Tax Law

Recent Posts

Deal of a Lifetime: New York Department of Taxation and Finance Rules Coupon Clearing and Processing Products Not Subject to Sales Tax
Posted on 15 Dec 2020 by Eversheds Sutherland LLP

On June 9, 2020, the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance issued an advisory opinion concluding that coupon clearing and processing products sold to advertisers that issue discount coupons and the retailers that accept them are not subject... Read More

Marketplace Collection Laws Present Unique Challenges for the Restaurant Industry
Posted on 14 Dec 2020 by Eversheds Sutherland LLP

The pandemic has changed the physical and economic environment in which restaurants operate. Although food delivery has long been popular for certain types of food, pandemic restrictions and consumer preferences hastened the expansion of food delivery... Read More

Texas releases guidance on sales tax for online orders
Posted on 10 Dec 2020 by Eversheds Sutherland LLP

The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts recently released guidance explaining the application of Texas sales and use tax to online sales. In particular, online buyers must pay sales and use tax on taxable items delivered or brought into Texas. Remote... Read More

California OTA Tells CDTFA Its Audit Manual Has No Authority In Appeal
Posted on 6 Nov 2020 by Eversheds Sutherland LLP

In a pending precedential decision, the California Office of Tax Appeals (OTA) held that the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) is bound to follow its own regulation and could not rely on its audit manual to disregard that regulatory... Read More

Stand by Your Claim: Georgia Court Rules Sellers have Standing to Challenge Georgia Refund Claim Denial for Erroneously Collected Sales Tax
Posted on 13 Oct 2020 by Eversheds Sutherland LLP

The Georgia Court of Appeals held that a group of telecommunications dealers that were AT&T subsidiaries (collectively “AT&T”) had standing to challenge the Georgia Department of Revenue’s (“DOR”) denial of sales tax refund claims.  Effective... Read More

Michigan Supreme Court Holds that Recycling Machines are Eligible for Industrial-Processing Exemption
Posted on 1 Oct 2020 by Eversheds Sutherland LLP

The Michigan Supreme Court held that sales of bottle and can recycling machines that help retailers comply with Michigan’s bottle-deposit law may qualify for the state’s sales and use tax exemption applicable to machinery used in an industrial-processing... Read More

California DTFA proposes guidance on drop shipment taxation
Posted on 9 Sep 2020 by Eversheds Sutherland LLP

On August 25, California’s Department of Tax and Fee Administration released a discussion paper and proposed amended regulations to clarify when marketplace facilitators are considered the retailer with regard to drop shipment transactions. The CDTFA... Read More

South Carolina Reminds Marketplace Facilitators of Responsibility for COVID-19 Surcharges
Posted on 20 Aug 2020 by Eversheds Sutherland LLP

South Carolina Information Letter No. 20-23 clarified that COVID-19-related surcharges, takeout charges, and the like are subject to sales tax. The information letter, released August 5, “remind[ed]” taxpayers that the 6% sales tax applies to “gross proceeds... Read More

On Call: Tennessee DOR Says B2B Digital Services Subject to Sales Tax as “Specified Digital Products”
Posted on 13 Jul 2020 by Eversheds Sutherland LLP

In a recently issued revenue ruling, the Tennessee Department of Revenue determined that a taxpayer’s digital services provided to other businesses were taxable “specified digital products,” a broad term based on definitions (and subject to detailed operating... Read More

Georgia DOR Rules that Sales Tax does not Apply to Most of Taxpayer’s Healthcare Document Management Services
Posted on 9 Jul 2020 by Eversheds Sutherland LLP

In a recently released letter ruling, the Georgia Department of Revenue concluded that charges for the electronic delivery of medical records, and services related to the management and processing of medical records, are not subject to sales and use tax... Read More

Ohio and Texas Issue Guidance on Expiration of Internet Tax Freedom Act Grandfather Clause
Posted on 17 Jun 2020 by Eversheds Sutherland LLP

On June 30th, 2020, the Internet Tax Freedom Act’s grandfather clause will expire. ITFA prohibits states and political subdivisions from imposing taxes on Internet access. But the grandfather clause has permitted such taxes if they were generally imposed... Read More

North Carolina Excludes Sales of Certain Digital Goods from Sales and Use Taxes
Posted on 11 Jun 2020 by Eversheds Sutherland LLP

On June 5, 2020, Governor Cooper signed HB 1079 , which will exclude sales of certain digital audio and visual works from the state’s sales and use tax, and make other tax changes. The law exempts sales of digital educational services and the sales of... Read More

Kansas Legislative Committee Continues to Work on Marketplace Seller and Facilitator Legislation
Posted on 20 May 2020 by Eversheds Sutherland LLP

During a series of remote committee hearings, the Kansas House Committee on Taxation discussed revisions and amendments to marketplace facilitator legislation. Kansas is currently one of the few states without a marketplace facilitator or remote seller... Read More

Recapture Not Required: COVID-19 May Excuse Businesses from Repayment of Nebraska Incentives
Posted on 7 May 2020 by Eversheds Sutherland LLP

The Nebraska Department of Revenue (“Department”) issued guidance explaining that Nebraska Advantage Act (“Act”) project-holders may not have to repay incentives if they cannot meet their project obligations due to COVID-19. The Act provides incentives... Read More

Try As They Might, Telco’s Electricity Purchases Still Do Not Qualify for New York’s Resale Exemption
Posted on 24 Apr 2020 by Eversheds Sutherland LLP

A New York appellate court affirmed the Division of Tax Appeals (DTA) denial of a telecommunications company’s refund request on sales tax paid on its purchases of electricity. The telecommunications company argued that its electricity purchases were... Read More