The SALTcast

No matter if you are a company that is just starting out, have been in business for many years, big business, or small business… it's not if you are audited, it is when. Often times businesses will reach out to us after a state has already contacted them letting them know that they are under audit or the audit is at the assessment stage. At any point in the audit we can help fight it, it is never too late. But, I propose that the best time to fight an audit is before you are even notified that you are going to be audited. Today I will go through how you can best prepare for and fight a sales tax audit at any stage.

Additional Questions Answered:

What can I expect from a sales tax audit?

Do states audit out of state companies more often in the wake of Wayfair?

How far back can a state audit me?

What are some things that an auditor will look at?

What are some common mistakes that are found during a sales tax audit?

How do I fight a sales tax audit?

What can I do now to prepare for a sales tax audit?

How can Peisner Johnson help fight my sales tax audit?

How do I know what my sales tax liability is?

Visit our WEBSITE for free resources including our Ultimate Guide For Sales Tax Audit Help

If you are currently under audit and would like some help you can schedule a FREE consultation with us by filling out this FORM.

I have had many questions in regards to using print-on-demand services. Here is the scenario: You are selling custom t-shirts, mugs, cups, etc. Once an item is ordered, the supplier creates the item and drop ships it on your behalf. So, today I want to talk about how this can affect you and your business and what steps you need to take if any.

Additional Questions Answered: 

Does using print on demand services give me nexus where the printer is located?

Do I need to register where my supplier is located?

Do I need to give my supplier an exemption certificate?

Do I really owe sales tax to my supplier if I don’t have nexus in any state?

How do I get an exemption certificate?

If you would like to get more information about how to set up a FREE consultation for a NEXT review please fill out this FORM.

If you have any questions about this podcast please contact me at [email protected]

It has been over a year now that the South Dakota v Wayfair Supreme Court decision has been issued and almost all of the states now have economic nexus laws on their books. Most of these laws have become effective over the last year. You may be thinking to yourself that everything is probably calming down and you have less to keep track of. Think again! Many states have already changed their laws, some changes may benefit you, but most benefit the state! Find out today some of the significant changes and how they affect you.

Additional Questions Answered:

• Can I avoid registering for sales tax in a state?
• Will there ever be sales tax stability amongst all the states?
• What do I do next now that I have sales tax nexus?
• Am I double-paying sales tax?
• Do the sales tax economic nexus thresholds change?
• What states have made changes to their economic nexus thresholds?
• Will marketplace facilitator laws replace economic nexus laws?
• Will these new economic nexus law changes be good for me or affect me poorly?
• Will any new laws remove the transactional economic nexus thresholds?
• Will states drop economic nexus laws altogether?

If you have any additional questions you can reach me at [email protected]

If you would like to schedule a FREE consultation, fill out this FORM.

After the US Supreme Court’s decision on Wayfair a lot of states were quick to enact economic nexus laws to capitalize on the potential sales tax revenue from remote sellers. Along with these new economic nexus laws some states have also introduced some amnesty programs to provide some incentive for remote businesses to voluntarily register in their states. Not all amnesty programs provide true amnesty. Listen in as Jason and Dan discuss the different available programs and whether or not they are worth taking advantage of.

Additional Questions Answered:

• What are amnesty programs?
• Can I handle applying for the amnesty programs on my own?
• Is an amnesty program the same as a VDA?
• How can I know if an amnesty program will work for me?
• What states are currently offering amnesty programs?
• Do these amnesty programs really provide true amnesty?

If you or your client would like to see if they qualify for an Amnesty program you can schedule a FREE call with us HERE.

If you just have a question you can email me at [email protected]

California just released some new information that could greatly benefit e-commerce businesses. If you have been doing business in the state of California in the last few years you have a chance to apply for a limited look-back period even if you have received a letter from the state of California. Jason and Dan are talking about a program recently established the State of California and what the benefits are for remote sellers.

Additional questions:

• What are the requirements to apply? Do I qualify for California’s newest program?
• What are the steps to becoming compliant?
• What is the time period for applying for this program?
• Will I have to pay the back taxes?
• Will there be any penalty and interest attached to the back taxes owed?
• How far back will California look at my records?
• Will California come out with an amnesty program?
• Will it really be beneficial for companies, especially FBA sellers, who do business in California?

We recommend that you contact us as soon as possible as you only have 90 days to apply, file, and pay any back taxes if required. Fill out this FORM and tell us about your specific situation and we can get on the phone with you to discuss as soon as possible.

