Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Random Thoughts

"Go ahead, have a nice Thanksgiving.  Jerk."Every newspaper, every chamber of commerce, and every main street type organization, at some point in time, feels the need to editorialize about how horrible it is that Amazon.com and other online vendors are damaging the business of local retailers.  You see, in case you have spent the last decade under a rock, that there are a couple of clauses in the Constitution that prevent states from making out-of-state sellers collect tax.  Unless they have nexus, of course.  And, since it's just some journalist who has no clue what the real issues are, they usually get it wrong.

By the way, there was a study recently that pretty much said that making Amazon, et al, collect tax probably won't help that much.  

Have you ever noticed that you never see a proposal on a ballot for lowering the tax rate? Once those bastards have your money, they aren't going to give it back.  Just something to keep in mind the next time you vote for a rate increase.  There are no mulligans.  You'll never get it back.

I've noticed that there are a lot of reports of local jurisdictions and states reporting higher sales and use tax collections.  That's good, I suppose.  It either means that business is getting better.  Which would be nice.  Or it might mean that those tax increases are kicking in.  Which isn't so nice.  It all depends on your perspective.

Finally, at this time of year, states are reminding their citizens that they need to pay use tax on their online purchases.  C'mon!  Does anyone really think that's going to happen?

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!  And if you bought your turkey over the internet, make sure you pay your use tax if you're in a state that taxes food. 




The Sales Tax Guy
http://salestaxguy.blogspot.com

Don't forget our upcoming seminars and webinars.
http://www.salestax-usetax.com/
Picture note: the image above is hosted on Flickr. If you'd like to see more, click on the photo. 



Friday, November 09, 2012

Announcing a New Blog - All Sales Tax News - All the Time!!!

Blow! As mentioned last week, the last several months have been ... interesting.  We've had lots of webinars and seminars (thank you) a hospitalization (fear not, all OK), a car stolen (which is a hell of a story if you're interested), a vacation (I have pictures!),and a host of miscellaneous things.  But this blog has not enjoyed my attention.  I've been struggling to provide you with up-to-date content, but still fit the blog into my active lifestyle.  (trust me - it isn't that active).

I've found that there aren't many web sites that compile a large selection of links to sales tax news.  So I started one.  I've been doing it on the sly for a several weeks now and it's pretty much ready to announce.  So, please feel free to visit


This is, as near as I can tell, one of the only places on the web (that'll change) that will give you all of the sales and use news that's fit to blog, in one spot.  We pull from various online news publications, tax news services, Twitter, various SUT blogs as well as state sites.  This should give you a diverse range of daily information.  

This blog won't go away, but I'm not going to even attempt to maintain the pace that I had envisioned.  You should expect to see a couple of articles a month.  But you'll see the Sales Tax News blog updated daily (but not on weekends).

So I hope you enjoy it.  Thanks for sticking with us.




The Sales Tax Guy
http://salestaxguy.blogspot.com

Don't forget our upcoming seminars and webinars.
http://www.salestax-usetax.com/
Picture note: the image above is hosted on Flickr. If you'd like to see more, click on the photo. 





Wednesday, October 31, 2012

The Day After Halloween

"I'm not dead yet!"

It felt like the alarm clock went off early today.  Halloween went way too long last night.  It was fine for a while - the usual little kids saying, “trick or treat.”  But it got annoying when the doorbell kept ringing after 9pm, the official citywide cutoff.  And it got a little more annoying when the later visitors looked bigger and scarier than the little kids.  I mean, some of these "kids" were over 6 feet.  And they had much more frightening masks than what the little ones were wearing.  And when they said, “trick or treat,” their voices sounded like they had all left puberty in the dust several years ago.  Frankly, the late comers made me glad I had that baseball bat in the corner behind the door - particularly since I almost ran out of candy.

