Question about Ordering from Dell and taxes...

[step-dawg]

Hi,

I live in TX so everytime I order from Dell i get charged taxes. If I were to ask a relative of mine, say in CA to order something for me and have it shipped to me in TX, would they get charged taxes? I want to order a Planar 19" monitor but I don't want to get charged $55 for taxes on that thing. Just wondering, and input would help. Thanks.

 

[RossMAN]

If Dell doesn't have a business presence (usually a warehouse) in CA then I don't think your friend would get charged as long as they order from Dell Home (not Dell Small Business).

You wouldn't exactly save $55 because you'd have to pay shipping from CA to TX, how much is that?

 

[ElFenix]

by law they would have to pay taxes but dell home wouldn't collect them.

 

[step-dawg]

Well i was thinking that they could directly ship it to me from dell, i.e. it would be billed to my friend or relative (i would pay back of course) but shipped to my addy in TX. Would that work? Then they don't have to ship it out of pocket.

Basically, separate billing/shipping addresses.

 

[ElFenix]

no, its taxed where its shipped to, not where its billed to.

 

[RossMAN]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
no, its taxed where its shipped to, not where its billed to.

Yep.

 

[Smolek]

Originally posted by: step-dawg
Well i was thinking that they could directly ship it to me from dell, i.e. it would be billed to my friend or relative (i would pay back of course) but shipped to my addy in TX. Would that work? Then they don't have to ship it out of pocket.

Basically, separate billing/shipping addresses.

wouldnt work

 

[step-dawg]

Thanks for the answer, that was what I was wondering.

 

[dullard]

You are forgetting one major thing. All states that I know of that collect sales tax require you to pay sales tax on all purchases. This is true EVEN IF THE COMPANY DOESN'T CHARGE YOU. So suppose you ordered the monitor and Dell didn't charge sales tax. By law you are required to pay that sales tax on your next state income tax form (there is a line for that). So it doesn't matter if Dell charges you or not, you still are legally required to pay the tax - same goes with all other internet or catalog orders. Of course 99% of people ignore this law...

Edit: I don't personally live in Texas, so they might have passed a law saying that internet orders don't need to pay sales tax, but I haven't heard of Texas passing that exception.