Keysight Scope Giveaway

[TerminalJack505]

How long will it be before someone on this forum wins one?

No one yet?  I find that a little surprising.

[Brumby]

Maybe they aren't admitting it yet ...  After all, two scopes are better than one, aren't they?

[TerminalJack505]

Maybe they aren't admitting it yet ...  After all, two scopes are better than one, aren't they?

I would hope that most people would have the courtesy to admit that they already won and withdraw from the other drawings.

Maybe common courtesy isn't as common as it should be, however.

Then again, maybe they want to make sure that they have the scope in-hand before bowing out.  Just in case.

[AdamHi]

Give them the benefit of the doubt . . . they're really hoping to get a scope with Dave's mug  O0 jumping out at them. Then they'd be happy to give back the plain vanilla scope    (if you can call a 3000 series scope "plain vanilla") to Keysight.

[tzok]

I really wanted to participate, but I work on a public university (most universities are public, at least in Poland), so it seems I'm not eligible  I really don't understand why you have excluded university staff

[Keysight DanielBogdanoff]

I really wanted to participate, but I work on a public university (most universities are public, at least in Poland), so it seems I'm not eligible  I really don't understand why you have excluded university staff

It has to do with laws regarding "bribing" government officials. Have a friend or someone you know enter for you!

[tzok]

Actually local law doesn't treat me as an "government official", only full professors (this title is given by a President of Poland not to be confused with an academic title/position) and some (so called nominated in opposite to contract) school teachers are treated like this.

Not a big deal, I wouldn't win anyway... oh well

[hendorog]

Timezones are a PITA in many ways. We should all switch to UTC.

According to ataradov, you'll be informed of a duplicate entry, so if you don't see one, you're probably fine.

Yep - but the concern is that I may be entering too early - after the draw but prior to the cutoff at start of the next day.

[ataradov]

Yep - but the concern is that I may be entering too early - after the draw but prior to the cutoff at start of the next day.

There is no cutoff, ALL your entries accumulate. By the end of all this you will have 30 or so entries, assuming you enter every day.

[hendorog]

Yep - but the concern is that I may be entering too early - after the draw but prior to the cutoff at start of the next day.

There is no cutoff, ALL your entries accumulate. By the end of all this you will have 30 or so entries, assuming you enter every day.

Nice, I was hoping that was the case.

[Brumby]

Maybe they aren't admitting it yet ...  After all, two scopes are better than one, aren't they?

I would hope that most people would have the courtesy to admit that they already won and withdraw from the other drawings.

Maybe common courtesy isn't as common as it should be, however.

I was just being cheeky.  The odds of winning one aren't encouraging ... let alone two.

Then again, maybe they want to make sure that they have the scope in-hand before bowing out.  Just in case.

That's something I might do.  Make an announcement with a photo of it on my bench...

[PeterEE]

I won a scope from Keysight. An MSOX3104T.  Instead of being happy, I'm terrified. It's $16,000 USD and I owe taxes on that. What percentage taxes can I expect to pay in the USA?  Can I turn around and sell it?

Edit:  The other possibility is someone hacked their website and want me to submit my social security number and address to them to steal my identity. I'll have to try to call the lady at Keysight in the morning to make sure this is real.  The email included tax forms that need to be filled out.

[hamster_nz]

I won a scope from Keysight. An MSOX3104T.  Instead of being happy, I'm terrified. It's $16,000 USD and I owe taxes on that. What percentage taxes can I expect to pay in the USA?  Can I turn around and sell it?

Edit:  The other possibility is someone hacked their website and want me to submit my social security number and address to them to steal my identity. I'll have to try to call the lady at Keysight in the morning to make sure this is real.  The email included tax forms that need to be filled out.

Oh, congratulations  

It is a strange world where you can win something and still lose.

[ataradov]

The email included tax forms that need to be filled out.

If you are "Peter P", then chances are you actually won. Congrats, I guess

[Brumby]

I won a scope from Keysight. An MSOX3104T.  Instead of being happy, I'm terrified. It's $16,000 USD and I owe taxes on that. What percentage taxes can I expect to pay in the USA?  Can I turn around and sell it?

Edit:  The other possibility is someone hacked their website and want me to submit my social security number and address to them to steal my identity. I'll have to try to call the lady at Keysight in the morning to make sure this is real.  The email included tax forms that need to be filled out.

Congratulations!!  You beat the odds.

Now comes the big challenge:  The IRS.

[rx8pilot]

I think you have to pay sales tax and applicable income tax on the MSRP of the winnings. For this prize if you are in CA like me, would still cost more than most Rigol scopes just in taxes.

About $1600 in sales tax, and about $3,900 for income tax. Possible lower, but not much lower. The $1600 would be due immediately and the $3,900 would be paid at the next tax year return date. Obviously still a win overall, but not really FREE of course. Nothing is free. Ever.

[hamster_nz]

I think you have to pay sales tax and applicable income tax on the MSRP of the winnings. For this prize if you are in CA like me, would still cost more than most Rigol scopes just in taxes.

