No Tax on Gun Safes in Mass??

[Cobra Guy]

I was reading through some threads here on NES, and seen a post that stated that there is no tax on gun safes in Mass, they are exempt? Can anyone verify this or heard of it? Thanks.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

It's true http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/64h-6.htm

BUT, some big box stores refuse to call vertical cabinets with photos of guns on the label "gun safes" and insist they are "executive safes" therefore not exempt from sales tax.

 

[drgrant]

I was reading through some threads here on NES, and seen a post that stated that there is no tax on gun safes in Mass, they are exempt? Can anyone verify this or heard of it? Thanks.

Yes, gun safes are exempt in MGL.

Of course a lot of dealers don't know this or don't care, or they know it and they just pocket the 5% anyways.

I know FS knows and obeys it- eg, if you buy a gun safe from four seasons, you will not be charged sales tax on it. Not sure about the others... I'd bet most safe dealers probably know about it, too.

-Mike

 

[CRSIII]

I was reading through some threads here on NES, and seen a post that stated that there is no tax on gun safes in Mass, they are exempt? Can anyone verify this or heard of it? Thanks.

It's true http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/64h-6.htm

BUT, some big box stores refuse to call vertical cabinets with photos of guns on the label "gun safes" and insist they are "executive safes" therefore not exempt from sales tax.

Yes, gun safes are exempt in MGL.

Of course a lot of dealers don't know this or don't care, or they know it and they just pocket the 5% anyways.

I know FS knows and obeys it- eg, if you buy a gun safe from four seasons, you will not be charged sales tax on it. Not sure about the others... I'd bet most safe dealers probably know about it, too.

-Mike

Well if this ain't worth 19 bucks!

 

[Fixxah]

Sticky?

 

[Knuckle Dragger]

I can verify that Dick's doesn't charge sales tax on safes. I got a really nice one on black Friday for an awesome price.

 

[RobXD]

got Stack On safe last week,bought it at Sports Authority,339$ and twenty something dollars for tax,than the lady on register used some kinda coupon(25 $) so i paid around 330 $$

 

[Len-2A Training]

Eastern Safe in Mendon does not charge sales tax. Law Enforcement Supply in Waltham charged me sales tax and said that he didn't give a damn about the law exempting safes (I Faxed and handed him copies).

Gun locks are exempt too, but again, many will charge it anyway. Caveat emptor applies here.

 

[Mike_Diako]

CT is the same way. Bought my Stack-On gun cabinet at Dicks and didn't get charged tax.

 

[edhead35]

Anyone that told me they dont give a damn about the tax exemption and was going to charge me anyways, would not get my business

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Anyone that told me they dont give a damn about the tax exemption and was going to charge me anyways, would not get my business

.... and a report to the DOR

 

[icyclefar]

In addition to being a tax exempt purchase, if you keep copies of your tax returns in it, it is also a TAX DEDUCTABLE purchase!

 

[Cobra Guy]

Thanks Guy's, I'm sure there are plenty of places that are pocketing the 6.25%, which can be substancial when you figure your spending at least $500.00 retail on a decent safe and then running upwards of $2000.00 for some of the big boys. Those places make me sick when they scam sales tax on items they know they should not. Just like those shops charging Mass sales tax on firearms that were purchased out of state, on Gunbroker for instance, where they should only be charging a $30.00 FFL transfer fee, NOT MASS TAX TOO!!!! I had to call 4 different local FFL's recently to find one that doesn't charge tax on a purchase/transfer from Gunbroker that I made recently. It was the first time I had to do a transfer of this type and I was discusted when some shops told me tax also. I told them that is not correct, but that is like talking to a wall. Rant Over....(I know this is off topic but still basically the same.)

 

[Tim94gt]

Do Security Cabinents count? If so Bass Pro charged me tax on a Stack-on Security Gun Cabinet.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Anyone that told me they dont give a damn about the tax exemption and was going to charge me anyways, would not get my business

I haven't given any business to LE Supply since then. After the fact, I found out that he was "low bidder" in my PD's attempt to swap 3 Registered/Transferable smgs for M4s. He offered $4K in swap value whereas the two NFA Dealers that I referred to my Chief offered $6K and $8K . . . only after the deal was done for $8K did the PD tell me who they had been dealing with (this was a number of years ago).

Someone I know that took a Fed LE job needed a Glock 22 . . . Walter gave him a "LE Discount" for only $550! I ran into the guy at BR&P and he showed me the gun and told me the story. That's when I told him that he had been stiffed . . . $398.20 was the legit retail LE price for that gun.

