Sales Tax Survey
I promised to post a bit more about sales tax – and maybe even throw in a little Fair Tax info to boot – later in the year. Before I get to it, I’d like to know: What is your sales tax rate and where are you located?
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Woman Sues – And Wins – Over Toilet Paper Tax
This is now my favorite tax story of 2007. A woman in my own state of Pennsylvania sued K-Mart – and won – for charging her sales tax on toilet paper. In Pennsylvania, toilet paper is considered a necessity and is not taxable. K-Mart offered to settle with the plaintiff, Mary Bach, providing that she…
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Sales Tax Versus State Income Tax
Every year about this time, I get a lot of questions about deducting sales tax paid versus state and local income tax paid on your federal income taxes. Mostly, this comes up because your pockets are stuffed with receipts and you’re wondering whether you should keep them. First, the important part: this option has been…
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Is Dark Chocolate Really More Of A Tax Burden?
I’m such a sucker for Milky Ways – especially the Milky Way Midnight (note to readers contemplating holiday gifts…). And Iowa has brought to the forefront an issue that I’ve been claiming for years: all candy bars are not created equal. Iowa has stirred up some serious candy tax controversy with its definitions of “candy”…
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So Exactly How Much Do You Want To Smoke?
That’s what legislatures seem to be trying to find out these days. Wisconsin has enacted a $1.77 per pack cigarette tax (raising the tax an extra dollar per pack) that goes into effect in January 2008. Believe it or not, that will not make Wisconsin the most expensive state to light up. The current average…
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Iowa Tax Department Is Scrooge For Halloween
When Iowa tax officials were looking for ways to increase revenue, they figured they would strike right at the heart of massive tax fraud: tax evasion on the sale of pumpkins. Maybe that’s a bit overstated. But there is a new policy in Iowa this year to tax pumpkins. The decision came after department officials…
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The 3R’s: Reading, ‘Riting & Ripping Off Taxpayers
Whoops. The folks in Harrisburg are calling it an honest mistake but taxpayers aren’t buying it. They approved a property-tax increase that was higher than allowed by a 2006 law aimed at cutting homeowners’ property taxes. The state Education Department has ordered the district to return about $60,000 in excess taxes which were paid under…
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Cheaper Clothes In New York City?
As of Saturday, New York City shoppers got a break: they no longer have to pay city sales tax on clothes and shoes. Mayor Bloomberg proposed sales tax relief in June and it went into effect on September 1 – just in time for the Labor Day shopping weekend. The measure eliminates a 4% city…
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Shop Until You Drop
Or you hit your tax-free limit. Or your credit card bursts into flames. Or until your husband curls into a ball and refuses to go to the next store. You get my point. For many states this weekend, in order to boost back to school sales (which retailers claim are flagging),it’s a sales tax free…
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Your Fair Share?
On Sunday, I found myself in a minivan (don’t ask) with the rest of my family driving down to coastal North Carolina for a mini-break (yes, the minis are taking over my life… now for that darn Mini Cooper and I’m set!). I was mulling what I might post about during my vacation because I…