|
|
| Tax Information |
|
|
|
|
Navigating The Internet Sales Tax Laws
QUESTION: ANSWER: Internet sales taxation has been a topic of contention even before Amazon sold its first book and Priceline booked its first flight. One of the more controversial points is that no one, including our own government, seems to have a clue how to implement a fair and logical Internet taxation process. With over 7,500 different local, county and state taxation systems in the United States, you can understand the controversy. In 1998, Congress did what it usually does when faced with a potentially explosive issue like Internet tax collection -- it decided to put off making a decision. Congress enacted a three-year moratorium on the collection of taxes to give an appointed advisory board time to come up with an acceptable solution. That moratorium ended last year and opened the door for municipalities to begin collecting sales tax on their own. Here in Alabama the sales tax collection department is airing radio spots asking Alabamians to step up to - and toss dollars into - the proverbial collection plate. The commercial kindly suggests that if I have purchased anything from an online retailer, I am honor-bound to proclaim such purchases and submit the appropriate sales tax to the collection department right away. They thank me in advance for my cooperation. So, Katie, when the auditor shows up at your door the best thing you can do is smile politely and be totally forthcoming. The sales tax that you pay is a small price for the convenience of shopping online. Now where did I put all those Amazon.com receipts? Small Business Q&A is written by veteran entrepreneur and syndicated columnist, Tim Knox. Tim's latest books include "Small Business Success Secrets" and "The 30 Day Blueprint For Success!" Related Links: http://www.smallbusinessqa.com http://www.dropshipwholesale.net
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Alas! In E-Commerce Taxland In trying to comply with tax laws for your e-business, you may find yourself falling down the rabbit-hole, going through the looking glass, and attending a Mad Tea-Party. 10 Thoughts on Tax Offer in Compromise Beware of advertisements that claim to settle tax debts for "pennies on the dollar". Check the Offer In Compromise requirements to see if it is right for you. How Home-Based Businesses Can Avoid Giving Uncle Sam More than His Share How Home-Based Businesses Can Avoid Giving Uncle Sam More than His Share By Darren Oliver With the rush to file your taxes by April 15th, you probably did not consider the possibility that you overpaid. According to the General Accounting Office, in 1998 alone, there was $311 million paid unnecessarily to the IRS. Do not count on the IRS to tell you if you have overpaid because they are not required to but you can file an amended return for up to three years. Chances are, you either prepare your business taxes yourself or have your tax preparer or CPA does them. There a number of issues surrounding either tax preparation method, which can result in your tax liability being calculated as higher than it actually is including missed deductions, numerous changes in tax laws or being given incorrect advice. As a home-based business professional, there are a number of deductions you are entitled to which many tax preparers often miss. For example, if you run a home office you are entitled to deduct expenses for the percentage of square footage the home office is occupying. Expenses include the combined total of mortgage interest, property taxes, utilities, repairs, etc. For example, if 250 square feet of a 1,000 square foot house is being used for a home office, you are entitled to deduct a quarter of your total expenses. Although some deductions may seem minor, over an entire year, they can add up to thousands of dollars that you are unnecessarily paying the IRS. That is money that you could be using to grow your business. Karen McClafflin, owner of home-based Secret Canyon Realty in Colorado Springs, CO, was able to recover $11,000 when her tax preparer failed to include home office and automobile deductions in her past returns. Another area, which causes many business owners to overpay, is being given incorrect advice by their CPA, tax preparer or even the IRS directly. In a poll performed by Money Magazine, the average tax preparer, prepares an average of 480 returns between February 1st and April 15th, that is a lot of returns in a relatively short amount of time which makes it difficult for your return to get the time and attention it deserves. This same poll also found there was an average discrepancy of 300% between what the tax preparers said was due and what was actually due. Moreover, in a poll of 50 professional tax preparers, consisting of 10 basic tax questions, none answered all 10 questions correctly and only 34 got at least half correct. This problem does not extend to just tax preparers or CPA's. In the IRS's 2001 assessment of their own 544 call centers, they found that 50% of the time, their representatives gave incorrect or insufficient advice. Whether you do your taxes yourself and had to call the IRS for clarification on an issue or your CPA did, odds are the answer was not accurate. The United States tax law is one of the most complex in the world. Not to mention, tax laws change every year and have changed tremendously in the last couple of years. Even the best tax preparer, CPA or even IRS representative can easily make a mistake or, forget to use an exemption which could reduce your tax liability. If you have not yet filed your taxes, it is a good idea to get a second opinion from an independent source. The extra money and time spent in doing this could save you thousands. Look for someone or a company who: � Has sufficient years preparing home-based business tax returns � Prepares less than the average number of returns between January and April so that your return gets sufficient time and attention. � Have had clients get a second opinion. In addition, talk to those clients to get there first hand insight. � Is willing to pay for a second review of your tax returns to ensure accuracy. � Is willing to take MSN's online Tax IQ Test at http://moneycentral.msn.com/investor/calcs/n_taxq/main.asp. Although designed for consumers, this test contains basic tax information that even junior level tax preparers should know. Just as you trust a