Scott Peterson is the Vice President of US Tax Policy and Government Relations for Avalara. Before that, he was the first Executive Director of the Streamlined Sales Tax Governing Board and Director of the South Dakota Sales Tax Division. Accounting Today named Scott as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting in 2018 and 2019.  Avalara is a leading provider of cloud-based tax compliance solutions. The company helps businesses of all sizes achieve compliance with transaction taxes and constantly adding new tax types and services. Their solutions are designed to be very fast, accurate, and easy to use, and their vision is to touch every transaction in the world. Avalara has been publicly trading since 2018 and has almost doubled since then. In this episode… The Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has affected many taxpayers and countries all over the world. Some US States have decided to encourage their employees to work from home, and others are not allowing people into their offices. All this is done in a bid to control the spread of the disease. What everyone needs to understand is that things in life and business change, and sometimes things don't happen as we had imagined they would. In such cases, people have to make hard decisions based on the current state of affairs. This is the advice Scott Peterson gives to help in tackling the current disease outbreak.  This week Scott Peterson joins Michael Fleming in this week’s episode to talk about some steps different States have taken to contain the disease, tax reliefs some States are providing, and the effects of the new stimulus bill set to get money into the hands of people.

Sales Tax & More

Covid-19 and Sales Tax- A Discussion on How States are Responding with Scott Peterson of Avalara

Robert Payne is a sales tax specialist at Sales Tax and More. He is responsible for doing tax research, audit defense, and similar type projects. He has over a decade's worth of experience working as a state tax auditor, and he has worked with the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration as a tax auditor. Robert holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Accountancy from the Northern Illinois University. If you own a business, there is always a chance that your State will choose you for a sales tax audit. It’s always a shock and you are bound to have a million questions running through your mind, particularly, why did the State choose to edit your business? Robert Payne, a tax specialist at Sales Tax and More, says that audits are almost guaranteed as part of the business and for him, the best way to prepare and handle the audits is to make sure that you have all the necessary accounting records ready. This way you would protect yourself and your business. But what if some records are missing?  Robert answers this question and shares all the things that you need to know about tax audits in this episode of Sales Tax and More. Tune in as he talks to Michael and Ellie about discovery units and their role in choosing a business to audit. He also discusses what the XYZ letter is and how you can use it to your benefit, and why it’s important to maintain a good relationship with your auditor. 

How to Handle Tax Audits with Robert Payne of Sales Tax & More

Nils Andreassen is the current Executive Director of the Alaska Municipal League. He's also the former Executive Director of the Institute of the North.  Nils has a degree in Peace and Development from the University of Bradford in England. His background in rural and international development and in Alaskan and Arctic policy, fits very well within AML's mission which is to support and strengthen local governments. Alaska has historically been known as one of those states without state level general sales tax. However, changes have been taking place following the Wayfair ruling with regards to the collection of sales tax on remote sales. Some local jurisdictions have already committed to establishing an economic nexus while others are yet to register. And as for Alaska, they’ve just established their economic nexus and sellers are in the process of understanding how this impacts their businesses. Nils Andreassen, Executive Director of the Alaska Municipal League gets interviewed by Michael and Ellie on this episode of Sales Tax and More where they talk about the changing tax landscape within the state of Alaska. Nils talks about the establishment of an economic nexus in Alaska, what the Alaska Municipal League does, and how the economy of Alaska is holding up against the global drop of oil prices and the spread of the coronavirus. Stay tuned. 

Establishing an Economic Nexus in Alaska with Nils Andreassen

The Wayfair decision made in 2018 by the United States Supreme Court was a phenomenal overturning of longstanding court ruling on taxable businesses. This recent court ruling impacts many businesses, not only in South Dakota but also in other US states; and whenever new court decisions are finalized and become executory, it’s a challenging time not just for the implementers but for those who need to implement them in their own businesses and activities. The ones most affected by this ruling are online sellers who use online marketplaces like Amazon to sell their products. These often small time business owners suddenly need to be more acquainted with their tax remittances from the sales they make in their online stores and it can be pretty taxing. In this episode of Sales Tax and More,  Michael Fleming is joined by Scott Peterson, Vice President of U.S. Tax Policy and Government Relations at Avalara to discuss how the Wayfair decision affects various players in the United States, what the grounds for the ruling are, the transaction thresholds it covers, and how you can ensure that your business remains state compliant to avoid headaches in the future. Stay tuned.

