Taxes and duties on gifts...

[mg73]

Hi,
I am a photographer and while in the DR recently, I met a local photographer whom I think has real talent. His equipment was very basic. I want to send him a gift of a professional lens for his camera. To make sure that it gets to him, I am going to send it to one of the doctors at the hospital in Santo Domingo where he works, and the doctor will give it to him.

My questions are the following:

1. Will there be a tax or duty on this gift?
2. If yes, how can I find out how much it will be?
3. How can I pay the tax to insure that the photographer does not have to pay it.

Again this is a personal gift.

Thanks,
Mark

[Hillbilly]

1) Find out if the doctor is a member of one of the express mail services
2) If he is, get the forwarding address in Miami and mail the lens to that address with a fake receipt that says that it is worth $60.
3) If he is not, get the doctor's home address and Fed Ex the lens to him. When they ask you the value of the lens, just put down $60....Do not put the real value anywhere.

Call the doctor and tell him the lens is on the way and tell him how: FedEx or express mail...so he knows what to expect.

there should be no taxes, however the express mail service will charge as much as $4.00 per pound plus some service fees for getting it to the good doctor. Send him a check for $15 and forget it...

HB