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AT&T sales tax fee in CA

Discussion in 'AT&T Wireless Forum' started by Mistyblu, Dec 9, 2011.

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  1. Mistyblu

    Mistyblu New Member

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    Hello I just found this site in my roaming search of wireless phones. I was looking for the amount of wireless phone companies that may be in my area. Reason being , I had just gotten off the phone with At&t customer service about some billing inquiries. What I found out shocked and infuriated me. I am hoping someone can put this finding in perspective as I still do not see how or why they do it. I upgraded 3 phones. 2 of them upgraded to motorolas tundras 1 upgrade to a Samsung Galaxcy. The 2 tundra's were free, while the Galaxcy was $177.99.. When I recieved the phones today with the packing slip with the fee's on it, I noticed they charged taxes on the 2 free tundras $64.74 and on the Galaxcy $44.62! I was like, what is this?
    How can you charge tax on free stuff? and the tax on $177.99 didnt equal $44.62 so I called At&t up. I was then informed that...In the state of California...even if the phones are free, there is still a tax on the whole unit value, NOT THE UNIT OR SALE PRICE! That means even if a phone is on sale, like mine was the $177.99...they didnt tax me on the 177.99, they taxed me on the whole unit price $499.99!! I was stunned! But they kept saying "It's YOUR STATES POLICY" so its californias fault! I tried every which way to get this reversed by not successfull. Any body out there have had the same thing happen or know about this tax thing?? thanks
     
    #1 Mistyblu, Dec 9, 2011
  2. M in LA

    M in LA Mobile 28 Years Plus
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    Re: At&t sales tax fee

    This is California state law, and it's idiotic, in my opinion. There's nothing AT&T can do about it.

    The only recourse you have is to contact your state representative, but with the economic mess this state is in, the sales tax law on cell phones is unlikely to change anytime soon.
     
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    #2 M in LA, Dec 9, 2011
  3. AnthroMatt

    AnthroMatt Big Meanie
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    Mike is correct. CA law requires retailers to collect sales tax on the full retail value of the products, not on any discounted price.

    As far as I know, CA is the only state that does this.
     
    #3 AnthroMatt, Dec 10, 2011
  4. Jay2TheRescue

    Jay2TheRescue Resident Spamslayer
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    The only way around it that I can see is hold off upgrading until you take a trip out of the state, and upgrade at an AT&T store outside of California.
     
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    #4 Jay2TheRescue, Dec 10, 2011
  5. Telekom

    Telekom Bronze Senior Member
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    Take a road trip north to Oregon where they don't have any sales tax.
     
    #5 Telekom, Dec 10, 2011
  6. Mistyblu

    Mistyblu New Member

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    Thank you all for your responses, I appreciate them. We had thought about driving out of state, to Nevada where relatives are ,but just couldnt make it that far right now. It is really frustrating because The State of California IS raping Californian's every which way they can and there's not a daym thing we can do about it except do what thousands of other Cally's have done....Move!
     
    #6 Mistyblu, Dec 12, 2011
  7. Jay2TheRescue

    Jay2TheRescue Resident Spamslayer
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    How about having your out of state relatives buy the phones, but not activate them. Just have them mail the phones to you, and just put your SIM cards in them once they arrive.
     
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    #7 Jay2TheRescue, Dec 12, 2011
  8. efparri

    efparri Junior Member
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    Is it really worth a trip to another state to save $30.00 on sales taxes? The gasoline cost would be twice that amount.
     
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    #8 efparri, Jan 3, 2012
  9. Telekom

    Telekom Bronze Senior Member
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    If you live in Crescent City, California it's no big deal to go up to Oregon (where they don't have any sales tax) and buy whatever you need with no sales tax charged. People in northern California likely go to Oregon to buy lots of stuff. Same as people who live in Vancouver, Washington across the Columbia river from Portland often go to buy stuff in Portland. Of course you wouldn't go just to get prepaid refill cards there's probably lots of other things that they would go to a sales tax free place to get stuff as well. $30 is $30 savings.
     
    #9 Telekom, Jan 3, 2012
  10. efparri

    efparri Junior Member
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    The Original Poster lives near Oakland California, so a trip to Oregon, Nevada or Arizona is not worth expense.
     
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    #10 efparri, Jan 21, 2012
  11. Telekom

    Telekom Bronze Senior Member
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    It just says California for his location. How was I supposed to know where in California?
     
    #11 Telekom, Jan 22, 2012
  12. efparri

    efparri Junior Member
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    #12 efparri, Jan 22, 2012
  13. Telekom

    Telekom Bronze Senior Member
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    Sorry, I'm not that interested in a post to research every detail about the person who posted including their ZIP code.
     
    #13 Telekom, Jan 22, 2012
  14. efparri

    efparri Junior Member
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    California is a large state so it's not like Delaware or Rhode Island where other states are a few miles away.
     
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    #14 efparri, Jan 22, 2012
  15. Telekom

    Telekom Bronze Senior Member
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    If you look at a map of the United States every state except Alaska and Hawaii have borders with other states and it's really very conceivable that some people may live near those borders.
     
    #15 Telekom, Jan 22, 2012
  16. efparri

    efparri Junior Member
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    The original poster ordered the phones online to get a better price. The additional amount charged by brick and mortar locations would have outweighed the amount charged for California sales taxes.
     
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    #16 efparri, Jan 25, 2012
  17. charlyee

    charlyee Ultimate Insanity
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    The OP has not been on WA since December 12 and the lasts few posts have not contributed anything to the original question/concern.

    I believe it is time to close this thread out. ;)
     
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    #17 charlyee, Jan 25, 2012
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