E-com Sales Tax

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

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 ryanj@peisnerjohnson.com

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 re

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 ryanj@peisner

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

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, a

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 progr

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 thi

There have been recent changes in the marketplace facilitator laws. There are some parties who sells exclusively on Amazon and are registered in 20+ states and are wondering if they can deregister in the states where they have marketplace facilitator laws.The answer is, as with all things in taxation, – It depends! It varies in each state. Two scenarios regarding this have been discussed today as to whether parties should deregister in states with marketplace facilitator laws, or whether they should register at all if they have not done that. Some states give guidance on this while others not. In case you want to deregister you should consider the cost to it. One word of caution is not all marketplace facilitators are collecting on your behalf.Additional questions answered: 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? I

Getting into selling your products online into the US using Amazon FBA sounds like a lucrative idea and it can be! As you start looking into what you need to get setup you start reading about sales taxes and you start to get overwhelmed and you don’t know where to begin! This episode is dedicated to all of you international sellers that have decided to start selling in the United States.Additional Questions Answered: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?If you need help please contact me HERE!If you would like to learn more come to our Free Webinar, "Nexus and What to do Next" REGISTER HERE.

How do you know if you have any risk of getting audited for sales tax? Are you making sure that you are prepared for sales tax audits? We have developed a FREE tool that you can fill out yourself to help you to determine whether or not you have something to worry about. Listen in as we discuss this tool and go through each question in the questionnaire.Additional Questions Answered:How do states find me for sales tax audits?What puts me at risk for a sales tax audit?Can I avoid a sales tax audit?What kinds of activities cause us to have nexus?How do I know whether or not my products are taxable?Do I have sales tax exposure and liabilities in other states?Get access to the FREE STARDT TOOL.Set up a FREE consultation with me HERE.Watch the video walkthrough of the STARDT Tool HERE.If you would like to get more up to date information we have FREE Webinar you can Attend REGISTER HERE.

The definition of nexus has changed dramatically over the last year. Physical presence used to be the ONLY nexus determinator but now you ALSO have economic nexus issues to worry about. We believe that every business needs a nexus review. Listen in as we discuss the different steps to a nexus review and how it will benefit you and your company.Additional Questions Answered:Can I get away with ignoring sales taxes altogether?What can I expect from a nexus review?Why do I need a nexus review?Why can I expect to pay to get a nexus review done?What can give me nexus?What are the next steps after a nexus review?What happens if I established nexus years ago without knowing it?Get the 10 Most Common Nexus Creating Activities HERE.Get your Nexus Review Started HERE.If you would like to get more up to date information we have FREE Webinar you can Attend REGISTER HERE.

On April 1, 2019, California's economic Nexus Laws went into effect. Well, they might as well have said "APRIL FOOLS!" There is already an amendment to the Economic Nexus laws already sitting on the governor of California's desk! Find out what you can expect here! Also, with the fallout of the WAYFAIR decision, all eCommerce businesses need to act! You may have a large nexus exposure or you may not need to do anything, whatever the case may be you need a NEXUS REVIEW to message me and we can get you set up for yours today!Additional Questions Answered:What are California’s economic nexus thresholds?If California’s nexus laws change what will be the new thresholds?Will other states follow suit with these changes?What do I do until the laws change?Will California come after me if I meet their old thresholds but not the new?What is a nexus review?Why do I need a nexus review?What can I expect to learn from a nexus review?How do I get a nexus review done?If you are on the fence of whether or n

Listen, we all want donuts but do we actually need them? Can they really bring joy to our lives and give us the energy and nutrients that we need? Maybe… Same with the marketplace facilitator laws. We would all like to have Amazon, eBay, or Shopify collect and remit the sales tax for us in every state, that would be amazing right? Or, would it? For some eCommerce sellers, these marketplace facilitator laws are a breath of fresh air after the stress of the new Wayfair laws but for most, it can cause even more stress and headache. Listen in as we discuss these laws and how they can affect you!Additional Questions Answered:What are marketplace facilitator laws?Who is affected by marketplace facilitator laws?Do companies still need to register in states that have marketplace facilitator laws in place?Can companies de-register if they are already registered in marketplace facilitator states?Do you have a client that has questions that need immediate answers just reach out to us by filling out this FORM to get a FR

Our most popular podcast is simply about drop shipping and we continue getting a lot of questions about drop shipping. This weeks podcast is simple, answer a couple of commonly asked questions. Join us and really soak up Andy and Dan’s knowledge.Questions Answered:What do I need to do to close my business when it comes to my sales tax requirements?How often should I collect exemption certificates?How do I obtain an exemption certificate?Will my exemption certificate from my home state work for other states?What should I do when  my drop shipper wants an exemption certificate from California?If you have additional questions or you have some immediate concerns get on  a FREE consultation with us by filling out this FORM.