About $1600 in sales tax, and about $3,900 for income tax. Possible lower, but not much lower. The $1600 would be due immediately and the $3,900 would be paid at the next tax year return date. Obviously still a win overall, but not really FREE of course. Nothing is free. Ever.

So you have to pay the government $5,500 for something somebody wants to give you for free? Wow!

[ataradov]

So you have to pay the government $5,500 for something somebody wants to give you for free? Wow!

You would pay exact same amount if you were to buy it yourself. Otherwise there are so many holes that can be opened. For example you could get your salary in scopes tax-free

[rx8pilot]

It is treated like any other income - the government does not care where it comes from or if you worked for it as long as they get their cut.

Fighter jets and cruise missiles are super expensive.

[Bud]

So this whole giveaway event is a government organized conspiracy to get some money for more fighter jets

 

[hendorog]

So you have to pay the government $5,500 for something somebody wants to give you for free? Wow!

You would pay exact same amount if you were to buy it yourself. Otherwise there are so many holes that can be opened. For example you could get your salary in scopes tax-free

It's been mentioned before that noone pays retail for decent scopes. So I expect the winner would actually be paying more tax than if they brought it themselves.

[PeterEE]

I'm leaning towards declining the prize. I'm assuming I can do that right? I'm a hobbyist. I don't need a $16000 scope. Sure, it would be nice to have one, but not if I have to pay the taxes.

9. Winner Notification. Any potential winner will be notified by mail, email and/or telephone. If a potential winner cannot be contacted, does not respond within fourteen days from the date that Keysight first tries to notify him/her, and/or the prize or prize notification is returned as undeliverable, such potential winner forfeits all rights to win the promotion or receive the prize, and an alternate potential winner will be selected. Upon contacting a potential winner and determining that he/she has met all eligibility requirements of the promotion, including without limitation, where permitted by law, the execution of required waivers, publicity and liability releases and disclaimers, such individual will be declared a "winner" of the promotion. In accordance with local laws, if the selected entrant is a Canadian or South African resident, that entrant will be required to answer a mathematical skill-testing question, without assistance of any kind (whether mechanical or otherwise), within the time frame provided above. Keysight assumes no responsibility for lost, late, or misdirected communications or any computer, online, telephone, or technical malfunctions that may occur. No substitution, transfer, or assignment of the prize is permitted, except that Keysight reserves the right to substitute a prize of equivalent value in the event the offered prize is unavailable.

[hamster_nz]

So you have to pay the government $5,500 for something somebody wants to give you for free? Wow!

You would pay exact same amount if you were to buy it yourself. Otherwise there are so many holes that can be opened. For example you could get your salary in scopes tax-free

Under our (NZ) tax law, for the most part winnings are tax free - you win $1M on the lottery or at the casino, you get $1M in your account and don't have to pay tax... interest you earn on that money does incur income tax, or anything you buy with that money incurs sales.

With a few exceptions like if you were a professional poker player,of course.

IIRC, when a large prize is involved (e.g. a car), the organizer of the lottery has to pay the sales tax to the government. Conceptually they have to by it with their money and gift it to you.

[AndyC_772]

I'm leaning towards declining the prize. I'm assuming I can do that right? I'm a hobbyist. I don't need a $16000 scope. Sure, it would be nice to have one, but not if I have to pay the taxes.

Pay the taxes, sell the prize scope to recoup your out-of-pocket expenses with plenty left over. Buy the 100 MHz version of the scope, which will be functionally identical in every respect, unless you're actually involved in projects that require the bandwidth. Anything left over is a bonus.

I've no doubt at all that there will be someone on the forum local to you who will make a cash offer for your prize scope, if the taxes cause a major cash flow problem. You won't get anywhere near the full MSRP for it, but you'll still end up with a great prize.

Congratulations!

[Muttley Snickers]

We all feel your pain and what a dilemma to have, I would have been over the moon with just a U1282A multimeter or a new set of Keysight leads, a 16 grand scope is a bit over the top for most of us amateurs, not that I’m knocking one back Dave….

I have very limited knowledge of the legalities in relation to gifts in our own country let alone those in others but is there any chance that you could get in contact with a local Keysight distributor and ask if they would be willing to exchange it for some other equipment of a lesser value and let them wear the additional costs, I’m pretty sure someone else also mentioned a similar thing where they simply didn’t need a scope of this calibre and would rather acquire a collection of other more useful equipment instead.

As mentioned I really don’t know whether it could be done or if a distributor would be permitted or even agree but it might be worth asking before receipt of the scope after which time you may be liable for the additional costs involved, better something less than nothing at all, also in the near future we may see a number of these turn up on Ebay in particular countries at exceptional prices where people just need to cash them in to pay for the unexpected expenses.

Others may have some better suggestions or even be willing to purchase it from you as AndyC mentioned above, either way we all congratulate and wish you well and hope that the outcome is satisfactory.