Can I receive a product for development?

[#1]

A client wants to send me a product so I can connect to my Android for development. Cannot develop the app without interfacing with the product via USB. Can I receive it? What if I have to pay taxes, can he send me money so I can pay it?

[#2]

---

Lucas Z wrote:

A client wants to send me a product so I can connect to my Android for development. Cannot develop the app without interfacing with the product via USB. Can I receive it? What if I have to pay taxes, can he send me money so I can pay it?

---

What kind of taxes do you expect to pay when you receive a product? You mean custom duties? Yes, he can send you money to pay for that, but only through upwork. 

[#3]

Yes, you may receive a product sent to you directly.

That is fine.

You do NOT need to pay taxes on the product or tool that the client sends you directly.

I hired a man to paint my house.

I bought the paint myself.

The painter did NOT need to pay taxes on the paint.

(Note that when I bought the paint at the paint store, I paid sales tax on the purchase.)

Can the client send you money to purchase the product?
Yes. But ONLY if the client sends the money THROUGH Upwork. There is a "Pay expense" or "reimburse expense" tool that the client may use to do that.

KEEP IN MIND that if the client pays you $100 to reimburse your purchase, Upwork keeps a 20% fee. So you will only receive $80.

Is it okay for the cilent to send you money directly, such as through PayPal or a check?
No.
If you did that, it would be grounds for having your Upwork account suspended or terminated.

[#4]

---

Preston H wrote:

I hired a man to paint my house.

I bought the paint myself.

The painter did NOT need to pay taxes on the paint.

---

Preston, he likely means import taxes, which can be steep and are asked for at customs. The painter analogy is completely irrelevant.