
Tax Rules Blog Posts


Could a Carbon Tax Save the Planet?
Any discussion of climate change these days generally involves questions about how to incentivize transitioning away from fossil fuels to more renewable forms of energy production. One option that’s long been on the table is the introduction of a carbon tax to make burning fossil fuels more expensive. Of course, instituting a new tax is never popular, but a more complete understanding of how a carbon tax would work can help make clear the real arguments for and against it. This type of tax is also part of a trend towards taxing unhealthy or luxury items, such as the soda… Read More
eBay Sales Tax Fraud
Possibly some of the most difficult and confusing tax laws that online sellers have to deal with are sales tax laws. Part of what makes these laws such a headache is that they are different for every state, and the nature of your business combined with a particular state’s laws will determine if you have to collect and remit sales tax on purchases made by customers in that state. These determinations must be made for each state, and for any state you do have to collect sales tax in, you first have to register for and receive a permit to… Read More
Strange State Laws (Concerning Sales Tax and Other Things)
While most people are aware of how their state law applies to them in various situations they’re likely to encounter in their everyday lives, these laws have to be built to accommodate all eventualities. This can lead to some strange interpretations and applications of statutes, as well as some interesting stand-alone policies. Some of these reflect the interests of special groups, but many are just the result of a common-sense idea that was extended to an absurd degree. Groceries vs Prepared Foods One source of confusion for states involves determining exactly what the difference is between groceries and prepared foods…. Read More