Streamlined sale and use tax agreement

[kidsngarden]

I'm in WA state. I have always had to collect sales tax from anyone in WA state at my local sales tax rate - 8%. Beginning July 1 I will have to collect tax for my WA customers at the rate of the place I am shipping (this varies from town to town as local taxes apply) This is going to be a PITA I think. and I'm not even sure if my current hosting software will accomodate it.

Even worse is that this "Qualifies" WA to apply to join the US streamlined sale and use tax agreement. I think right now it will be voluntary for businesses to charge a sales tax for the destination which they ship. But I am sure that soon it will become mandatory. I can see how this is making the world fair between brick and mortar and online stores, and between in state and out of state retailers. I know I have often ordered out of state to avoid the tax, as long as the shipping isn't prohibitive.

Just wondering what your take is on all of this.

Bethany

[racolvin]

As far as I can tell, it's still what those in the Army would call a "Charlie Foxtrot" situation and not likely to get any better any time soon.

I charge sales tax on every sale as if they're buying it from me locally and then asking me to ship it somewhere. I don't market to customers outside my area on purpose but the few that have come in paid my local sales tax like everyone else.

I personally have no intention of jumping through hoops to collect some obscure amount of money for one customer in some town 3 states away and trying to send a check for all of $3.00 or something like that to their taxing authority.

[Scented]

I used to think that buying out of state was great, but we end up paying anyway with a use tax. One way or another, they're gonna get some money. It makes me wonder any more why we bothered to get a tax exempt number, because eventually we'll pay.

[HeavenScentU]

I am thinking the same thing. Why have a tax exempt number? I would rather pay as I go than to pay later when I don't have any money.