ANOTHER MOVE TOWARD ECONOMIC NEXUS
Generally companies establish nexus by having a physical presence in the state. However, several states are pushing the boundaries of defining the physical presence in order to generate more revenue. Welcome to the concept of “economic nexus.”
Nexus and Physical Presence
As we discuss in a previous post, “nexus” is the term used to describe the minimum connection that a company (taxpayer) must have with the state in order for the state to be able to subject the company to its state taxing schemes (including sales tax, income tax, gross receipts tax and others). Nexus is normally established by companies having a physical presence in the state, by virtue of having employees, or third party contractors acting on their behalf in a state, or the presence of a warehouse or storefront in the state. Inventory in a state can also create nexus.Read more
The Inside Scoop: Arizona's Approach to Online Sales Tax
Have you been following our series on how states are approaching the online sales tax debate? So far we’ve taken a look at Colorado, Alabama, Washington and Texas; today we look at Arizona! Keep reading to see how the Grand Canyon State is approaching the issue.
A Summary of Arizona’s Online Sales Tax Legislation
Unlike the other states we’ve covered so far, Arizona interprets the 1992 court case, Quill Corp. v. North Dakota, a little bit more directly. The precedent set forth established that companies need to have a physical presence in the state (or nexus) in order for the state to collect sales tax on a purchase.
While many states establish economic nexus through a variety of provisions, Arizona’s 2015 Tax Handbook clearly states that physical presence as defined by Quill is key. And, as Nolo.com points out, “According to the same section, a company with no physical presence in the state, but whose products are both available in independently-owned Arizona stores and directly from the company via the internet, is not responsible for collecting sales tax.”Read more
Online Sales Tax in Texas: What Do You Need to Know?
Have you been following the online sales tax debate? Congress hasn’t been able to come up with a solution at this point, so states are taking matters into their own hands. This series showcases how various legislatures across the country are approaching the issue. So far we’ve covered Colorado, Alabama and Washington. This week we take a look at Texas.
A Summary of Texas’ Online Sales Tax Legislation
Although the 1992 court case, Quill Corp. v. North Dakota, set precedent that companies need to collect sales tax from customers in states where the business has a physical presence (or nexus), many states - including Texas - interpret that to mean that they can collect sales tax if your enterprise has established nexus in their state by other than just physical presence. This is often referred to as economic nexus.Read more
FOCUS ON NEW MEXICO
Welcome to the Land of Enchantment! This month we travel to the southwestern state of New Mexico. The states of New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and Utah come together at the Four Corners in the northwestern corner of the state, the only such occurrence in the U.S. Although a large state, New Mexico has very little water, with a surface area of only about 250 square miles.
Inhabited by Native Americans for thousands of years before European Exploration, New Mexico was colonized in 1598 by the Imperial Spanish viceroyalty of New Spain. Later, it was part of independent Mexico before becoming a U.S. territory and eventually a U.S. state, as a result of the Mexican-American War. Among the U.S. states, New Mexico has the highest percentage of Hispanics, including descendants of the original Spanish colonists who have lived in the area for more than 400 years beginning in 1598. The demography and culture are shaped by these strong Hispanic and Native American Influences and is also expressed in the state flag. Its scarlet and gold colors are taken from the royal standards of Spain, along with the ancient symbol of the Zia, a Pueblo-related tribe.
What Do You Need To Know About Washington's Online Sales Tax?
The online sales tax debate continues, with states taking matters into their own hands instead of waiting for Congress to decide how to settle the matter. However, not all states are approaching the issue the same way. We’ve already looked at current and potential legislation in Colorado and Alabama; next we venture to Washington state!
A Summary of Washington’s Online Sales Tax Legislation
As we've previously explained, Washington prompted online sales tax collection by expanding its definition of nexus. Back in 2015, they rolled out the five-point internet sales tax solution, followed by establishing nexus through click-through retail solutions.Read more
MORE ART, LESS SCIENCE: MANAGING A TAX DISPUTE
At Miles Consulting Group, we often assist clients in audits, or other disputes with state agencies, such as departments of revenue, usually related to sales or income tax. In this month’s guest blog, Harry-Todd Astrov looks at disputes from the federal standpoint and things to consider before engaging in fancy tax planning.
