Declaring Items and Limit

Yes, you will be charged 3% by the US if it is for your personal use. But wholly shit!?! Three grand for a bag to hold money? I would rather have the three grand and keep the money in my socks.

You get the vat back at the departure airport. Ask where the vat refund spot is, it's usually hard to spot. Duty free limit into the US is $800 per person, you can combine for family members. You declare it on the form you'll receive on the flight home. After your exemption/s are applied you pay three percent on the next $1000 of value. I forget what happens after that.

You need to start the VAT refund process when you buy the goods. Here is a link to some info on this website. sometimes even if you do all the steps correctly the VAT refund never shows up. http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/vat.htm

I have no personal experience with a very expensive item, but have technically owed duty on alcohol and other items. My experience with that, is I have never had to pay. By most peoples calculations, your duty would be at least $60, up to...who knows what, maybe $100, maybe more. I agree with others that it is difficult to determine an amount, it depends on the country it was purchased in and whether it happens to be an item with special duty, above a standard rate. I would say for the dollars saved, it is worth paying the duty, and perhaps you will not have to pay any at all. I think that if it will be more effort to collect a few dollars, they will not bother.

You have to make sure the VAT forms are filled at the store and have to get your refund amount at the airport you are leaving Spain. They are easy to find usually around the larger airlines. You have to show the person the item you bought and the paperwork filled out. Once they stamp the vat refund you drop it off in the designated box. You can get a cash refund at the airport however they will take a percentage of the refund. I usually get credited on my visa account.
At your first stop in the USA you will have to go through customs and give them the form. I would say a high percentage of people do not declare all there items and I myself have never had to prove what I declared.

'high percentage of people do not declare all there (sic) items' These people are called smugglers, the penalty for which is........

I went through the duty process with one lady on a $2300 purse. The duty, after taking off all the personal exclusions and deductions, ended up being about $30. I think that's why most customs officers won't charge duty - they do a quick mental calculation and realize it costs more to charge you than it's worth in duty. Just be sure to declare everything. You can be fined on the spot for failing to declare your purchases. One other caveat. This is good advice if you're buying one purse. If you bring home multiple purses, all bets are off. When the duty adds up to a decent number, they will charge you. Worse case scenario, the officer can decide you are bringing them in for resale and make you buy an import license or forfeit the purses - that's when it gets really expensive.

Thank you all. So it seems my husband and I can declare 1600 total and the other will be charged 3% which is about $50 so I may or may not do it. Thanks for your help. ;)