Kong's population actually pay tax at all!

Hong Kong's economy and well being is robust and healthy. We may not have the huge government infrastructure that you find in the U.S. and Britain but I guarantee you'll also see less real poverty than you do in Britain and America…a lot less crime…better education…and a health service for everyone (regardless of income) that is professional and first class.

Now, of course, we don't have democracy like you do in the West. But look on the bright side…we also don't have too many politicians (of left and right)…they're all in it for themselves anyway.

Of course Hong Kong is not perfect…the pollution is terrible…the place is overcrowded…but it's free!

And the harder you work the more money you actually get to spend the way you want to spend it.

What the West needs is less government…less taxes…more individual responsibility…and more working for yourself and not the taxman!

Best wishes and…happy collecting!

Andy

LOL between the tears , are you running for UK president? (yes i did mean president) As soon as chairman Blair has finished? btw what's democracy? I heard it was something to do with taxation and representation but I may have heard it wrong.

 

[panda1gen]

This may sound like that crucifixion scene from the "Life of Brian" but I can only utter the words "£33.62/76ths? Ha, a mere 44%. You lucky lucky brian. I lie awake at night, hanging upside-down, dreaming of being spat in the face my Customs like that".

http://www.mwscomp.com/movies/brian/brian-11.htm

The situation here in Ireland is infinitely more painful. Not only do they empty your pockets with VAT/customs charges and so forth they then extract a kidney for an 'administration charge' for so doing. I've sometimes been tempted to buy items separately in the hope that an avalanche of smaller parcels will see one or two make it through the net. (If even one $80 set makes it through, it would more than offset the shipping costs for the shoal).

Regards,
Joe

Oh no you don't, nobody expects the spanish inquisition with their customs!!!!

I obviously picked the right room for the argument....

 

[steveo]

Well its a pain in the behind,i have just received the sets i purchased of pierre .The value was about 500us$,but took a risk and told Pierre to insure the value as 200us$ which he kindly did.Then i received a letter from parcel force uk charges as follows :
import duty£6.77
vat =£26.40
and then a parcel force clearance fee=£13.50
Total charge for items=£46.67 OR 89.0714 USD at todays value

The letter arrived on friday ,if i wanted the items delivered on SATURDAY the next working day it would be an extra £12 I dont recall Saturday been a special day,i dont get paid extra for working Saturday
Anyway ,off i drove on a 25mile round trip and picked up the item myself,they have not delivered or made an attempt to deliver the item ,and i still have to pay the clerance fee!£13.50 for one letter

Maybe i should start demanding where the Tax gets paid before i pay it ,like providing the armed forces with a decent weapon instead of the SA80,instead of the millions wasted trying to upgrade/fix original design flaws on this piece of JUNK!
If you search the net you will find what a wonderfull weapon this is
Rant over
Steve