TaxConnex works with a lot of telecommunications service providers that are new to the business. Many are existing MSP’s (Managed Service Providers) or IT management companies that would like to expand their service offering and become “stickier” with their clients.  They may have infrastructure in place to support the sales tax requirements of their existing business, but the telecommunications service presents a different set of issues.

An exemption is an exception that eliminates the need to pay sales tax. The presumption is that all sales of tangible personal property are taxable unless specifically enumerated. The purchaser has the responsibility for determining whether a sale is exempt from tax. If the purchaser does not submit a valid exemption certificate to the business, the business must assess and collect the sales tax from the purchaser. The responsibility to determine the validity of the exemption certificate resides with the business. Without this exemption certificate, the state or jurisdiction in which you are registered will expect you to have collected sales tax. 

Someday people will probably use a lot of words to describe 2020. “Un-eventful” won’t be one of them.

The year’s ongoing pandemic affected almost every aspect of life – including, and in no small way, sales tax, which was already an area that has seen unprecedented change since the Supreme Court’s Wayfair decision in 2018.

Add to that, jurisdictions that are worried about how lockdowns have affected their tax revenue and you have a tumultuous year.

Here’s a look back at some of the year’s developments. 

With nearly 50 million Americans losing their jobs earlier this year and 11 million still unemployed nearly 10 months after the pandemic began, the reality of being forced to do more with less is being felt in every corner of almost every company, including the finance department. Hiring freezes and budget restrictions have left many finance teams struggling to keep up.

We understand that sales and use tax may not be your biggest priority, but if not managed correctly, it can cause major headaches. Understanding the various aspects of your sales tax process is critical to minimize your risk and to keep your business on solid ground as it relates to sales tax.

States may be getting tougher on sales tax delinquents as the pandemic drags on and tax revenues, in many places, take hits. Just ask Fiorella’s Landscaping in western New York.

Technology companies, and specifically software companies, have always had challenges related to managing sales tax. Understanding where they have a physical presence as well as the varying taxability rules associated with their products and services was complex. But with the proliferation of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) as a delivery mechanism and Wayfair, the sales tax landscape has become exponentially more complex.

Tech companies – especially those dealing in downloads of software and (SaaS) delivery – can protect themselves if they understand key terms and processes.

Sales tax is complicated no matter the industry you are in. But the leasing industry brings out even more complicated nuances depending on the type of lease, support activities and even the leased item itself.

If you’re a construction contractor – especially if you’re engaged in contracts in different states – you have to evaluate your sales tax responsibilities in each state where you have customers.

We can’t say it enough – sales tax is complex. Whether you outsource aspects of the process or manage it all in house, there are a lot of moving parts and nothing seems to stay the same for long.

We’ve compiled some of the top questions we get from clients on sales & use tax. Part 1 of these questions was on sales tax and business services. Keep reading for some of our more introductory questions we get asked on a daily basis.

As if understanding your nexus obligations wasn’t confusing enough, you throw in words and phrases like marketplace facilitator, TPP, tax situs and economic vs. physical nexus and even the most advanced finance professionals can be thrown for a loop.

States are still reeling in sales tax deficits brought on by the economic downturn during the pandemic, but the addition of economic nexus has appeared to have somewhat alleviated the deficits. States are starting to see an increase in online sales tax collections as more and more people remain online for work and shopping. 

Sales tax is complicated. Many sales tax companies will tell you it’s simple with their solution, but when you take a look at all that goes in to compliance – you will understand that no technology can fully automate or manage sales tax without a good bit of project management from your side.  

Lost sales, expenses for cleaning, more time and money for employee protection and training are just some of the reasons for businesses to claim they now have to charge extra to pay for responding to the pandemic (aka, “COVID surcharges”). In many places and for many industries these charges have become commonplace.

A review of what’s been happening and updates states have made in sales & use tax so far in 2020.