Sales Tax

"darkness is death"

Time change. Daylight savings time. Fall back. Spring ahead. However you describe it, most (if not all of us) changed our clocks recently. We either gained an hour or lost an hour (depending on how you look at it), but one thing I do know - I've lost daylight. So I'm not sure how this is "daylight savings" time. I don't like to complain, but I just do. So I'll just say that I really like sunlight and dislike darkness. As they said in a cartoon movie I can't remember the title of right now - "Darkness is Death."

Regardless of how you feel about changing your clocks or sunlight or darkness, one thing is certain, times continue to change. The way business is conducted continues to change. New technologies are created (whether that's good or bad; or will be used for good or bad is yet to be seen). And last but not least, state tax legislation continues to change; and court cases and rulings continue to be made which ultimately create certainty and uncertainty. Wait, what? What did you just say?

Yes, new legislation, court cases and rulings create just as much uncertainty as they do certainty.

Well, that's great.

Just as each company's facts and circumstances differ, state tax laws seem to have a life of their own when the answer isn't "black and white" (which is most of the time); or when each state's laws are different. This creates a world of grey (or some may say, "darkness"). This "darkness" is why I say every state tax question is a research question. (A research question that needs to be solved by a human (not A.I., AI or artificial intelligence, just saying)).

Darkness is debilitating. It's hard to drive in the dark without headlights. It's hard to walk in the dark without a flashlight. Darkness creates fear and uncertainty. Darkness creates unknown risks. Thus, light is needed to move forward with some level of assurance and confidence.

Darkness can also create unknown opportunities. You can't see them. This requires faith. A compass. A navigator. A roadmap.

"Darkness" in the state tax world surrounds several areas and questions companies continually ask:

  • what states do I need to file tax returns in?

  • is what I'm selling subject to sales tax?

  • which entity in my affiliated group of companies is required to file the tax return?

  • if I sell my interest in this partnership, to what states do I source the gain and have to pay tax?

  • I'm selling services all across the United States. How do I source those sales to each state in the apportionment factor of my income tax returns?

  • do I really have to get exemption certificates from my customers?

  • do I have to register with a state for sales tax purposes to provide a vendor with that state's resale exemption certificate or can I use a multijurisdictional certificate?

  • am I required to file combined income tax returns or does every entity file separately?

  • should I make this election or that election?

  • do I qualify for these tax credits?

  • do I have to collect sales tax on my total gross receipts or can I deduct costs reimbursements or costs that I flow-through and pay to someone else?

  • how do I know if we really meet the requirements to be protected from a state's income tax by P.L. 86-272?

  • I didn't even know that state had a gross receipts tax.

  • what is a franchise tax and why is the tax base so high?

  • am I really selling SaaS and does the state tax it?

  • should I make a state's pass-through entity tax election? How do i quantify or model the impact? Will it be beneficial for all partners and shareholders?

  • should I file a Voluntary Disclosure Agreement (VDA) or simply start filing returns?

  • should I request a Private Letter Ruling (PLR)?

  • should I challenge (protest) this audit assessment or simply pay it and move on?

  • when can I stop filing returns in a state?

  • how do I dissolve or withdraw from a state?

  • is registering with a state's Secretary of State's Office the same thing as registering with a state's Department of Revenue (taxation)?

  • what sales tax compliance software should I use? Should I outsource the return prep to a third-party?

I could keep going, but I think you get the point. The darkness is everywhere.

Finding the light in the state tax world is not easy.

Unlike darkness in life where you can just flip the light switch and see, darkness in the state tax world takes research and analysis and judgment based on experience. And even then, the answer may not be clear (still dark or grey).

Consequently, I think the "light" is finding the right-fit state tax consultant that you trust and like working with. Someone with not only the technical knowledge and experience, but the ability to look at an issue from 2 feet and 50,000 feet. To be technical and practical. To look at the risk and provide judgment. To reduce risk. To recommend positions with the proper level of assurance. Knowledge. Judgment. Advocacy. That is the light in the proverbial darkness. The compass. The roadmap. The flashlight. The headlight.

I hope you find the light you need to move your company and clients forward.

If you are a state tax consultant, I hope you "shine brightly."

