Tax

[vaneramos]

My drawings just arrived safely home from Denver by UPS. I had to pay an import charge: $139.71, which breaks down to $78.07 GST on the insured value of the work, plus a brokerage fee and GST on that. As far as I know, it didn't get taxed going the other way. I told the UPS man this was my own original artwork returning from a gallery show, and he phoned the broker but to no avail. I'm new at this. Does anyone know how to avoid this, in case I send artwork across the border again?

Comments

[that-dang-otter.livejournal.com]

Do you live near a border crossing? I think you can stop at Canada Customs on the way down and get a document stating that the material originated in Canada, or something like that. I heard that this was a good idea if you were taking, say, an expensive laptop to the US with you.

Not sure how it works with regards to shipping UPS.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Yes, I used to carry a document like that with my camera. I've never shipped anything by UPS myself, so I don't know how that would work. On the Xpresspost label I used to send it, I indicated that the contents were a gift rather than goods for sale, but I probably should have reminded my contact in Denver to do likewise. A techinicality that hadn't occurred to me, but which I won't soon forget.

[winterknight.livejournal.com]

Totally unhelpfully, I love your frowny face. *g*

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was squinting in sunlight, but I do like how it makes me look angry! That photo is about five years old.

[bitterlawngnome.livejournal.com]

did you put anything on the outgoing UPS documents that itemises them and stated they were for showing and return? I was told that is step one of avoiding exactly this.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I sent them by Xpresspost and indicated they were a gift rather than purchased goods, which was the advice I received from another artist. Of course the original labels have been removed from the parcel. I still have my duplicate copy somewhere, although that doesn't help much now. I probably should have told Mark to make a similar declaration on the return label. I don't have any experience with UPS, so I'm not sure how that would work. I don't know why I never even thought about them getting taxed on the return trip.

[rticboy.livejournal.com]

UPS is absolutely notorious for charging massive (read this as MASSIVE!!!) brokerage fees for even tiny items like T-shirts.

The way to avoid it is not to use UPS for anything, ever - just don't.

No other shipping company ever charges these brokerage fees, even if they have to collect the GST portion from you.

AVOID UPS!!!!!!!

[paulintoronto.livejournal.com]

It might be worth your while to place a call to your local MP, especially if he or she had a narrow margin of victory in the last election, explaining what happened and asking them how you can get the money refunded from CCRA.

Depending on the size of the parcel...

[sulis-vt.livejournal.com]

I use documents as a label when sending art to Montreal...