Luckily I had bought a really big supply.  Amazon had a sale on Halloween candy so I got it really cheap and didn't even have to pay sales tax on it.  Yeah, I know I'm supposed to pay use tax when Amazon doesn’t charge sales tax, but really, come on.

I also had the brilliant idea of getting salt-water taffy.  I always eat way too much of the Halloween candy (I mean, it's sitting right there), but since I have more than my share of expensive dental work, I stay away from things like caramels, Jujubes and taffy.  But I figured the kids wouldn't care. 

I finally got to bed, only to be awakened a few times during the night by a pretty nasty storm that came up all of a sudden.  It still looked and sounded pretty much like the end of the world as I left my building and started my short walk to work.  I could have hit the snooze alarm and slept in a little, but I had a weird sense that I’d better get to work as soon as possible.

The storm was still crashing around me.  There were branches in the street, rain was pouring, mostly from the side, and cars were going through big puddles.  People where hurrying, huddled in their hats and coats.  Umbrellas were a waste of time in weather like this.  In fact, almost every trash barrel I passed had a couple of broken ones jammed into them.

Normally, my walk takes 10 minutes, but today it took almost half an hour.  I had to walk into the blowing wind, squint through the driving rain, hold on to my hat, try to avoid the splashing water from the cars, and keep looking behind me.  You see, after a few minutes, I got the feeling there was someone following me.  I couldn't hear anything unusual, what with the storm, but I definitely got the feeling that I was being watched.  So I kept turning around. 

Only once did I see someone who appeared to be following me.  He was a tall, erect figure wearing a black coat with a black derby.  He was on the other side of the street and he didn't stop when I turned.  In fact, it didn't seem like he cared whether or not I saw him or not.  The rain and wind were so heavy that I could only barely make him out.  Not wanting to get a closer look, I kept going.  It was weird though.  He wasn’t walking fast, or hunkered down like everyone else.  And how did he keep that hat on?  I kept looking back for another glimpse, but the weather was on his side.

Once I got to the office, the door was locked.  I was early, after all.  I tapped on the door for the security guard.  He wasn't there.  I didn't realize how nervous I was until that moment.  Here I had some guy following me, and that weird desire to get to work early was getting worse.   So I waited outside under the overhang - at least I wasn’t getting wet.  But I was working up a cold sweat, just from nerves.  I kept looking for the derby-guy, but he wasn't there.  I still couldn’t make out anything more than a few yards away.  And where WAS that damn security guard?  And why did it seem so important for me to get to work?

Finally, the door opened and, taking one more look for the derby-guy, I hurried inside past the guard.  I headed for the elevator.  Normally, I try to take the stairs, but they're kind of dark and I have seen enough movies to want to avoid them, since I seemed to have a stalker.  Plus the elevator would be faster, since I REALLY needed to get to my desk. 

Just as I had gotten onto the elevator, a hand reached in and stopped the doors from closing.  I whirled around, and uttered a squawk of fear and surprise! 

It was the guard.  "Sorry to startle you.  There was someone here about 15 minutes ago asking for you.  I said you hadn't come in yet.  He said something about being back.  I just thought you should know."

Catching my breath, I said "Thanks."  Then, thinking about my hat-wearing buddy, I asked, "Was he wearing a weird hat?"

"Yeah, now that you mention it, he was wearing one of those old style derby hats.  Not a trilby like the guys in marketing wear, but something out of the last century.  And he was really tall."

Uh, oh.  He had beaten me to work!  At the same time he had been out on the street following me to the office.  Oh, crap!  "Did you see what he looked like?"

"No, he had his collars pulled up so I really couldn't make anything out.  And he had sunglasses on, which, given the weather, was weird.”

"Listen, don't let that guy in.  If he shows up, call me.  But don't let him in.  If you have to, call the police."

"OK, but the police won't be much help.  They're running around dealing with the storm, plus there was a weird guy trick-or-treating last night and they're trying to find him."

"Tell the police this guy might be the one they're looking for."