QUOTES

"The art and science of asking questions is the source of all knowledge." - Thomas Berger

"The prize goes to the person who sees the future the quickest." - William Stiritz

"We are drowning in information and starved for knowledge." - John Naisbitt

knowing what questions to ask and how to move forward

Over 20 years ago I was introduced to Tony Robbins and his books. This week I started reading "Awaken The Giant Within" again. I actually started with the chapter entitled, "Questions Are The Answer." The idea or thought is that questions have the power to focus our attention and direct our path. Ask the wrong questions and you will go down the wrong path. Questions cause us to think about certain things (positive or negative) depending on the question. Questions not only cause us to drill down on a person, place, thing, etc. but questions also cause us to "delete" (as Tony says in the book) or not think about certain things or think about things in a certain way.

Tony says:

  • "the difference between people is the difference in the questions they ask consistently."

  • "Questions determine everything you do in life, from your abilities to your relationships to your income."

Quotes Tony put in the book:

  • "Always the beautiful answer who asks a more beautiful question." - E.E. Cummings

  • "Some men see things as they are, and say, 'Why?' I dream of things that never were, and say, 'Why not?'" - George Bernard Shaw

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS IN STATE TAX

After reading that chapter, and I got immersed in work this week, I often thought about the questions and answers I get in my work.

State tax consultants are faced with unique fact patterns and grey tax law which causes us to have to ask the right questions to get the right answer or conclusions. If you never ask the right question you may not uncover a significant fact that could change the conclusion. If you don't know where to look (research) you may never find the regulation, statute, court case or ruling that would alter the position your client or company was going to take.

Positions that a company makes are not just words on paper, they are real dollars. This is important and not just business. It's personal.

The positions a company takes (or doesn't take) have a financial impact on a company. The positions can determine whether a company has the funds to make investments or even keep operating. So understanding and identifying the facts that matter and the legal authority to stand on is not only part of the job, it is the job.

  • Ask the Right Questions = Get the Right Answers

  • Knowing what to ask, what facts are important, where to look, how to search, filtering through the trees to find the path or the one tree to climb - that's what I call experience and judgment.

  • Never giving up, looking at every angle, gaining new perspectives, thinking outside the box - that's what I call advocacy.

I call all of the above "leverage."

This week I've been working on several projects with unique fact patterns and grey tax law (as I'm sure you have as well). Each one causing me to do all of the above. But what do you do when do all of the above and you still have questions?

That's when you have to reach conclusions with certain levels of assurance AND still provide your clients with recommended courses of action. Those recommended action steps should seek to reduce risk and uncertainty and/or take positions that have a level of assurance that supports taking the position.

Some potential courses of action may be:

  • taking the position and filing amended returns (refund claims)

  • requesting a Private Letter Ruling (PLR)

  • filing a Voluntary Disclosure Agreement (VDA)

  • documenting the file with a technical memorandum and taking the position

These complex positions and decisions can arise out of the basic areas of state taxation such as:

  • whether a company has nexus (a taxable presence) in a state.

  • determining whether a state imposes sales tax on what a company is selling.

  • how to source a company's sales by state for both income tax and sales tax purposes.

  • determining if a specific election to file a return in a certain way should be made.

  • And many more......

I've been in the tax profession for 28 years and all of the complexity and never-ending change has been part of the intrigue AND pain. It can be positive and negative. The answers you give clients can be positive and negative.

  • Risk management is not the fun part of the job.

  • Getting clients refunds = fun.

  • Telling a client they need to file historical tax returns and pay a lot of money = not fun.

  • Winning an audit protest and saving the client thousands of dollars = fun.

  • Telling a company to pay historical tax and interest (even if you reduce the number of tax years and eliminate penalties) = not fun.

So there are fun and not so fun parts of the job. There are easy and difficult conversations to be had. Thus, knowing what questions to ask AND then knowing how to move forward after you get the answers - that is the key. That is the "LEVERAGE."

what the "salt"?

Back in the early days of my career and marriage (in Decatur, Illinois), my wife and I grabbed some lunch from a fast-food joint and drove down to the lake. It was a little chilly that day, so we just stayed in the car while we ate and looked out over the lake. The sun made it feel a little warm in the car, so we kept all of the windows slighly cracked open. It was a beautiful day until............

All of a sudden, we heard a "caw, caw" as a flock of birds were flying over and then........."woosh." The flock of birds had decided to drop a bomb on us all at once. The whole car was covered in (you guessed it) bird poo. It smelled so bad. It was everywhere. Oh yeah, did I mention, the windows were all slightly open? So some of the bird poo got in the car and we could definitely smell it really good.