As a business owner, you want your business to grow and to expand into new states. Often what happens is in the haste to expand you forget that your product or service may have different taxability rules in the new state you are expanding into. We got a question recently from a SaaS provider and they are being proactive in making sure that they are compliant while they are now doing business in new states. They want to know what their sales tax obligations are going forward in these new states. Listen in as Jason and Dan discuss the sales tax complexities of SaaS providers.

Additional Questions Answered:

• Is SaaS taxable?
• Are installation, training, and implementations taxable?
• Are services typically taxable?
• Is SaaS taxed differently than normal software?
• Does it matter which method the software is delivered?
• How does SaaS give me nexus?
• How does Texas tax SaaS?
• How does California tax SaaS?
• How do I protect myself if I have some sales tax exposure?
• How can I mitigate my potential sales tax exposure?

Do you feel that you have a similar question or situation? please contact me [email protected]

If you would like to learn more about our services you can visit www.peisnerjohnson.com

A lot of firms are having issues about knowing what to do about Wayfair, sales tax, nexus, and what to do next. Sales tax problems are emerging and a lot of tax managers, bookkeepers, and accountants do not want to think about it, and they do not know how to react.  

Andy, Dan, and Jason discuss solving those problems using the experience they have attained over the years. 

The main problem is the level of knowledge in the CPA community has about sales tax, which remains low. Could that be intentional on the CPA's part? Many CPAs avoid sales tax by any means possible when the biggest risk businesses face are not taking action on their sales tax issues.

Additional Questions Answered:

Why would CPAs and accountants want to avoid consulting within sales tax?

Why isn't my CPA advising me of my sales tax liabilities?

Should my CPA be advising me of my sales tax liabilities?

What is the benefit of using a sales tax specialist?

How do I deal with sales taxes on my own?

What are my biggest sales tax risks?

What programs do states have to help mitigate my risk?

What should I do about my nexus?

Concerned about some advice you may have received? Don't sweat it! Just get a FREE second opinion from a sales tax specialist. You can apply for a FREE Consultation HERE.

Once you have determined that you have nexus and where you have nexus we need to talk about what happens NEXT. Before you start registering anywhere and everywhere, you need to determine the taxability of your products or services. It can be as simple as saying all your products are taxable or as complicated as you could possibly imagine.

Additional questions answered: 

• How to tax or what to tax?  What is the right tax rate? What's taxable?
• Do a lot of e-commerce sellers who sell items that are tangible property want to know how to tax the items?
• How do e-commerce platforms work? Do they set the tax automatically or the sellers should put it themselves? How to manage different tax rates in different states?
• Who should collect the tax: platforms or seller? Which items are taxable or nontaxable in different states? Do they need to report the tax?
• What happens when you over collect the tax or you are under collecting it? How is the penalty provided?
• Does applying codes for the type of item that is selling make things easier or not?
• If some items are not taxable in some states, do you need to register your business in the state where the item is not taxable?

Got some worries? Feel free to reach out to me at [email protected]

Learn more at our newest webinar, "Nexus and What to do NEXT." Register Here.

• What is the situation on the state of Washington with deregistering? What is the BNO tax which is reported on the same combined excise tax return along with the sales tax?
• What is the so-called ‘general excise tax’ on the state of Hawaii? 
• In 2020 Amazon will begin collecting and remitting on behalf of its sellers. But if you are buying for resale, will you get a full exemption?
• Do I need or should I deregister in these states, if I am already registered? Do I need to remain registered and still file or not file? Have states given clear guidance on this? Is there a cost to deregister? 
• Should I deregister in states which are going to have additional tax beyond the transactional tax that Amazon may be collecting?
• In case I have not registered yet, should I do that?
• What is the scenario for individuals who also sell on other marketplace facilitators platforms? Should they deregister if they sell on Amazon?
• If I am selling on multiple platforms, then can I deregister at least on the states in which Amazon has inventory?
• Once I have nexus, do I have nexus for every state and have to collect and remit the sales tax?
• Most of these state laws require them to notify me when they began to collect and remit taxes, so if I have not been notified or they do not state that they are doing it, do I have to assume that they are collecting on my behalf?

• What do I need to know about sales taxes?
• Why is sales tax so complicated?
• Where do I need to get registered?
• Do I need to get registered?
• What is and FEIN?
• How do I obtain a FEIN?
• How do I know where I have Nexus?
• Do I have any sales tax exposure?
• Are my products taxable?