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Re: [OM] Customs Documents

Subject: Re: [OM] Customs Documents
From: John Hudson <jahudson@xxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 19 May 2002 15:00:28 -0700
Winsor Crosby wrote:
> 
> >
> >
> >With VAT of GBP31 and a 17.5% rate, you paid ~GBP177 ex-VAT for the lens
> >and that likely includes the GBP6 for excise duty assuming excise duty
> >is VATable. Thus GBP171 for the lens and with a GBP / US$ exchange rate
> >of about 1.44 : 1 you paid about US$246 for the lens compared to US$229
> >shown on Skip Williams' analysis of ebay prices.
> >
> >The customs bill of GBP50 is just your way of thanking Prime Minister
> >Tony Baloney for running the affairs of state!
> >
> >jh
> >
> 
> I thought VAT was value added tax.  What value is added when someone
> buys a new lens and uses up part of its lifetime and then sells it?
> --
> Winsor Crosby
> Long Beach, California


For the end consumer, VAT is a sales / consumption tax. Much like the
GST [goods and services tax] here in Canada it is added on by the the
first producer in the chain. The wholesale pays the producer the
producer's gross amount plus the tax. The wholesaler sells to the
retailer and the retailer pays the wholesaler's exit price plus the tax
based on the wholesaler's exit price. Assuming the wholesaler's exit
price is greater than his input price from the producer the wholesaler
will have collected more in tax from the retailer than he paid to the
producer. The wholesaler remits the net difference to the tax
department. The retailer sells to the ultimate consumer plus tax. The
portion of the consumer's payment to the retailer comprising the tax is
set off by the amount of tax the retailer paid to the wholesaler and the
retailer remits the difference to the tax man. The only person who
cannot claim any of the tax back is the ultimate consumer. To the
consumer the tax is a sales or consumption tax. Down the chain back from
the original consumer the net effect of the tax is an incremental tax on
value added  at each stage up the chain, hence the term "value added". 

Voila ...... today's accounting and tax lesson!

jh     





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