We immediately rolled the windows up .Then drove (a long way) to the closest car wash we could find. All the while, waving at people as we drove down the road with my car covered in bird poo. Good times.

What's the point of this story?

How does this have anything to do with state taxes?

Well, just as in life, you could have a great plan for your business and think everything is going splendid. Things could be going smoothly, running like clock work and then, "bam." Surprise - here's an audit. A notice. Or you wait until you decide to sell the company and during the due diligence process you learn that your company has historical tax liabilities or exposure that the buyer wants you to clean-up or adjust the purchase price.

There are a lot of grey areas and uncertainties in state tax law that impact busineses of all sizes. Unfortunately, these uncertainties if unaddressed can creep up on you and drop a bomb when you least expect it.

HOW DO YOU ELIMINATE STATE TAX RISK?

There are proactive measures a company can take such as a nexus review, taxability review, performing reverse audits, etc. Then the company can make an informed decision as to the best methods to resolve or move forward.

The situation that complicates the risk analysis is when you know the position is going to be reviewed by a potential buyer of the company in the near future.

If undergoing due diligence, how do you prove to the buyer (and their accounting firm) that the risk does not exist?

What if the state's law and rulings do not provide concrete or consistent guidance?

Do you seek a private letter ruling request or simply document the position in a memorandum for the file and hope the buyer (and their accounting firm) under due diligence will remove the risk?

As an advisor to both sellers and buyers during due diligence, I am always an advocate for the party I am advising. I always support the company's positions with all available legal authority. Sometimes its clean-cut. Sometimes it's not.

However, even when there is substantial authority, if you can't get to "more likely than not," would you advise the buyer to conclude there is no risk? Would you advise the buyer to not hold money back in escrow or reduce the purchase price or insert some other protection into the agreement?

Despite a history of not filing based on a nontaxable position and the fact that the company has not received any contact (notices, assessments, etc.) from the state, will the buyer agree no risk exists?

Even if there is substantial authority, a buyer (and their accounting firm) may still disagree.

So is the company's best course of action to request a private letter ruling?

If the company wasn't considering a sale in the future, you may simply document the file and let "sleeping dogs lie." But since the company is considering a sale in the future and you don't want the issue to be a sticking point under due diligence, you may advise the company to pursue the ruling request.

The side benefit of pursuing a ruling request is that the company will gain some level of certainty even if the company never sells. I say "level of certainty" because a ruling is only as good as the facts presented and the law at the time of the ruling. If the facts aren't accurately communicated, the conclusion could be disputed.

Awww, the fun of state taxes.

QUOTES TO CONSIDER

"If you choose not to decide, you have still made a choice." - Geddy Lee

"The way we see the problem is the problem" - Stephen R. Covey

"Most see what is before them; the strategic leaders sense what is around the corner." - Kirby Martzall

"In the bullfight, the bull perceives the cape as the problem, but it is the sword that kills him. Are you chasing the cape or the sword?" - Mike Bell

STATE TAX KNOWLEDGE UPDATE (53 ITEMS) - AUGUST 3, 2018

The following are state tax and business developments I have curated since July 3rd, and posted in the LEVERAGE SALT LinkedIn group:

Some of the items may be on the same state/issue/topic, but they are from different sources which may give you a broader perspective to help your company or client.

  1. New Jersey Closes Loophole, Increases Multi-Millionaires Rate

  2. Alabama Announces Guidance in Response to Wayfair Decision

  3. Michigan Provides Further Guidance on Impact of Federal Act

  4. Remote Sellers Will Have Wisconsin Tax Duties Beginning October 1

  5. Indiana Updates Remote Seller Guidance

  6. Indiana Explains Income Taxes on Overseas Earnings

  7. Enacted Louisiana law addresses the timing of expiring corporate income tax provisions

  8. California OTA Issues Updated Draft of Proposed Permanent Regulations on Administration and Procedures of Appeals and Petitions for Rehearing

  9. Indiana DOR Bulletin Discusses Recently Enacted Legislation, Including State Impact of IRC Sec. 965 Repatriation Provisions, GILTI, and IRC Sec. 163(j)

  10. Maine Revenue Services Explains Procedures for Filing and/or Amending Returns Given State’s Nonconformity to Recent Federal Tax Law Changes

  11. Pennsylvania: Bulletin Reflects New Law Reversing DOR’s Previous Policy by Allowing for Depreciation of 100% Bonus Property

