Category Archives: Tax News

Subscribe to Tax News RSS Feed

Beware Rigid Mississippi Local Tax Deadlines

The Mississippi Department of Revenue has been very active in informing the public of tax-related developments resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.  All taxpayers are encouraged to follow them on social media such as Facebook and Twitter as those appear to be their primary and most easily accessible means of conveying information to the public at … Continue Reading

Louisiana to Suspend Legislative Session

As confirmed by a spokesman for Speaker Schexnayder, the Louisiana legislature passed resolutions to suspend its business until March 31. This comes after a series of increasingly tough restrictions on public gatherings and commercial activity were announced over the weekend, and only days after legislative leadership issued a statement saying they anticipated to carry on … Continue Reading

A Message From the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Regarding COVID-19 Update

At the Comptroller’s office, the health and well-being of our taxpayers, employees and communities is our top priority. We understand the concern and uncertainty you may be experiencing surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19) and are committed to being responsive to the needs of our taxpayers as the situation evolves. We strongly encourage you to use our … Continue Reading

MS Department of Revenue Closed to the Public

All Mississippi Department of Revenue District Offices are closed to the public. Starting tomorrow, March 17th, the counter at the Clinton headquarters that provides customer service will be shut down. This includes Titles, IFTA/IRP, and the Jackson District Service Office. Taxpayers can still use both the call center (601-923-7700) and the Taxpayer Access Portal (tap.dor.ms.gov) … Continue Reading

Louisiana Supreme Court “Deals” a Win to Wal-Mart.com and other Online Marketplaces

Today, in a case of first impression that has captured national attention, the Louisiana Supreme Court held in a 4-3 decision that Wal-Mart.com (an online marketplace facilitator) is not required to collect and remit Jefferson Parish sales tax on behalf of its third-party sellers. See Normand v. Wal-Mart.com USA, LLC, 2019-263 (La. 12/29/19), __ So. … Continue Reading

City of New Orleans Offering Amnesty Late Fee Forgiveness Program

In an effort to spur the payment of unpaid back taxes and fees, the City of New Orleans is currently offering an Amnesty Late Fee Forgiveness Program, which began June 3rd and runs through September 3rd, 2019. Certain tax deficiencies, as well as parking and certain camera tickets, code enforcement violations, and even library fines … Continue Reading

June 2019 Louisiana Remote Sellers Commission Meeting Brings Good News and… No News

Monday’s meeting in Baton Rouge of the Louisiana Sales and Use Tax Commission for Remote Sellers (the “Commission”) included two pieces of good news for just about everyone involved in or affected by the state’s effort to centralize the collection and remittance of sales taxes for remote sales. Unfortunately, there still remains a lack of … Continue Reading

Louisiana’s New Remote Sellers Law: What Does H.B. 547 Have in Common with a Box of Donuts?

As members of the Jones Walker SALT Team sat around the table in our office kitchen staring into a box of donuts provided by our firm on National Donut Day (the day after the close of the 2019 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature), we pondered this question: what does that box of tasty treats … Continue Reading

Louisiana’s Uniform Local Sales Tax Board Issues Adopted Regulation Regarding Uniform Voluntary Disclosure Program and Related Voluntary Disclosure Agreements (VDAs)

Louisiana’s Uniform Local Sales Tax Board (“ULSTB”) has now issued its adopted regulation at Louisiana Administrative Code (“LAC”) 72:I.105 (“Voluntary Disclosure Agreements”) regarding a uniform voluntary disclosure program and corresponding uniform voluntary disclosure agreement (VDA) for Louisiana local sales and use tax purposes.  The final, adopted regulation contains the same language as the prior proposed … Continue Reading

Tax Reform Update: Treasury, IRS: Making large gifts now won’t harm estates after 2025

On November 20, 2018, the IRS announced that individuals taking advantage of the increased gift and estate tax exclusion amounts in effect from 2018 to 2025 will not be adversely impacted after 2025 when the exclusion amount is scheduled to drop to pre-2018 levels. The Treasury Department and the IRS issued proposed regulations which  implement changes … Continue Reading

JW SALT Partners Quoted in Recent Publications

SALT Team partners Bill Backstrom, Andre Burvant, and Matt Mantle were quoted in numerous media outlets in October discussing the tax administration implications of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in South Dakota v. Wayfair, allowing states to collect taxes on purchases from remote sellers. Bill was quoted in articles published by Law360 and State Tax Today following … Continue Reading