Impacts of the Wayfair Case with Scott Peterson of Avalara

Marketing and public relations, contrary to what most people think, go hand in hand in pushing a business or practice forward. And according to Scott Cytron, making these two work seamlessly together to establish your brand is very important -- even for accounting professionals. Scott Cytron is the President of Cytron and Company, a firm that helps professionals and B2B/B2C companies with their PR, marketing, and communications strategies to help them bring their business to the next level. In this episode of Sales Tax and More, co-hosts Michael and Ellie interview Scott about why PR and marketing is important for accountants, how his company can help them in reaching out to potential clients, and the three things that they encourage accounting professionals to do the moment they walk through his door. Stay tuned.

Marketing And Public Relations for Accounting Professionals

Many Amazon sellers don't have their own eCommerce sites, and according to Jason Boyce, this is a very risky move. Why? Because Amazon has control over their account and can suspend it or remove product listings without warning, and getting things fixed will not only be time-consuming, it will also be quite a challenge to do. This is why Jason Boyce, CEO of Avenue Seven Media, encourages brand owners to work on building their brand name and creating a website away from Amazon and funneling their clients into that website. It’s one of the best business decisions an online entrepreneur can make and the path towards it can be incredibly rewarding. In this episode of Sales Tax and More, Michael Fleming gets to interview Jason about the difference in selling on Amazon and Shopify, the importance of having a backup plan for your business, and why you should get excited about the upcoming Prosper Show this March 2020.

Why having a Shopify or Similar site in addition to Amazon is important

If you’re a CPA or other accounting profession and want to start offering sales tax services in addition to what you currently offer to your clients, getting the right kind of training is necessary for you to be able to provide the best kind of service you can possibly give. On the flip side of the coin, if you already have a ton on your plate and don’t want to be the one offering this service yourself, you would need someone with the know-how who can provide your clients with the right service fit for their needs. Michael is the Founder of Sales Tax and More and is one of the country's leading authorities on sales tax issues such as consulting and research, registrations, returns, nexus, drop shipping, eCommerce, and service providers. He is a writer, speaker, and regularly presents on webinars, and he also hosts his own podcast where he shares his wisdom and learnings to his audience in order to help them navigate the tricky world of taxes. Ellie Moffat, Michael’s new co-host on his podcast show, is also the head of marketing at Sales Tax And More. She is an experienced marketer with a demonstrated history of working in the marketing and advertising industry. Ellie graduated from Brigham Young University - Idaho and is highly skilled in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), photography, social media consulting, graphic design, and social media ROI. In this episode, Michael starts out by introducing his new co-host Ellie Moffat. They then talk about how Sales Tax and More helps CPAs who want to offer sales tax services to their clients, the type of trainings they have for CPAs & other accounting professionals, and what we should expect in the coming weeks on this podcast.

I Am an Accountant Without a Sales Tax Background, How Can I Help My Clients?

Economic nexus is a new concept for sales tax although it has been around for a while now. for income tax and other types of taxes. Two Supreme Court cases made rulings on sales tax where one said you had to have some sort of physical presence in order to create a link with a State and that State could then require you to collect or pay its taxes. Then the other on June 21 2018 said that there's no need for physical presence for the State to require you to collect its sales tax, bringing up the concept of economic nexus. So what exactly is an economic nexus? Michael Fleming has all the answers. Michael is the Founder of Sales Tax and More and is one of the country's leading authorities for sales tax issues such as consulting and research, registrations, returns, nexus, drop shipping, eCommerce, and service providers. He is a writer, speaker, and regularly presents on webinars, and he also hosts his own podcast where he shares his wisdom and learnings to his audience in order to help them navigate the tricky world of taxes. In this episode, Michael Fleming is flipping the script as he answers questions posed by Dr. Jeremy Weisz, a seasoned podcast host himself, as they talk about the concept of economic nexus, its impact in different States, and the cost of non-compliance for businesses.

What exactly is an economic nexus?

The main question most people have when it comes to sales tax is, 'When does a company have to worry about collecting sales tax?' To answer this question, Michael Flemming will walk you through the four factors you need to look at in determining whether you need to start worrying about sales tax collection or not.  Michael is the Founder of Sales Tax & More and is one of the country's leading authorities for state tax issues like consulting and research, registrations, returns, nexus, drop shipping, eCommerce, and service providers. He is a writer, speaker, and regularly presents on webinars. In this episode, Michael goes to the other side of the table and is interviewed by Dr. Jeremy Weisz, an entrepreneur and seasoned podcast host. Michael answers the most commonly asked questions he gets related to sales tax ranging from how a nexus is created, the different types of nexus, as well as the tax implications of selling in online marketplaces such as Amazon. It’s a great episode with much learning in it so make sure to stay tuned.