  12. New Jersey: New Law Requires Amnesty Program with Potential Waiver of 100% Penalties and 50% Interest

  13. Massachusetts Appellate Tax Board Holds that Taxpayer is a “Manufacturer” Required to Compute its Corporate Excise Tax Liability Using Single Sales Factor Apportionment

  14. New Jersey: New Law Includes Mandatory Combined Reporting Regime, Market-Sourcing Provisions, CBT Surtax, and Responses to Some Provisions of the Federal 2017 Tax Act

  15. New York: Appellate Court Affirms Tax Appeals Tribunal Ruling Addressing Bank’s Treatment of NOLs

  16. Vermont: New Law Updates State Conformity to Internal Revenue Code; Responds to Some Provisions of the Federal 2017 Tax Act

  17. Georgia DOR Explains Exclusion for Dividends from Sources Outside the US, Including Application of IRC Sec. 965 Provisions

  18. North Carolina: New Law Modifies Sourcing Language for Receipts from Intangibles for Sales Factor Purposes

  19. Oregon DOR Issues Administrative Rule on New State Repatriation Tax Credit Pursuant to IRC Sec. 965 Repatriation Income for Tax Year 2017

  20. Connecticut Issues GILTI Guidance

  21. North Carolina Changes Intangible Property Sourcing Rules

  22. MTC Adopts Apportionment Regulation Amendments

  23. Delaware Imposes Tax on Series LLCs

  24. Utah Enacts Deferred Foreign Income Changes

  25. Florida DOR Holds that Taxpayer May Include Certain Intercompany Sales with Foreign Affiliates in its Sales Factor

  26. New Jersey Division of Taxation Explains Upcoming Amnesty Program with Potential Waiver of Penalties, Reduced Interest, and Non-Participation Penalties

  27. Alaska: New Law Requires Public Utilities to Use MTC Three-Factor Apportionment Formula for Corporate Income Tax Purposes

  28. Connecticut: New Guidance Issued on Treatment of GILTI for Corporation Business Tax Purposes

  29. Minnesota DOR Discusses How 2017 Federal Tax Act May Affect Business Tax Returns for Tax Year 2018

  30. Rhode Island DOT Comments on Some State Tax Impacts of the Federal 2017 Tax Act

  31. Utah: New Law Clarifies Previously Enacted Legislation Involving IRC Sec. 965 Deferred Foreign Income, and Revises NOL Provisions

  32. Rhode Island Adopts C Corp IRC Sec. 965 Regulations

  33. California Taxpayer Cannot Force Retailer to Seek Sales Tax Refund

  34. Minnesota Hosting SST Meeting to Discuss Wayfair

  35. Maryland Issues Wayfair Guidance

  36. Indiana Wayfair FAQ Page Talks Enforcement

  37. SST Meets to Discuss Wayfair

  38. Texas Provides Guidance on Wayfair Decision

  39. Wayfair Decision Does Not Affect Rhode Island Remote Sellers

  40. Minnesota Sets Remote Collection Date

  41. Indiana Explains Impact of Wayfair

  42. Nebraska Issues Guidance for Remote Sellers

  43. Utah Enacts Economic Nexus Law

  44. Alabama Explains Impact of Federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

  45. Michigan Issues Sales Tax Economic Nexus Guidelines

  46. MTC Adopts Two Amended Model Rules Pursuant to Section 18 Alternative Apportionment Regulatory Project

  47. Alabama DOR Issues Preliminary Guidance on Some State Impacts of the Federal 2017 Tax Act

  48. Delaware: New Law Imposes Annual Tax on State-Registered Series LLCs

  49. Michigan Appellate Court Affirms Disallowance of MBT Modified Gross Receipts Tax Base Deduction for Purchased Services

  50. Vermont Department of Taxation Issues Certain Guidance on Federal 2017 Tax Act, Specifically the Inclusion of IRC 965 Income on State Returns

  51. Arkansas DFA Says Remote Sellers Should Register and Collect Tax Pursuant to Recent US Supreme Court Decision that Overrules Quill

  52. Kentucky DOR Updates Post- Wayfair Comments; Announces October 1 Enforcement Date and Reiterates Prospective Implementation

  53. Nebraska DOR Comments on Recent US Supreme Court Decision that Overrules Quill, Including January 1, 2019 Enforcement Date and Promise of “No Retroactivity”

The above represents 'general curating' of state tax developments into one spot. If you still feel overwhelmed by the volume of state tax developments, please consider my 'custom curating' service. Meaning, clients hire LEVERAGE SALT to daily curate state tax developments relating to a specific industry, state(s), tax type and issueYou can make it as granular as you prefer. This allows you to reduce information overload, and only get the information you need to help your clients or company. This service is provided on a fixed-fee or subscription basis. Contact me at strahle@leveragesalt.com.

