Tax Rules Blog Posts

Exploring the Taxability of Uber and Lyft

May 31, 2017

Since the enactment of most state sales tax laws in the middle of the 20th century, the economies in these states have grown and evolved considerably. It used to be that the sale of tangible goods from brick-and-mortar stores made up a bulk of the economic activity across the country, and so sales tax laws were built around this structure. Services have begun to take a larger and larger share of total consumer sales over time, however, and that has led states to begin rethinking their sales tax laws and what they cover. Ride sharing services like Uber and Lyft… Read More

2017 Sales Tax Holidays by State

February 11, 2017

Click here for this year’s list! Love them or hate them, sales tax holidays are here to stay, at least for another year. Sales tax holidays are important, both for consumers wishing to save money, and retailers who are encouraged and may be required to participate. Each year, the list of sales tax holidays changes, as some states add tax-free dates, and others cancel them. It’s an ongoing process of legislation among states, so we’ll do our best to keep this page updated throughout 2017. We’ve linked to resources where possible, but sometimes these haven’t yet been updated for the… Read More

Do You Pay Sales Tax on Water?

July 13, 2016

It’s July, and here in Florida, like many places, it’s HOT outside. Like, unbearably hot. It doesn’t take more than a few minutes outside before you start feeling thirsty. Try going for a bike ride or run, and about 5 minutes in, you’ll start actually fantasizing about a tall glass of ice cold H2O. Water is ubiquitous – we drink it, cook with it, bathe with it, swim in it. Water is one of the basic necessities of live. Without it, we would die. So would the rest of the planet. One would think that something so prominent, so NECESSARY, wouldn’t… Read More

Voluntary Disclosure Process For Erroneous Reporting

October 7, 2015

It’s every online retailer’s nightmare: a dreaded audit or costly penalties and fines for erroneous sales tax reporting. And yet, the ever-changing landscape of sales tax regulations that affects ecommerce retailers means that errors in reporting are a real possibility for even the most conscientious of vendors. Is there a way retailers can protect themselves from exorbitant fees and charges due to erroneous reporting? Voluntary disclosure may be able to help in cases where retailers realized that an error has been made. What is voluntary disclosure? For tax reporting, voluntary disclosure is a program that can waive penalties and fees… Read More

5 Surprising Business Activities that Create a Sales Tax Nexus

February 12, 2015

In most cases, a business needs to collect sales tax in the states in which they are located. This concept, called nexus, means that if the business has a physical presence in a state, that state can compel the business to collect sales tax from its customers. Nexus is pretty cut-and-dry when you’re thinking about the place where you work, or your business headquarters. If you’re a brick-and-mortar store with a single location, this is pretty straightforward. Everyone who comes into your store should pay your local sales tax rate on purchases (not accounting for topics like exempt sales and… Read More