Excise Taxes on fishing gear???

[nelz]

I just saw on your site: "% Federal Excise Tax will be added to all sales"

Can you explain the reason for this? From what I understand, excise taxes are sometimes known as "sin taxes" and most often levied upon cigarettes, alcohol, gasoline and gambling, aka "vices". Have the feds now classified fishing gear as a vice?

[Crow]

Not sure about the Feds...but my WIFE apparently thinks so ! LOL !

[nelz]

Not sure about the Feds...but my WIFE apparently thinks so ! LOL !

 

[oldmanjoe]

 This may help    ....   http://www.tridentdive.com/fishtax.pdf

[Midway Tommy]

Have the feds now classified fishing gear as a vice?

The Sportfishing Industry did it on their own. I remember back in the early '80s when the Lindner's, and many others, were huge advocates of it. Some of that had to do with cleaning up pollution of lakes, rivers & streams, too, though.

I know we need taxes to help pay for all this stuff that a lot of people think the money grew on trees, but I decided back in the mid '80s, after I bought my last, and only new, fishing boat that I would try to buy as little new fishing and hunting equipment as possible. Every reel I have purchased since 1985 has been used. FWIW, even if you build your own rods any new blanks, guides, handles, etc. are subject to that tax. I know I don't save a whole lot when I consider my time when building a new rod but at least I'm not paying an excise tax on my own labor.  I haven't bought $100 worth of new lures in the last 35 years. Where I fish no fish are old enough to have seen many  Punkinseeds, River Runts, Creek Chubs, Crazy Crawlers, etc.    Used, untaxed to me, tackle works just fine. 

[oc1]

For a while, part of my salary came from Dingell-Johnson money distributed by FWS to the states.  It was like the state agency's slush fund because it was poorly focused with little accountability or reporting requirements.  I promise all you tackle buyers, you got ripped off..... but thank you every much.
-s

[Black Pearl]

I just saw on your site: "% Federal Excise Tax will be added to all sales"

Can you explain the reason for this? From what I understand, excise taxes are sometimes known as "sin taxes" and most often levied upon cigarettes, alcohol, gasoline and gambling, aka "vices". Have the feds now classified fishing gear as a vice?

Recently, I was audited by US IRS. It found out that any fishing parts I made (over sea or in the US) was subjected to 10% of the selling price for Sport Fishing Excise tax. I have been paying that tax for any fishing lines and rods I've sold. I think the big brother is monitoring this site as well. I would recommend other fishing reel parts makers to take a look at this taxes, be careful.

For more info on this taxes, you can Google "IRS Publication 510" on page 31.

[nelz]

Wow, I had no idea this even existed!

[nelz]

It was like the state agency's slush fund because it was poorly focused with little accountability or reporting requirements.  I promise all you tackle buyers, you got ripped off..... but thank you every much.

Gee, there's a surprise. 

[Midway Tommy]

For a while, part of my salary came from Dingell-Johnson money distributed by FWS to the states.  It was like the state agency's slush fund because it was poorly focused with little accountability or reporting requirements.  I promise all you tackle buyers, you got ripped off..... but thank you every much.
-s

Sorry I didn't contribute much, Steve.  Nothing personal, Compadre. 

[Vintage Offshore Tackle]

For a while, part of my salary came from Dingell-Johnson money distributed by FWS to the states.  It was like the state agency's slush fund because it was poorly focused with little accountability or reporting requirements.  I promise all you tackle buyers, you got ripped off..... but thank you every much.
-s

Sorry I didn't contribute much, Steve.  Nothing personal, Compadre. 

Tommy, if my tax money is going to be squandered, I'm happy to hear that some of it is being squandered in your direction!

[Gfish]

Here "excise taxes" are levied on businesses for the products they sell us. The businesses in turn charge that same amount(4% or 4.2%) on all sales to customers. So we have no official State sales tax. Basically just a shuffling/word game.

Have worked at 2 State fish facilities. Both places it was: "we have to spend all of our budget this year, whether we need to or not, if we don't, we won't get the same amount next year!" Got a lecture about it at each place. Lot's of essentially- not needed- but new stuff, got purchased(JMO). Some stuff was indeed needed, though.

[oc1]

The old stereotype and everything they say is true.