STATE TAX KNOWLEDGE UPDATE (54 ITEMS) - JULY 3, 2018

The following are state tax and business developments I have curated since June 11th, and posted in the LEVERAGE SALT LinkedIn group:

Some of the items may be on the same state/issue/topic, but they are from different sources which may give you a broader perspective to help your company or client.

  1. High Court Will Not Review Pennsylvania NLC Carryover Decision

  2. North Carolina Budget Bill Makes Major Tax Changes, Updates Conformity

  3. Colorado Issues IRC Sec. 965 Repatriation Transition Tax Guidance

  4. Connecticut Issues Guidance on Pass-Through Entity Tax

  5. Connecticut Issues Guidance on Bonus Depreciation Changes

  6. Hawaii Enacts Sales Thresholds for Sales Tax

  7. Hawaii Updates IRC Conformity for 2018

  8. Chicago Tax on Streaming Services Upheld

  9. Virginia Enacts Biennial Budget Legislation

  10. Are High Court Tax Precedents Set in Stone After 25 Years?

  11. DON'T PANIC - Physical Presence No Longer Matters in Determining Whether A Company is Required to Collect Sales Tax

  12. North Dakota Remote Seller Thresholds Take Effect With Quill Overturn

  13. Louisiana Enacts Remote Seller Law

  14. Minnesota Offers Wayfair Guidance

  15. What will non-streamlined sales tax states do??

  16. STOP THE USE TAX NOTICE AND REPORTING LAWS!!!!

  17. California OTA Issues Revised Draft Proposed Permanent Regulations on Administration and Procedures of Appeals and Petitions for Rehearing

  18. Louisiana: New Law Clarifies that Certain Reductions and/or Suspensions of Tax Benefits, Credits, and Exemptions Enacted via 2015 Legislative Changes were Temporary

  19. North Carolina: New Law Updates State Conformity to IRC, Responds to Some Provisions of the Federal 2017 Tax Act, and Revises Sales Factor Sourcing Rules

  20. US Supreme Court Denies Taxpayer’s Request to Review 2017 Pennsylvania Supreme Court Ruling on NOL Carryovers

  21. Rhode Island Division of Taxation Releases Guidance on Treatment of IRC Sec. 965 Income for C Corporations, and Accompanying Proposed New Regulation

  22. Texas Appellate Court Holds that Taxpayer Provides Services Rather than “Goods” for Purposes of Calculating Deductible Costs of Goods Sold under Franchise Tax

  23. Alabama Issues IRC Sec. 965 Repatriation Income Guidance

  24. Decoupling Bill Sent to New Jersey Governor

  25. New Jersey Legislature Passes Tax Amnesty Bill

  26. Rhode Island Budget Bill Amends Personal Exemptions, Credits

  27. Connecticut Creates Deduction for Venture Capital Income

  28. Iowa Offers Wayfair Guidance

  29. Louisiana Decreases Sales Tax Rate

  30. New Jersey Legislature Passes Alternative Surtax and Decoupling Bill

  31. Massachusetts Bill Creates Family and Medical Leave Payroll Tax

  32. Remote Sellers Not Yet Required to Collect Tax From South Dakota Buyers

  33. Vermont’s Remote Seller Law Takes Effect July 1

  34. Corporate Close-Up: Colorado Latest State to Enact Market-Based Sourcing

  35. Hawaii Explains Nexus Thresholds

  36. Kentucky Provides Wayfair Guidance

  37. Rhode Island Outlines Remote Seller Registration Options

  38. Vermont Reduces Rates, Updates IRC Conformity

  39. Idaho Is Reviewing Impact of Wayfair Decision

  40. New Hampshire Responds to Wayfair Decision

  41. Pennsylvania Decouples Corporate Income Tax from Federal Bonus Depreciation

  42. NCSL says states should ensure that they are fully prepared before begin enforcing their sales tax laws on remote sellers

