Shoppers abroad beware.
After paying U.S. customs fees on merchandise when you re-enter the U.S., you may have an unexpected bill to settle with your state tax collector. If you plan on bringing back suitcases full of stuffed koalas from the Olympics, don't breathe too easy after clearing U.S. Customs. Your state tax collector probably wants to talk. Everyone knows about sales taxes, that pesky amount you pay in 45 states when you purchase most items. What folks don't usually know, however, is that every state that collects a sales tax also imposes a use tax.