Louisiana Remote Seller Commission Issues First Information Bulletin Addressing Impact of Wayfair

The Louisiana Sales and Use Tax Commission for Remote Sellers (the “Commission”) has now issued its first information bulletin – Remote Sellers Information Bulletin (“RSIB”) 18-001 – regarding the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court’s South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc. decision on remote sellers selling to Louisiana purchasers. A copy of RSIB 18-001 can be found … Continue Reading

Not So Fast: Louisiana State and Local Sales Taxes in a Post-Wayfair World

As word spread about the Supreme Court’s opinion in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc., Dkt. No. 17-494, 485 U.S.        (June 21, 2018), tax administrators around the country popped open bottles of champagne and began toasting the end of the “physical presence” substantial nexus standard.  The sounds of celebration were, at least initially, particularly deafening in … Continue Reading

The Taxman Cometh: Mississippi Sales and Use Taxes in a Post-Wayfair World

In December 2017, the Mississippi Department of Revenue finalized a new sales and use tax regulation addressing remote sellers and establishing a $250,000 bright-line nexus standard. The department began that process in January 2017 by issuing a proposed regulation and refined it following a public hearing held in February. The regulation positioned the state to take … Continue Reading

Louisiana Governor Issues Call for Second Special Session of 2018 to Address Fiscal Cliff

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards (D) has now issued his anticipated call for a second special legislative session in 2018 (from May 22nd to June 4th).  This 14-day special session is meant to address a stated $648 million budget shortfall, commonly known as the “fiscal cliff.”  This will be the sixth special session called since January of … Continue Reading

John Fletcher: How the SCOTUS hearing on Wayfair may affect internet industries and small businesses in MS

JW SALT Team member, John Fletcher, published an article in the Mississippi Business Journal on how the US Supreme Court hearing of South Dakota vs. Wayfair will affect internet industries and small businesses in Mississippi.   The Court wrestled over whether it should abandon or uphold its longstanding physical presence requirement and, if oral arguments were any indication, … Continue Reading

Transcript and Audio of United States Supreme Court Oral Arguments in Wayfair Case Available Online

Now that the fascinating oral argument has concluded at the United States Supreme Court in the case of South Dakota v. Wayfair, copies of both the transcript and audio recording of the oral argument are available to the public for download and/or streaming on the Court’s website. Stay tuned to Cooking with SALT for more on … Continue Reading

Jay Adams Gives Back with Hogs for the Cause

Hogs For The Cause is an annual New Orleans BBQ festival with food, music, and fundraising. First and foremost, this festival has a very important charitable purpose: helping families fighting pediatric brain cancer. This year, all of the competing teams raised a combined $1.45 million for the cause. JW SALT Team member, Jay Adams, has been … Continue Reading

GAME ON: Louisiana Department of Revenue and Other State Agencies Look to Even the Score on Employee Misclassification

The Louisiana Department of Revenue (DOR) has joined forces with other Louisiana agencies to crackdown on employee misclassification and failure to withhold payroll taxes. The GAME ON (Government Against Misclassified Employees Operational Network) Task Force is an interagency network made up of members of the Louisiana Workforce Commission’s (LWC) Unemployment Insurance and Office of Workers’ … Continue Reading

COST Issues Call to Action…: Tell Congress to Pass the Mobile Workforce Act As Soon As Possible

A call to action from our friends at COST: COST and the Mobile Workforce Coalition urge you and your company leadership to send letters during the week of March 5 asking the House and Senate leadership to enact the Mobile Workforce State Income Tax Simplification Act as soon as possible. The Coalition is working to add … Continue Reading

Louisiana Governor Calls Special Legislative Session to Address Tax Issues and Looming “Fiscal Cliff”

It’s now official.  Louisiana Governor Jon Bel Edwards (D) has finally released his Call for a special legislative session to begin February 19th and conclude March 7th.  The Call, released today, February 9, 2018, is intended to allow the Louisiana legislature to address the long-term issue of its current taxing and spending structure, as well as the … Continue Reading

Louisiana Governor Provides Draft of 2018 Tax & Budget Priorities to Address Looming Fiscal Cliff and Long-Term Tax Reform

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards (D) recently met with leaders from the Louisiana Legislature to discuss his draft 2018 Tax & Budget Priorities, including recommendations for how the State should address the long-term issue of its current taxing and spending structure, as well as the short-term issue of the $1 billion “fiscal cliff” looming in … Continue Reading
LexBlog