.... and a report to the DOR

I talked with DOR about it and they requested that I report him. I even gave the DOR Email to Walter . . . he didn't care. I decided not to create 1 less dealer in MA so I did NOT report him to DOR . . . just to everyone here on NES (strictly the facts)! Each NES'r can make up his/her own mind on where to do business.

Thanks Guy's, I'm sure there are plenty of places that are pocketing the 6.25%, which can be substancial when you figure your spending at least $500.00 retail on a decent safe and then running upwards of $2000.00 for some of the big boys. Those places make me sick when they scam sales tax on items they know they should not. Just like those shops charging Mass sales tax on firearms that were purchased out of state, on Gunbroker for instance, where they should only be charging a $30.00 FFL transfer fee, NOT MASS TAX TOO!!!! I had to call 4 different local FFL's recently to find one that doesn't charge tax on a purchase/transfer from Gunbroker that I made recently. It was the first time I had to do a transfer of this type and I was discusted when some shops told me tax also. I told them that is not correct, but that is like talking to a wall. Rant Over....(I know this is off topic but still basically the same.)

I'm sure this happens. Back when I was in the computer biz, there were some well known vendors at the computer flea market shows that used to do that, and bragged about it to other vendors.

Do Security Cabinents count? If so Bass Pro charged me tax on a Stack-on Security Gun Cabinet.

Good question . . . JD will be along shortly to interpret for us. Don't know but you can read the MGL (link was posted here) and the TIR at DOR's website and maybe figure out which way this falls.

 

[KMaurer]

Eastern Safe in Mendon does not charge sales tax. Law Enforcement Supply in Waltham charged me sales tax and said that he didn't give a damn about the law exempting safes (I Faxed and handed him copies).

Gun locks are exempt too, but again, many will charge it anyway. Caveat emptor applies here.

I hope you reported him to DOR for it. He might not give a damn about the law, but they do.

Ken

 

[CLMN]

Do Security Cabinents count? If so Bass Pro charged me tax on a Stack-on Security Gun Cabinet.

I bought mine at Dick's and no sales tax. Price was way less than Bass Pro as well.

CLMN

 

[Tim94gt]

I bought mine at Dick's and no sales tax. Price was way less than Bass Pro as well.

CLMN

So bass pro owes me some money then

 

[Realtor MA]

I hope you reported him to DOR for it. He might not give a damn about the law, but they do.

Ken

Let me first say that I don't think anybody should charge tax for an item that doesn't need to be taxed. That was a bad idea and I'm guessing he's ignorant to the law.

However, I hope nobody takes this suggestion seriously. I'm sure the DOR would love to scour his books and take more money. Maybe enough to shut him down. I've seen the DOR in action. They are worse than the IRS. Several years ago a relative of mine had a small restaurant. A cheap eats kind of place where the waitresses used those generic handwritten checks. The DOR 'audited' her and found that some of the checks were missing. No kidding. Some were mistakes, others were used for phone messages etc etc. They forced her to pay meals tax on every 'missing' check. It didn't matter that there was a cash register and tapes!! They didn't have to prove anything. They just said pay.

The poster had a choice. He did not have to buy the item at that store.

 

[Len-2A Training]

However, I hope nobody takes this suggestion seriously. I'm sure the DOR would love to scour his books and take more money. Maybe enough to shut him down. I've seen the DOR in action. They are worse than the IRS. Several years ago a relative of mine had a small restaurant. A cheap eats kind of place where the waitresses used those generic handwritten checks. The DOR 'audited' her and found that some of the checks were missing. No kidding. Some were mistakes, others were used for phone messages etc etc. They forced her to pay meals tax on every 'missing' check. It didn't matter that there was a cash register and tapes!! They didn't have to prove anything. They just said pay.

The poster had a choice. He did not have to buy the item at that store.

Let's just say that I hate DOR much more than I hate Walter or paying sales tax that is illegally collected! I have NEVER had a good experience with DOR on any level . . . starting when I got a Reseller Certificate back in the 1960's and they refused to give me a copy of the Sales Tax Law so that I could do the right thing, to a ~1991 MA Tax Return that they "lost" on someone's desk for >8 months until I had my State Rep inquire (and they refused to pay interest on the $1100 refund that they sent me to boot) to more recently when I wrote the Commissioner directly (address from website) on a large refund due that they illegally declared that they refused to pay me . . . only to find out that letters written to the Commissioner go to "dead letter" and are never read/acted on by anyone at DOR (true, told to me by their "complaints" department). About a year ago I had an IRS Auditor introduce herself by telling me that "we aren't as bad as DOR" . . . I had to laugh at that, because it is absolutely true and DOR's reputation goes far and wide.

