Do You Have To Declare Gifts You Bring Back From A Foreign Country?

Do You Have To Declare Gifts You Bring Back From A Foreign Country?
Word Count:
494
Summary:
Buying souvenirs for yourself, family and friends when you travel can be costly.

Keywords:
gifts, gift, united states, package, states, personal, consolidated, duty, mailed, duty-free

Article Body:
Gifts you bring back for your personal use must be declared, but you may include them in your personal exemption. This includes gifts people gave you while you were out of the country, such as wedding or birthday presents, and gifts you have brought back for others.
Gifts intended for business, promotional, or other commercial purposes may not be included in your duty-free exemption.
Also note that by federal law, alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, and perfume containing alcohol and worth more than $5 retail may not be included in the gift exemption.
Gifts worth up to $100 may be sent, free of duty and tax, to friends and relatives in the United States, as long as the same person does not receive more than $100 worth of gifts in a single day. If the gifts are mailed or shipped from an insular possession, this amount is increased to $200.
Unless returning to the United States from an insular possession, you don’t have to declare gifts you sent while you were on your trip, since they won’t be accompanying you.
Gifts for more than one person may be shipped in the same package, called a consolidated gift package, if they are individually wrapped and labeled with each recipient’s name. Here’s how to wrap and label a consolidated gift package.
Be sure to mark the outermost wrapper with the:
    * Words “UNSOLICITED GIFT” and the words “CONSOLIDATED GIFT PACKAGE;”
    * Total value of the consolidated package;
    * Recipients’ names and
    * Nature and value of the gifts inside. For example, tennis shoes, $50; shirt, $45; toy car, $15.
For instance:
To John Jones—one belt, $20; one box of candy, $5; one tie, $20.
To Mary Smith—one skirt, $45; one belt, $15; one pair slacks, $30.
If any item is worth more than the $100 gift allowance, the entire package will be dutiable.
You, as a traveler, cannot send a gift package to yourself, and people traveling together cannot send gifts to each other. But there would be no reason to do that anyway, because the personal exemption for packages mailed from abroad is $200, which is twice as much as the gift exemption.
Your personal belongings can be sent back to the United States duty-free if they are of U.S. origin and if they have not been altered or repaired while abroad. Personal belongings like worn clothing can be mailed home and will receive duty-free entry if you write the words “American Goods Returned” on the outside of the package.
If a package is subject to duty, the United States Postal Service will collect it from the addressee along with any postage and handling charges. The sender cannot prepay duty; the recipient must pay duty when a package is received in the United States.
For more information about mailing packages to the United States, visit the page called "Sending Goods to the United States" (Sending Items Back to the United States) at the Customs and Border Protection website.  Make sure you get the latest information before your travel.

Did I Forget To Pack Anything?

Did I Forget To Pack Anything?
Word Count:
469
Summary:
On your way to the airport there always seems to a gnawing feeling that you forgot to pack something for your trip.

Keywords:
electrical appliances, thailand, easier, travel, shopping, toiletries, gifts, list, checklist

Article Body:
The line from the old movies was always, "Did you remember to turn off the stove".  This goes back to gas powered stoves and really doesn’t apply anymore.
But there are some electrical appliances you should turn off before you go.  I always turn off my power strip that powers my computer, since it will be with me.
I shut off the microwave and any other electrical appliances that won't be needed for three weeks.  About the only things I leave plugged in are the television, refrigerator, and stove.  Of course, all the lights have power and are on a timer to make it appear like I am at home.
With numerous checklists, it is difficult for me to forget anything.  I am a frequent traveler and use lists to ensure that I don’t forget anything important at home.
Technically, I could get by in Thailand with just my passport, plane tickets and an ATM card.  But I do like to have some clothes, gifts, and most of my toiletries with me when I go.
Plus, with all my electronic gizmos, I need all kinds of chargers, power cords, and batteries or I won't be able to function.  The computer, camera, DVD player, noise reduction headphones, and cell phone all need attention.
Having a detailed checklist makes it so much easier to travel and not forget anything.  It may be a bit anal, but it works for me.  It lists everything that I will need to bring for the 3 weeks, a list of gifts for friends, and also includes things I need to do before I depart.
This trip is a little different for me.  Usually my son takes me to the airport and takes in my mail.  However, he has moved to a city just outside of Las Vegas, so I am on my own.
I had to arrange for a shuttle to take me to the airport and fill out the little card for the post office to hold my mail.
I also have a list of items to buy as soon as I arrive in Thailand.  This cuts down on some of the packing as the items I want, mainly toiletries, are cheap in Thailand.
I bring a minimum of clothing because I know that I will do some shopping over there.  It just can't be helped.  The prices are so cheap; you just have to buy some goodies for yourself, family and friends.   I hate shopping with a passion, but love to bargain over the Land of Smiles.
It is much easier when you have everything written down.  As I get older, I tend to forget the simplest of things.  So, a travel checklist works for me.  If I just had to rely on my memory, I know that I would forget something.