I went up to my office, unlocked the door and let myself in.  I pulled off my coat and sat in my chair - relieved.  Except that it occurred to me that there wouldn't be anyone in for at least another hour.   So I closed the door and locked it.  And I pulled a chair up against it and wedged it under the doorknob.  I don’t know if I did it right, but it looked like what they do in the movies, so I figured it might work.

Feeling a little safer, I sat down again and took a look at my desk calendar.  I'm sort of a Luddite so I still use one of those one-page-a-day versions.   I flipped the page to November 1 and thought, "Oh, my God!"  It said, "sales tax auditor at 9am."  You know those dreams where you're back in school and there's a test and you didn't even know you were supposed to take the course?  Well, I had completely forgotten about the audit.  And the auditor had given me a long list of things to have ready for him.  I had completely forgotten.  "Oh, crap, oh, crap, oh crap..."

There was a knock at the door. 

Did you know that they never have those little peepholes in office doors?  I was really wishing for one now.  "Yes?" was all I could squeak out.

"I'm looking for Mr. Frazier," came a low voice, really more of a loud whisper.

"Uh, that's me.  Hold on."

I moved the chair from door, and opened it.  There he was: derby-guy.  He was really tall and he still had the sunglasses.  He was lifting his arm towards me.  I almost fell over the chair as I backed away.

He held out his card and whispered "I'm Herman Mudgett, with the Department of Revenue."  I was staring at him in stunned silence.  "I'm here to do your sales tax audit."  And with that, he walked into my office and sat at MY chair.

I stammered out, "How did you get in here?  The guard should have stopped you!"

"Oh, we have ways of getting in where we're not welcome.  It’s part of the job."  And with that he swept everything off my desk onto the floor - the calendar, my paperwork from yesterday, everything.

"What the hell?" I yelled.  My fear had gone to anger in an instant.  Who was this jerk?

"Have a seat, Mr. Frazier." he said.  His voice had taken on a low, evil, snarling tone that made me sit down, right on the wet raincoat I had thrown on the chair a few minutes ago.

He opened up his bag and all I could see in it were two boxes.  One was very shiny and had one knob and one dial.  The other was a small cardboard box.

I said tentatively, "I'm afraid I'm not ready for you.  I completely forgot you were coming.  My bad." 

"Oh, I'm not here about that," he croaked out.  “I'm here about the use taxes you didn't pay on the Amazon candy you handed out last night."

I gasped.  "How did you..."

He cut me off, opening the small cardboard box, "…and I'm here about that taffy." He showed me a piece of salt-water taffy, with a bloody tooth embedded in it.

Then he hissed, “Just so you know, dental appliances ARE taxable in this state.”

---

Happy Halloween from The Sales Tax Guy

http://salestaxguy.blogspot.com

Don't forget our upcoming seminars and webinars.
http://www.salestax-usetax.com/
Picture note: the image above is hosted on Flickr. If you'd like to see more, click on the photo. 



PS.  Thanks for sticking with us.  It's been a very busy summer.  There have been lots of webinars to do, a few on-site seminars, one hospitalization, a stolen car, and a vacation.  All in all, there hasn't been a lot of time to devote to the blog.  But we're trying something new.  It's been testing for over a month and just might work.  It's not ready for prime-time yet, but if you made it this far, you deserve a sneak peak.  

Again, thanks for your support.

Friday, May 18, 2012

Links: Sales Tax News and Tips - 5/18/12

Herlihy / Link-Belt at Stearns Road BridgeTax Tip: Why wait for the taxing authorities to do an audit? Do one on your own terms and clean house before they do!
https://twitter.com/#!/TaxConsulting

Tax Tip: If your vendors ship goods to more than one state, check the sales tax rate they charge for each destination state.
https://twitter.com/#!/TaxConsulting