On March 23, 2017, the IRS Large Business and International (LB&I) division announced the initial identification and selection of 13 “campaigns” to combat perceived tax compliance issues, with more campaigns to be identified and launched in coming months.
Several of these campaigns either explicitly or implicitly will target mid-market businesses. These include a campaign to examine transactions with non-U.S. related parties, a separate campaign to specifically examine the transfer pricing used by inbound distributors, whether S corporation are claiming losses in excess of basis, the repatriation structure being used for tax-free repatriation of funds into the U.S., and whether foreign companies doing business in the U.S. are filing a Form 1120-F with the IRS.
An Interesting Look: Alabama's Latest Online Sales Tax News
A couple of weeks ago we started a series that looks at the ramifications of various online sales tax legislation states across the country are proposing and signing into law. We started with Colorado as they’ve been at the forefront of the debate since 2010. Today we take a look at Alabama!
Alabama has been making waves in the state tax world because it passed legislation in 2015 that requires an out-of-state seller making retail sales within the state to register, and collect and remit sales tax on these sales by virtue of “economic nexus” if the seller has sales of more than $250,000 within Alabama, and engages in certain limited activities in the state. However, it does not require substantial physical presence as required in the 1992 Supreme Court decision (Quill). With the passage of these laws, Alabama drafted legislation that is unconstitutional and effectively challenging taxpayers to take the issue to court (or is challenging the federal government to finally enact some of the bills which have been circulating in Congress but have not passed). Whether that’s “simplified” or not is a question, but read on for a summary of the latest activities in the state.Read more
FOCUS ON MARYLAND
This month we travel to the birthplace of religious freedom in America, the state of Maryland. Formed by George Calvert in the early 17th Century, the state was intended as a refuge for persecuted Catholics from England. George Calvert was the first Lord of Baltimore and the first English proprietor of the then-Maryland colonial grant. Maryland was the seventh state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, and played a pivotal role in the founding of Washington D.C., which was established on land donated by the state.
Mid-Atlantic Maryland is defined by its abundant waterways and coastlines on the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean. Its largest city, Baltimore, has a history as a major seaport, and is also home to such tourist attractions as the National Aquarium and the Maryland Science Center.
Fascinating Ramifications of Colorado's New Online Sales Tax
As we’ve been following the online sales tax debate in previous posts, we’ve mostly approached the issue as it affects the country as a whole. While Congress has continued to debate how to handle taxing internet shoppers, however, states have been taking matters into their own hands. This upcoming series will look at new legislation coming out in different state legislatures across the country, beginning with Colorado.
A Summary of Colorado’s Online Sales Tax Legislation
Colorado has been at the forefront of the internet sales tax debate since 2010, when it passed a law that required companies with more than $100,000 in sales that did not have nexus in the state to do two things:
- Alert Colorado customers that Colorado sales or use tax is due
- File annual reports to the state, listing all the names, purchases and shipping addresses of Colorado customers
Although this legislation seemed egregious to most of us in the business, it went to court and, after many rounds in various courts, the law will now be effective as of July 1, 2017 because the U. S. Supreme Court denied certiorari – meaning they won’t hear the case. There have been some recent modifications that stipulate retroactive reporting won’t be necessary, but businesses will need to report on all sales after July 1 of this year.Read more
PENNSYLVANIA- CLARIFICATION ISSUED ON LEGISLATION?
Businesses obviously grow by selling their products outside of their local boundaries and across state lines. Pennsylvania (PA) has experienced, like most states, a relatively large amount of sales from companies outside PA, and, with that, the loss in sales tax revenue from those sales, as out of state companies do not often collect sales tax. Pennsylvania has a growing economy, and like most states, it is continually modifying its tax laws to be current with changing conditions and technologies.
Last summer, we wrote an article about a new Pennsylvania law going into effect related to taxing software that is digitally downloaded. This law went into effect on August 1, 2016.
