Wow, October is almost gone! One of my favorite but perhaps most frustrating chores this month is raking the leaves. There are several huge Pin Oaks around my home that provide great shade in the summer and a blanket of leaves in the fall. I always rake the leaves into one or two huge piles…

by: Richard L. Feldman, CPA, Senior Manager States are trying to outdo each other these days in trumpeting tax incentives to boost economic development in their areas. Although the benefits can potentially be vast, the hidden costs to applying for, and then complying with these incentives, can (and should) make business owners question whether the…

Here in the Northeast, this Fall season has been filled with tranquil weather that invites us to get out for that last round of golf, long bike ride or outdoor exercise without being concerned about bundling up. However, Northeasterners know that this Fall’s tranquility should not lull anyone into complacency about how demanding the…

The initial principle of “Water’s Edge” combined reporting was to require combined reporting for affiliated domestic companies that are engaged in a unitary business. Some states have added foreign companies to the Water’s Edge group. These are companies that have a limited United States presence (20% or more) as long as they are part…

Fall is a beautiful time of year – a time for cleaning up our gardens and preparing for the rigors of winter. It’s also when many organizations review their budgets in preparation for their next fiscal year – which is where they can run into state and local tax trouble. One of the more…

Connecticut is known as the “Nutmeg State” because its early settlers were considered ingenious and shrewd for recognizing the value of nutmeg and selling it to travelers. Early this summer, the state lived up to its shrewd reputation when its General Assembly passed a budget bill containing provisions that would (among other provisions) increase…

In a recent decision, the U.S. Supreme Court held that Maryland’s failure to allow a credit against the local portion of Maryland personal income tax for taxes paid to another state was unconstitutional. The decision, Comptroller of the Treasury of Maryland v. Wynne, May 18, 2015, lay the groundwork for potential refund opportunities…

As we noted in several of our posts, adoption of the Marketplace Fairness Act would subject numerous remote vendors to sales tax nexus in states that they presently may not have any physical presence or nexus. The Marketplace Fairness Act has been a lightning rod with as many proponents as opponents. To date…

The New York State Tax Department is switching banks – and that should make you sit up and take notice if you or your clients use debit block services to electronically pay one or more New York State taxes. You only have until June 25, 2015 to contact your bank and have them add…

In a seeming victory for online retailers, the U.S. Supreme Court last week ruled that the Tax Injunction Act does not bar a retailer from bringing a suit in federal court. The suit originally brought by the Direct Marketing Association involved whether Colorado could force online retailers to report purchases made by their…

New “click-through” nexus provisions in Michigan and Illinois are fresh cause for concern for out of state retailers – and should be on your Winter 2015 Sales and Use tax Nexus Preparedness Checklist. Both states recently adopted new legislation that requires otherwise out of state retailers to collect and remit sales tax from their…

Last month, New York City Mayor de Blasio announced his proposal for “a major reform” of the city’s corporate tax regime.   Considering that the mayor and New York State Governor Cuomo do not always see eye to eye (they held separate press conferences throughout  blizzard Juno, for example), the mayor’s proposal appears to closely parallel one already signed…

Is the new Congress planning to alter some of the unpopular provisions of the 2013 Marketplace Fairness Act? It sure seems like it. On January 13th, House Judiciary Chairman, Representative Bob Goodlatte, circulated a draft of the  Online Sales Simplification Act of 2015.  As reported in a Bloomberg BNA article, 

As someone who regularly tunes into the Weather Channel, I keenly appreciate how meteorologists recognize dangerous patterns and potentially significant storms through analysis of weather hundreds of miles and days away from a location.  This ability to predict weather emergencies allow us to prepare and “batten down the hatches” well in advance of the…

It is not even Thanksgiving, but already as the news reported yesterday, US braces for more icy temperatures and snow as ferocious storm lingers.  Many years ago I adopted an approach for dealing with Northeast winters.  My approach centered around assessment, preparation and planning.  I called it “winterizing.” My son…