Maine ~ Sales and Use Tax: Supplemental Budget Bill Enacts Use Tax Compliance Program, Exempts Machinery and Equipment for Wood Harvesting
http://www.cchgroup.com/wordpress/index.php/tax-headlines/state-tax-headlines/maine-sales-and-use-tax-supplemental-budget-bill-enacts-use-tax-compliance-program-exempts-machinery-and-equipment-for-wood-harvesting/

West Virginia Food Sales Tax Reduction July 2012
http://www.taxrates.com/blog/2012/05/17/west-virginia-food-sales-tax-reduction-july-2012/

Virginia Sales Tax Holiday Set Tor Next Week
http://onesourceblog.com/2012/05/virginia-sales-tax-holiday-set-tor-next-week/




This is just the best of the links I send out via Twitter on an almost daily basis.  You can get them faster by subscribing to my Twitter feed.

The Sales Tax Guy
http://salestaxguy.blogspot.com

Don't forget our upcoming seminars and webinars.
http://www.salestax-usetax.com/
Picture note: the image above is hosted on Flickr. If you'd like to see more, click on the photo.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

FAQ: "Do you have any articles that deal with the taxability of ____ for all states?"

Garbage CansThis inquiry was received today.  It's a pretty frequently asked question so I thought I'd take a stab at it again.

"Do you have any articles that deal with the taxability of janitorial services for all states?"

Actually, I do have pretty detailed notes (my cheat sheet) on this for every state, but I wouldn't publish it.  I don't typically write articles with that level of state-specific detail.  But the databases have that info.  I use RIA as my research tool (although CCH has the information as well) and I can research and update my notes on janitorial services for any state in a matter of moments.  Frankly, if you need that kind of information for all the states on a frequent basis, you should subscribe to one of the databases. 

Even if you were to find such an article, you can't count on it unless, frankly, you're paying for it.  Let's say you find a web site where you can get the information for free - someone put together a table of janitorial services taxation for every state.  My questions would be: how is it updated, are there citations to specific statutes and regulations, and is the information in the table detailed enough to cover the possible exceptions and gotchas?  You're probably going to have to pay for that kind of reliability.

When I do a state-specific seminar, I re-research the state every time.  I don't just rely on my cheat sheet from the last time.  I review it for what is taxable or not, change things where necessary,  and review any updates to the sales and use tax laws since the last time I did a seminar for that state.  So when I do the seminar, I can feel comfortable that I'm using the latest info.  That's one of the reasons why I don't provide recordings of these seminars.  I don't want people relying on information that can so easily go out of date.  And a table or article from a free web site is likely to be not very detailed and easily out of date.

Which is why I don't typically provide that level of detail unless I've got specific warnings that the information is illustrative and is probably out of date.

So don't rely on tables or cheap information.  Use good research tools

Sorry, I must be off today.  No jokes.  Dang.



The Sales Tax Guy
http://salestaxguy.blogspot.com

See the disclaimer - this is for education only.  Research these issues thoroughly before making decisions.  Remember: there are details that haven't been discussed, and every state is different.  Here's more information

Get these articles in your inbox - subscribe at http://salestaxguy.blogspot.com

Don't forget our upcoming seminars and webinars.
http://www.salestax-usetax.com/
Picture note: any images above are hosted on Flickr. If you'd like to see more, click on the photo. 

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Links: Sales Tax News and Tips

Arizona Repeals Use Tax Declaration Requirement
http://www.taxrates.com/blog/2012/05/16/arizona-repeals-use-tax-declaration-requirement/

Sales Tax And Shipping Rates Important To Online Shoppers
http://blog.avalara.com/2012/05/15/sales-tax-and-shipping-rates-important-to-online-shoppers/

New York ~ Sales and Use Taxes: Company’s Sales of Chocolate Taxable; Insufficient Information Available to Determine Nexus
http://www.cchgroup.com/wordpress/index.php/tax-headlines/state-tax-headlines/new-york-sales-and-use-taxes-companys-sales-of-chocolate-taxable-insufficient-information-available-to-determine-nexus/