  43. New Jersey Enacts Tax Amnesty Bill

  44. New Jersey Enacts Surtax, Combined Reporting, and Decoupling

  45. Colorado DOR Discusses State Treatment of Foreign Earnings Subject to New Federal Transition Tax under IRC §965

  46. Hawaii: New Law Updates State Conformity to Internal Revenue Code, Responds to Some Provisions of the Federal 2017 Tax Act

  47. Illinois DOR Issues Proposed Amended and New Rules on Prior Year NOL Suspensions and Special NOL Computation Rules

  48. New York: Draft Proposed Article 9-A Franchise Tax Regulations Issued on Corporations Subject to Tax

  49. New Jersey Appellate Court Affirms that IRC Tax Attribute Reductions May Not be Reversed

  50. Alabama DOR Issues Additional Guidance on IRC Sec. 965 Transition Tax’s Impact on State Tax Returns

  51. California: FTB Explains New Policy Prohibiting Certain Ex Parte Communications Involving Alternative Apportionment Petition Hearings

  52. Rhode Island: New Law Grants State Tax Administrator Additional Authority in Light of Federal 2017 Tax Act

  53. Louisiana: New Law Includes Tax Rate Reduction and Various other Changes

  54. Rhode Island: New Law Imposes Tax on Sales of Software as a Service (SaaS)

The above represents 'general curating' of state tax developments into one spot. If you still feel overwhelmed by the volume of state tax developments, please consider my 'custom curating' service. Meaning, clients hire LEVERAGE SALT to daily curate state tax developments relating to a specific industry, state(s), tax type and issueYou can make it as granular as you prefer. This allows you to reduce information overload, and only get the information you need to help your clients or company. This service is provided on a fixed-fee or subscription basis. Contact me at strahle@leveragesalt.com.

DON'T PANIC - Physical Presence No Longer Matters in Determining Whether A Company is Required to Collect Sales Tax

On June 21, 2018, the United States Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc., et al, that the physical presence test under the 1992 Supreme Court case (Quill Corp v. North Dakota (504 U.S. 298) no longer applies to the obligation to collect and remit sales tax on sales to customers in a state.

DON'T PANIC

Let's pause and everyone take a breath - the articles and posts about the case are like an avalanche of gloom and doom. We don't know exactly how all of this will play out. States will respond in different ways. Congress could still act. New challenges could arise. In the meantime, there is a safe harbor for small businesses to not have to collect sales tax under South Dakota's law. Other states that have enacted or proposed similar laws have the same or similar safe harbor. If all other states follow along, small retailers that are under those thresholds won't have to collect sales tax in every state.

A ‘Cliff Notes’ Version of the U.S. Supreme Court Wayfair Ruling

  1. Quill is overturned; physical presence is not necessary to create substantial nexus

  2. A business may be present in a state in a meaningful way without that presence being physical in a traditional sense

  3. States will respond in different ways to utilize this NEW power (but it is NOT unlimited power)

  4. This ruling applies to companies in any industry including service providers (NOT JUST ONLINE RETAILERS) – any company that has sales in a state, but hasn’t collected sales tax because they don't have a physical presence in the state

  5. Protection may still apply to small businesses

  6. South Dakota law is acceptable - substantial nexus is met with more than $100,000 in annual sales or 200 or more separate transactions; not retroactive; SD is member of SSUTA

  7. Other states with laws similar to South Dakota will most likely be acceptable

  8. Businesses can still challenge state laws under other Commerce Clause doctrines (i.e., if the state’s law causes an undue burden on interstate commerce)

  9. Congress can still regulate interstate commerce

  10. Approximately 20 states have economic nexus sales tax nexus provisions similar to South Dakota

  11. Companies should respond diligently and cautiously.

Small Business Safe Harbor Should Be Challenged and Changed

There is a safe harbor for small businesses to not have to collect sales tax under South Dakota's law. Other states that have enacted or proposed similar laws have the same or similar safe harbor. If all other states follow along, small retailers that are under those thresholds won't have to collect sales tax in every state.

The 'de minimis' activity threshold is probably the remaining sticking point for each state to work with and could create further litigation. In my opinion, the 200 transaction threshold should be eliminated and states should simply rely on a revenue amount as a threshold. Small businesses need better protection especially since state laws are not uniform (complexity), and create an undue burden on interstate commerce for small businesses.

Challenges Remain

The case was remanded to South Dakota courts to determine if any further challenges to the law could be made. Stay tuned.