surgeon with your life, you trust this individual or company with your money and confidential information. Be highly selective and do not be afraid to put them through a rigorous qualification. If they are not willing to participate in your qualification then either they do not know their stuff or, your business is not that important to them. If you already filed your taxes or think you might have missed out on deductions, have been given bad advice or failed to take advantage of a tax law change which could reduce your liability for previous tax years, what can you do? The good news is that by law, the IRS is required, for up to three years, to review your returns and records as many times as needed to find errors. You have the same three years to get a second opinion and file an amended return. In fact, in 2002, 3.3 million taxpayers filed an amended return. Samuel Rowley, owner of Muffler Masters in Colorado Springs, was able to recover $14,500 through the filing of an amended return when it was found that he overpaid FICA and payroll taxes. You may worry that an amended return will trigger an audit however; the IRS itself admits this is not the case. In 2002 alone, 3.3 million taxpayers filed an amended return. The IRS is not the big, bad agency we used to know. In fact, statistics show that audits are down and continue to decline. Businesses throughout the U.S. overpay their taxes to the tune of billions each year and your money could be part of the billions that is overpaid. When it comes to your taxes, always get a second opinion to ensure you are not paying more than you should and, you can even hit pay dirt by looking back. Insider Guides to IRS Audits! Ever wish that, as a business owner, you knew exactly what would raise "red flags" at the IRS? Or how to make an IRS audit go as smoothly and painlessly as possible? Send Your Kids To Summer Camp and Write It Off If you paid someone to care for a child so you could work, you may be able claim a tax credit for child and dependent care expenses on your federal income tax return. This credit is available to people who, in order to work or to look for work, have to pay for child care services for dependents under age 13. Tax Reduction Tips In the rush to get tax returns prepared and filed by April 15th, many overpay their taxes. Following are a few tax reduction tips that could help you save a bundle. Access to E-records by Taxing Authorities: A Case for Pakistan (Part II) All tax authorities to e-commerce transactions should investigate the record retention requirements of each other's respective jurisdictions. How to Donate Your Car to Charity and Get Tax Deduction Donating your used car to charity is a win-win situation; the charity gets your gift and you get tax deduction. Below are some simple steps to make a car donation. 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid Certified For Clean-Fuel Deduction If you are environmentally conscious and purchase a 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid vehicle that combines a gasoline-powered engine with alternative power methods, you are in line for a nice tax deduction. Understanding Basic Tax Terms If your like many, you don't always understand what people are talking about when it comes to Taxes. It's important to know the main tax terminology, especially when tax season comes around. Knowing the basics will make tax season less of a hassle for you, and maybe even save you some money. There are hundreds of terms; Below are some of the most important: Car Donation: An Easy Way to Support Your Favorite Charity and Get a Tax Deduction Most people look forward to getting their tax return, but one of the downsides to filing taxes is that you may find yourself owing the taxman come April 15. What do you do when you realize that you not only owe money, but you owe more than you can pay at the time? Gambling Income and Expenses - Tax Requirements Hit a big one? With more and more gambling establishments, keep in mind the IRS requires people to report all gambling winnings as income on their tax return. Corporations Failing To Claim AMT Exemption Overpay Taxes By $11,000 Does your incorporated business pay alternative minimum tax ["AMT]? If so, there is a 93% chance you have been overpaying your taxes by an average of $11,000 a year according to the Treasury Inspector General. The Tax Man Cometh... To Search You're at your office, or home, and the doorbell rings ? it's the Canada Revenue Agency ("CRA"). Tax Trap #5 -- Ignoring The IRS (and the 5 best ways to contact them!) We all love to criticize the IRS, don't we? And I'm just as guilty as anyone. It's easy to ridicule a huge organization of government bureaucrats who often seem to be Public Enemy #1. Taxation of Forgiven Debt: The 1099C & You Often people fall on hard times and stop paying on credit cards. After a while the account may go to an outside debt collector who might offer a settlement of the debt for 30-40% of theoriginal sum. Once this is paid, the debtor often thinks the matter is closed, but it is not! It is very likely that the creditor will issue a 1099-C. This is a notice to IRS of the forgiven debt. If the debtor does not address this on his return he may get an IRS bill a year or two later with penalties and interest. Tax Time Tune Up Excerpted from the new book, "How to Do Space Age Work with a Stone Age Brain" TM E-commerce Taxation The means and types of businesses have transformed with advent of era of e-commerce, resulting in global seller and buyer. The Internet offers consumer choice, business efficiency and recreation. Need an Offshore Sales Office in a Tax Free Environment? More on the No-tax haven of Anguilla. Click onto the link below for the detailshttp://www.geocities.com/taxhavens123/caribbeantaxhavens.html A Tribute in Honor of: Bank Confidential Ordinances in the Caribbean http://www.geocities.com/taxhavens123/bank_confidentiality.html Small Business Tax Credit - Americans with Disabilities Act Many small businesses complain when confronted with the expense of complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Most do not realize that there are a number of tax incentives available to offset the costs. Importantly, one tax incentive comes in the form of a tax credit, which is far more valuable than a tax deduction when it comes to creating tax savings.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2005 |