# Are there any tax ramifications with gifting something to a business (a dental clinic?)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-tax-ramifications-with-gifting-something-to-a-business-a-dental-clinic/965190>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 27, 2022, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-tax-ramifications-with-gifting-something-to-a-business-a-dental-clinic/965190 "2022-05-27T04:13:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2022, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-tax-ramifications-with-gifting-something-to-a-business-a-dental-clinic/965190/1 "2022-05-27T04:13:25Z")

</div>

I saw a gift for dentists on Amazon - a laser-etched crystal block that has a 3-D etched giant tooth diagram inside - and thought it would make a pretty gift for the dental clinic that I go to. Is there any sort of tax implication for them or me if I gift them something, as a patient? Are they allowed to take such gifts? It’s only worth about $25.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2022, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-tax-ramifications-with-gifting-something-to-a-business-a-dental-clinic/965190/2 "2022-05-27T06:50:48Z")

</div>

Given that every trip I have ever made to a dentist or doctor sees them using a blizzard of promotional medical company branded pens, staplers, stationery, freebies and junk, I suspect that they have reconciled whatever dilemmas their inner moral code had about gift acceptance.

Your tax rules will vary but a sensible tax code would provide for low value gifts [and $25 is pretty modest] to fly below their reporting radar. You never know, you might get a branded Jumbo [Bacon-Flavoured Dental Floss](https://www.offthecusp.com/11-bizarre-dental-floss-flavors/) Pack they happen to have lying around in return.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2022, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-tax-ramifications-with-gifting-something-to-a-business-a-dental-clinic/965190/3 "2022-05-27T09:49:06Z")

</div>

> [@Velocity](#):
>
> I saw a gift for dentists on Amazon - a laser-etched crystal block that has a 3-D etched giant tooth diagram inside - and thought it would make a pretty gift for the dental clinic that I go to. Is there any sort of tax implication for them or me if I gift them something, as a patient? Are they allowed to take such gifts? It’s only worth about $25.

In the US, you can give any single recipient up to $16,000 this year without tax consequences.

> **[Frequently asked questions on gift taxes | Internal Revenue Service](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/frequently-asked-questions-on-gift-taxes)**
>
> Find common questions and answers about gift taxes, including what is considered a gift, which gifts are taxable and which are not and who pays the gift tax.

There are other exclusion categories too. For example, you can give any amount to your spouse without it being taxed.

As to whether they are allowed to accept such gifts, that will depend on their employer’s rules. Government employees have very tight limits on what gifts they are allowed to accept, and large corporations might have similar rules. But if you’re talking about a small dental practice with half a dozen employees, I think they’re unlikely to have implemented such rules.