We recently had a client reach out to us asking us what they should do about a recent letter they received from the state of Washington. The letter seems innocent enough. The state seems to be giving companies an opportunity to remit any unpaid consumers use tax. This seems like an odd tactic. Who else but the Government could use this tactic to get more money? Come learn with us today on what it is Washington is trying to do and how you should handle it.Additional Questions Answered:If I ignore this letter from the state of Washington, will the letters remain friendly?What is the consumer’s use tax in Washington?How do I know if I owe consumers use tax?How far back do I need to look for use tax?Will there be any penalties and interest due with the tax?When is the tax due?According to the chart on the letter I may owe one amount but what if I really owe more?If you have received one of the letters or a letter from another state and you need some answers. Please fill out this FORM and we can get on the phone A

While all of the amazing advances in technology area make it easier to sell your items to customers in the US from all over the world, it can be frustrating trying to understand the tax laws you have to deal with. This could get you into a lot of trouble with the US government. We frequently have conversations with eCommerce sellers that are based outside of the United States and they usually have pretty much the same questions. Andy and Dan join us today to answer these questions and help you get your business on the right track.Additional Questions Answered:Q: Do I need a US entity to sell in the US or collect sales tax?A: A US entity is not required to sell in the US or collect sales tax. We have many clients that keep their foreign entity and some that operate as sole traders/proprietors. In some instances opening a US entity can complicate income tax requirements. You could have US-sourced income to report in that case and you could end up owing federal income tax and in some cases state income tax.Q: Ar

We recently got an email from a concerned business owner because they got a letter from California stating they have nexus in California and they must register to collect sales tax. They quickly complied trying to do the right thing. Not too long after they received another letter from California stating that they may owe back taxes and requested information going back a few years. They reached out to us wondering what they can do about the impending back tax exposure. This is something Dan deals with almost daily. Come learn what you can do if something like this happens with California and any other state. Also, we have available a report that can make your business decisions when it comes to sales tax.Additional Questions Answered:What do I do when I get a letter from a state?Should I just register in every state?How can I mitigate my back tax exposure?How do I negotiate with the state to get my exposure down?Can I do a VDA even if a state has found me and sent out a letter?Did you get a letter?...To get w

 Are you aware of your sales tax liabilities? Are you aware of what the Wayfair Supreme Court decision can mean for your company? Who is responsible for making you aware of these things? When you have potential tax risks, who do you trust to make sure that you are being advised of it? Your Tax Accountant right? However, the person you trust to handle your taxes may not be up to speed about sales tax. You may think that you have no tax liability because your Accountant hasn’t said anything to you about it, but, in reality, you may have a huge sales tax liability looming over your head. Does this mean that your tax accountant is at fault? Should you sue them for the sales tax liabilities/damages? Listen is as Dan and Andy discuss this very subject.Additional Questions Answered:Should CPAs be concerned about Wayfair?Can I really sue my accountant for not advising me on sales tax?How can I make sure my sales tax exposure is being handled?How have I been affected by Wayfair?How can I make sure that I don’t have a

On today’s podcast we caught Dan while he was on the road visiting a client. The client had just run into some issues dating back to a few years ago when they acquired another business. A common thing to overlook when doing your due diligence before selling or acquiring a business is sales tax. Having a lot of sales tax exposure could really hurt the sale of your company. Also, if you are acquiring a business and neglect going over the sales tax issues during the due diligence process, it could come back to haunt you years later. Andy and Dan discuss “The 3 Gotchas” when it comes to sales tax, those include; Nexus, Exemption Certificates, Returns, and a Bonus 4th Gotcha. Today you can learn how to protect yourself and your clients.Additional Questions Answered:What sales tax liabilities should I be worried about when I sell my company?What sales tax liabilities should I be worried about when I buy a company?What kind of sales tax due diligence should I do when I buy a company?Why should I care as the acquirin