LE Supply had a particular type of safe that I wanted and had never seen anywhere else, so choice wasn't in that equation. Not long afterwards, the mfr went out of business.

 

[News Shooter]

We also don't collect sales tax on trigger locks

 

[Rob Boudrie]

However, I hope nobody takes this suggestion seriously.

I have mixed feelings on this one. It's not a matter of playing "gotcha", but of telling a vendor they are in violation of the law, giving them time to contact their legal counsel and correct it, but having them tell you "Tough - if you aren't willing to accept our violation of the law, at your expense, take your business elsewhere".

 

[Cobra Guy]

I have mixed feelings on this one. It's not a matter of playing "gotcha", but of telling a vendor they are in violation of the law, giving them time to contact their legal counsel and correct it, but having them tell you "Tough - if you aren't willing to accept our violation of the law, at your expense, take your business elsewhere".

Agreed, and this is what gets me the most. The one's who know that they are scamming, rather than the one's that are just mis-informed and or ignorant to the laws. And when you call them on it, so to speak, they are not friendly to you from that point on, no matter the outcome IMO.

Many of us try to support local shops for good reason, and that includes swallowing the inflated prices most of them have to begin with. But when they are pulling this type of crap on top of it, it makes internet shopping almost a no brainer in most cases. Don't get me wrong, there are some good egg's out there. But alot of rotten ones also.

Always ask first. I've witnessed first hand customers picking up their out of state purchase getting burned on tax because they just figured that the store actually followed the law. Some actually refused to pay the tax and shipped the gun back for a refund. And then the shop plays the "well you didn't ask me how much I could have got it for ya'" game. "It would have cost the same thing".....Yeah Right

 

[buketduder]

I bought some accesories for my safe too in CT and was not charged sales tax on any of it..Most places in CT have signs up saying "CT does not charge sales tax"

 

[Dick]

I have mixed feelings on this one.

+1. I'd hate to have a complaint to the DOR end up reducing the number of gun dealers in the state by one, but do we really need gun dealers who so obviously are out to screw their clientele (i.e., us)?

 

[jdubois]

Good question . . . JD will be along shortly to interpret for us. Don't know but you can read the MGL (link was posted here) and the TIR at DOR's website and maybe figure out which way this falls.

Sorry, I dunno... The law is so vague it's hard to say what is and isn't included.

I have NEVER had a good experience with DOR on any level

My only major dealings with them was when I tried to hire a nanny for my boy "the legal way." Well, after hours of research which generated literally an 8" pile of paperwork, a new business started with federal tax ID number, multiple web accounts created, and at least 15 different forms filed, I was not at all surprised people say, "F' it" and just pay under the table. And trying to get that 'business' closed after the nanny stopped working for us so that they'd stop making me fill out quarterly returns saying, "zero, none, nothing, go away" was akin to a keystone kops picture.

 

[JackDaniels]

Of course a lot of dealers don't know this or don't care, or they know it and they just pocket the 5% anyways.

5%? Ahhhh. The good old days...

 

[drgrant]

5%? Ahhhh. The good old days...

Yeah, got me there.... 6.25%, now...

-Mike

 

[Realtor MA]

I have mixed feelings on this one. It's not a matter of playing "gotcha", but of telling a vendor they are in violation of the law, giving them time to contact their legal counsel and correct it, but having them tell you "Tough - if you aren't willing to accept our violation of the law, at your expense, take your business elsewhere".

Well said. If it happened to me I'm sure I would be angry. I just hate to send the DOR out there to attach a fellow citizen and gun owner. And attack is what they will do.
Having been in the store I was surprised to hear what had happened. Maybe he was having a bad day? If I had his email I would send him a link to this thread Then if he continued charging the tax the gloves would come off.

 

[Zappa]

I talked with DOR about it and they requested that I report him. I even gave the DOR Email to Walter . . . he didn't care. I decided not to create 1 less dealer in MA so I did NOT report him to DOR . . .

Are you referring to the same Walter I know?
He's as honest as they come. He must be because he also owns an oil company and they've never been known to screw anybody.