Texas Energy Star Tax Holiday Begins This Month
http://onesourceblog.com/2012/05/texas-energy-star-tax-holiday-begins-this-month/
and
http://www.taxrates.com/blog/2012/05/15/texas-energy-star-savings-calculated-for-sales-tax-holiday/

Sales Tax Isn't Why Online Retailers Are Killing Your Store
http://www.thestreet.com/story/11534709/1/sales-tax-isnt-why-online-retailers-are-killing-your-store.html

Nevada Department of Taxation Comp meals
http://tax.state.nv.us/NTCCompMeals.htm



This is just the best of the links I send out via Twitter on an almost daily basis. You can get them faster by subscribing to my Twitter feed.

The Sales Tax Guy
http://salestaxguy.blogspot.com

Don't forget our upcoming seminars and webinars.
http://www.salestax-usetax.com/

Picture note: the image above is hosted on Flickr. If you'd like to see more, click on the photo.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Links: Sales Tax News and Tips

Texas Amazon Tax Deal Illegal?
http://www.taxrates.com/blog/2012/05/14/texas-amazon-taxdeal-illegal/

Wisconsin Digital Goods Publication Updated
http://www.taxrates.com/blog/2012/05/11/wisconsin-digital-goods-publication-updated/

Georgia Allows Retailers To Advertise No Sales Tax
http://www.taxrates.com/blog/2012/05/11/georgia-allows-retailers-to-advertise-no-sales-tax/

Sales Tax This Week: Cloud Computing and New Legislation
http://blog.avalara.com/2012/05/11/sales-tax-this-week-cloud-computing-and-new-legislation/

May Sales & Use Changes
http://onesourceblog.com/2012/05/may-sales-use-changes/

Illinois “click-through nexus” law held unconstitutional
http://www.journalofaccountancy.com/News/20125681.htm

AL 2012 Severe Weather Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday
http://www.revenue.alabama.gov/salestax/WPSalesTaxHol.htm

State Tax Snapshot: Some States Don’t Issue, Release Private Letter Rulings
http://www.bna.com/state-tax-snapshot-b12884909372/

TN consumer sales tax increase likely related to Amazon notifications
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120514/NEWS21/120514010/TN-consumer-sales-tax-increase-likely-related-to-Amazon-notifications



This is just the best of the links I send out via Twitter on an almost daily basis. You can get them faster by subscribing to my Twitter feed.

The Sales Tax Guy
http://salestaxguy.blogspot.com

Don't forget our upcoming seminars and webinars.
http://www.salestax-usetax.com/

Picture note: the image above is hosted on Flickr. If you'd like to see more, click on the photo.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Nutty Rules: Georgia and the DAR

Rebels Firing Cannon / ca. 1776

I did a "Taxing Policies" webinar for Georgia today.  While putting the finishing touches on my research, I took note of their rules for non-profit organizations.  Georgia is one of those states that doesn't have a broad exemption for non-profit organizations.  In fact, they only have exemptions for a handful of groups.   But one of those few is the Daughters of the American Revolution.  Now, I've looked at Georgia's rules many times before, but it hit me this time because the wife of a friend just became a "daughter."

Here are the questions that leap to mind.  First, how can they justify this treatment?  They don't have a similar exemption for the Sons of the American Revolution!  Which sounds vaguely discriminatory.  And why in the hell (oops, we're talking about the DAR here) -  I'll start over.  Why in the heck would they give an exemption for the DAR when they don't even exempt the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts?!?  Seems...tacky.

Hmmmm.  I'll just let these float out there as rhetorical questions.  Because I'm absolutely sure there's a perfectly valid reason.

Nothing to see here.  Move along.