When Does a Company Need to Collect Sales Tax?

A lot of times auditors can be very tough with taxpayers and can have bullish behavior, either because they think the taxpayers don't know what is required or because the auditors themselves don't know what’s really needed. So how do you handle such cases? Michael Fleming, host of The Sales Tax and More podcast, has the solution. Michael is the Founder of Sales Tax and More and is one of the country's leading authorities for state tax issues like consulting and research, registrations, returns, nexus, drop shipping, eCommerce, and service providers. He is a writer and speaker, and he regularly presents on webinars. In this episode, Dr. Jeremy Weisz is the one leading the interview with Michael Fleming as they talk about working with a bully auditor and how to resolve the issue.

What if your auditor is a bully?

For companies that have the responsibility of collecting resale certificates or other types of exemption certificates, there are a couple of things that need to be checked to prevent audit assessments. Michael Fleming, the host of the Sales Tax & More podcast, highlights these items this week Michael is the Founder of Sales Tax & More and is one of the country's leading authorities for state tax issues like consulting and research, registrations, returns, nexus, drop shipping, eCommerce, and service providers. He is a writer, speaker, and regularly presents on webinars. In this episode, Michael Fleming is joined by Dr. Jeremy Weisz to talk about large audit assessments, resale and exemption certificates, and the importance of completely filled certificates.

Exemption Certificates and Large Audit Assessments

For any individual, once you give money to the State, getting a refund is not always easy. The language used in some Voluntary Disclosure Agreements (VDA) says that payment is a final settlement and you cannot get your money refunded. So how do you go about ensuring that you hire an expert sales tax firm for advice on your tax needs?  Michael Fleming, the host of the Sales Tax & More podcast, has all the answers. Michael is the Founder of Sales Tax & More and is one of the country's leading authorities for state tax issues like consulting and research, registrations, returns, nexus, drop shipping, eCommerce, and service providers. He is a writer, speaker, and regularly presents on webinars. This week Michael Fleming is interviewed by Dr. Jeremy Weisz where they talk about voluntary disclosure agreements, getting tax refunds, and what to look out for when hiring a tax expert.

Getting Tax Refunds on Voluntary Disclosure Agreements

States share their information with the IRS, so if you pay independent contractors you would usually do that using Form 1099. So if the State finds out from the IRS that you issued a 1099 but check their tax roles and you are not signed up with them, you can expect a letter from them.  Such was the case of a pipe seller who contacted Michael Fleming for tax assistance. Michael is the Founder of Sales Tax & More and is one of the country's leading authorities for state tax issues like consulting and research, registrations, returns, nexus, drop shipping, eCommerce, and service providers. He is a writer, speaker, and regularly presents on webinars. This week Michael Fleming is interviewed by Dr. Jeremy Weisz to talk about amnesties, historical registration, and how third parties can create nexus.

How Third Parties Can Create Nexus

When it comes to software as a service, there is a lot of confusion among software companies because they don't understand that they are taxable in some States. It could be that their attorney or accountant told them their services are not taxable, and when contacted by the State they go into a panic.  And that's when Michael Fleming gets the call. Michael is the Founder of Sales Tax & More and is one of the country's leading authorities for state tax issues like consulting and research, registrations, returns, nexus, drop shipping, eCommerce, and service providers. He is a writer, speaker, and regularly presents on webinars. In this episode, Michael Fleming is interviewed by Dr. Jeremy Weisz where they talk about State tax, payment of sales tax by software companies, and working with independent contractors.

Sales Tax for Software Sellers

The sales tax world was turned upside-down since June 21, 2018, when the Wayfair decision was made by the Supreme Court. This is because the Court ruled that one does not need to have a physical connection with any state before they can be required to collect sales tax.  So what impact did this ruling have on the administration of sales tax? Host Michael Fleming has all the answers. Michael is the Founder of Sales Tax & More and is one of the country's leading authorities for state tax issues like consulting and research, registrations, returns, nexus, drop shipping, eCommerce, and service providers. He is a writer, speaker, and regularly puts on webinars. Dr. Jeremy Weisz joins Michael Fleming to learn more about Michael’s financial & tax background, how the Wayfair decision impacted his business, and his future plans for this podcast.

The Origin and Biography of Mike Fleming of Sales Tax & More

Sales Tax & More is the weekly show that talks about everyone's favorite topic...Sales Tax! Listen in each week as we talk with experts, professionals, and more to help you understand this often-overlooked tax.

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Sales Tax & More

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