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SCOTUS gives green light for state taxes to be charged on internet purchases

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Waltherfan:
Only the government could screw something up this badly. Instead of businesses having to figure out the tax rate for every city in the U.S., tax it at the rate where you bought it. Example: I order something from Wyoming, I pay Wyoming'sales tax. That's where I bought it. Same as it I'd walked into the store in Wyoming and bought it.  Far too simple.

eelstrebor1:

--- Quote from: Waltherfan on June 26, 2018, 09:11:27 AM ---Only the government could screw something up this badly. Instead of businesses having to figure out the tax rate for every city in the U.S., tax it at the rate where you bought it. Example: I order something from Wyoming, I pay Wyoming'sales tax. That's where I bought it. Same as it I'd walked into the store in Wyoming and bought it.  Far too simple.

--- End quote ---

When I did my Nebraska income taxes, my understanding is that you have to report out of state purchases regardless if you bought online or physically bought the item while in another state. Governments sure know how to complicate the taxes.

Jito463:

--- Quote from: eelstrebor1 on June 26, 2018, 10:51:10 AM ---When I did my Nebraska income taxes, my understanding is that you have to report out of state purchases regardless if you bought online or physically bought the item while in another state. Governments sure know how to complicate the taxes.

--- End quote ---

Most states - save for those without sales tax - require people to self report any out of state purchases (i.e. online purchases).  It's basically their way of trying to deal with the issue, since the Supreme Court had previously ruled that online purchases could not be taxed unless the business had a physical presence within the state.


--- Quote from: Waltherfan on June 26, 2018, 09:11:27 AM ---Only the government could screw something up this badly. Instead of businesses having to figure out the tax rate for every city in the U.S., tax it at the rate where you bought it. Example: I order something from Wyoming, I pay Wyoming'sales tax. That's where I bought it. Same as it I'd walked into the store in Wyoming and bought it.  Far too simple.
--- End quote ---

The issue is that online sales hurt local businesses.  I work for a company that sells computer parts.  We have to work twice as hard to find deals so we can keep our prices (approximately) in-line with internet pricing, or people aren't going to want to shop with us; and the fact that we have to charge sales tax is an additional deterrent to local sales.  The only reason we stay as busy as we do is that no one else provides all the parts that we carry, so we're pretty much the only option if people want to buy locally and/or don't want to wait for shipping.  By making online companies charge the same tax as local businesses (sans the city taxes), it alleviates some of that burden on the local business to compete.

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