The Sales Tax Guy
http://salestaxguy.blogspot.com

See the disclaimer - this is for education only.  Research these issues thoroughly before making decisions.  Remember: there are details that haven't been discussed, and every state is different.  Here's more information

Get these articles in your inbox - subscribe at http://salestaxguy.blogspot.com

Don't forget our upcoming seminars and webinars.
http://www.salestax-usetax.com/
Picture note: any images above are hosted on Flickr. If you'd like to see more, click on the photo. 

Friday, April 13, 2012

Great Article: Best Practices in Transaction Tax Systems Implementation

"Uh, where do I plug in my Ipod?"

from Diane Yetter and yettertax.com

This is a VERY detailed road map to implementing a sales tax system.  It's been my experience over the years that people don't really plan these things.  Read this before you begin the process.  It's long, but detailed.  And it'll help assure you only have to do this once.  Enjoy the article

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Link: Avalara Sales Tax Poll

Hey, Haircuts Here!Avalara is doing a poll on how your state should generate revenue.  There are various options and it's easy.  And if you give your email address you could win a gift card (gosh, I hope I win).  And, heck, I was able to squeeze in an internal link to the tax treatment of gift cards.  It doesn't get much better than that!




The Sales Tax Guy
http://salestaxguy.blogspot.com

Don't forget our upcoming seminars and webinars.
http://www.salestax-usetax.com/
Picture note: the image above is hosted on Flickr. If you'd like to see more, click on the photo.  And yeah, I know it's a different kind of pole/poll, but I don't get to use that picture very often.

Monday, April 09, 2012

Quick Tip: Sales Tax Holidays

Easter Tulips Version II've cleaned up a collection of stories on sales tax holidays for your enjoyment. 

The Sales Tax Guy
http://salestaxguy.blogspot.com

Don't forget our upcoming seminars and webinars.
http://www.salestax-usetax.com/
Picture note: the image above is hosted on Flickr. If you'd like to see more, click on the photo. 

Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Great Article: Solving the Pains of Sales Tax Returns

Hand-wringing

from Avalara

A pretty good overview of why you may wish to get rid of doing sales tax returns.  This whitepaper covers the challenges of doing them yourselves, and the benefits of outsourcing.  Yes, there's a page on Avalara, but the rest of the piece is "sales-free."  Enjoy the article.



This link is part of a series called "Excellent articles that I wish I had written."  The short name is "Great Articles." 

The Sales Tax Guy
http://salestaxguy.blogspot.com

Don't forget our upcoming seminars and webinars.
http://www.salestax-usetax.com/
Picture note: the image above is hosted on Flickr. If you'd like to see more, click on the photo. 

Tuesday, April 03, 2012

Great Article: Sales Tax Audits: Is Your Business A Target?

 The Mud Show

from salestaxsupport.com and Lloyd Geggatt

Want to know what your odds are of getting audited?  This piece is for you.  States need to get the most bang for their audit hour, so they analyze several different factors.  While this is specific to California, most states use a similar method.  What can you do to avoid getting audited?  Let's see: move, change businesses, or do it right!   Enjoy the article.



This link is part of a series called "Excellent articles that I wish I had written."  The short name is "Great Articles." 

The Sales Tax Guy
http://salestaxguy.blogspot.com

Don't forget our upcoming seminars and webinars.
http://www.salestax-usetax.com/
Picture note: the image above is hosted on Flickr. If you'd like to see more, click on the photo. 

Friday, March 30, 2012

Great Article: South Dakota Streamlined Sales Tax Certificate – NOT So Streamlined

Corner Cottage

from salestaxsupport and Silvia Aguirre

While the author beats up on South Dakota, to me this article reflects the general unwillingness of states, regulators and politicians to keep it simple.  Given just about any opportunity to complicate things, they will.  I love this quote from the article: "If two pages of instructions are needed, is this really a simplified form?"  Enjoy the article. 




This link is part of a series called "Excellent articles that I wish I had written."  The short name is "Great Articles." 

The Sales Tax Guy
http://salestaxguy.blogspot.com

Don't forget our upcoming seminars and webinars.
http://www.salestax-usetax.com/
Picture note: the image above is hosted on Flickr. If you'd like to see more, click on the photo. 

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Great Article: Weirdest Sales and Use Taxes

Burner Above

from Accounting Today

I enjoy reading about weird rules.  I've tripped across many of them in my time, but there's often a new one I haven't heard of.  Usually, there are also a few in the article that look strange to someone unfamiliar with sales and use taxes, but when you look a little closer, they really do make sense. Two items mentioned in this article, the watercraft rule and the flower in the candy rule,  are actually pretty standard and kind of make sense.  But there are some, like the hot air balloon rule, that I've not seen before.  And the belt buckle rule in Texas is truly strange. Enjoy the article.



This link is part of a series called "Excellent articles that I wish I had written."  The short name is "Great Articles." 

The Sales Tax Guy
http://salestaxguy.blogspot.com

Don't forget our upcoming seminars and webinars.
http://www.salestax-usetax.com/
Picture note: the image above is hosted on Flickr. If you'd like to see more, click on the photo. 

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Great Article: Amazon Taxes Are The REAL Hunger Games

Joust I
from Forbes and Robert W. Wood

A nice, concise explanation of why Amazon has not collected taxes in the past, why buyers still have to pay them, and what the states are doing about it.  Enjoy the article. 



This link is part of a series called "Excellent articles that I wish I had written."  The short name is "Great Articles." 

The Sales Tax Guy
http://salestaxguy.blogspot.com

Don't forget our upcoming seminars and webinars.
http://www.salestax-usetax.com/
Picture note: the image above is hosted on Flickr. If you'd like to see more, click on the photo. 

Monday, March 26, 2012

Great Article: Delaware’s No Sales Tax Torques Pennsylvania

National Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse

from Taxrates.com and Susan Mclain

Folks in Pennsylvania run over to Delaware to buy stuff tax free.  This must really bother the revenuers in PA.  But it's also a problem for MD, DC and possibly VA for the really big ticket stuff.  And New Hampshire - well, heck.  The southern end is practically a suburb of Boston.  And let's not even get started with southern Washington and Oregon. 

Plus, I gotta give props to any article where "torque" is used in the headline.  Enjoy the article. 




This link is part of a series called "Excellent articles that I wish I had written."  The short name is "Great Articles." 

The Sales Tax Guy
http://salestaxguy.blogspot.com

Don't forget our upcoming seminars and webinars.
http://www.salestax-usetax.com/
Picture note: the image above is hosted on Flickr. If you'd like to see more, click on the photo. 

Friday, March 23, 2012

Great Article: Sales Tax Exempt in Mississippi? A State with No Forms

The Punt

from salestaxsupport.com and Silvia Aguirre

When I first came across the Mississippi web site, I found it distressingly empty of the usual stuff, including forms.  While the article gives you advice about Mississippi, to me it shows the logic that applies anytime you find yourself in a similar situation where the state offers little guidance.  Punt.  Get as much as you can that will prove your point. Enjoy the article.



This link is part of a series called "Excellent articles that I wish I had written."  The short name is "Great Articles." 

The Sales Tax Guy
http://salestaxguy.blogspot.com

Don't forget our upcoming seminars and webinars.
http://www.salestax-usetax.com/
Picture note: the image above is hosted on Flickr. If you'd like to see more, click on the photo. 

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Great Article: Sales Tax Audit Notes: Creative Accounting I Have Seen



from salestaxsupport.com and Lloyd Geggatt

I always enjoy hearing stories from auditors, particularly about willful fraud.  This article shows the creativity of the businesses, and the diligence of the auditors.  Enjoy the article

PS...you should click on the picture to see it on Flickr.  I personally think the captions are hilarious.




This link is part of a series called "Excellent articles that I wish I had written."  The short name is "Great Articles." 

The Sales Tax Guy
http://salestaxguy.blogspot.com

Don't forget our upcoming seminars and webinars.
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