October 2024 Roundup: Tax laws you need to know

While you focus on your business, we stay on top of legislative and policy changes that can affect your tax compliance. 

Nuts and bolts 

The (Net)Suite life. Managing VAT and e-invoicing requirements is complex and time-consuming for global businesses. But thanks to the new Avalara extractor, it's about to get easier for NetSuite customers.

Services taxes 101. If your business provides services like haircutting, lawn maintenance, or car repair, it can be difficult to figure out sales tax. Learn whether services are taxed, which services are taxed, how services tax works, and more.

Tariff time. What if there was an easier way to manage global sales? With Avalara Automated Tariff Code Classification, you can classify large product catalogs quickly and efficiently to HS codes or tariff codes.

Convenience store tax inconvenience. Have you ever run into your local bodega, party store, or corner shop for a quick snack? While you're there, it's easy to pick up almost anything you might need for a night out: a six-pack of beer, a pack of cigarettes, and a pair of novelty sunglasses. But all those things are taxed and licensed differently, making business licensing for convenience stores … well, inconvenient.

Trick-or-treat-or-taxes. Americans were expected to spend more than $11.6 billion on Halloween candy, costumes, and decorations in 2024, with $3.5 billion on candy alone. That's a lot of chocolate bars, candy corn, and gummy worms … and a lot of taxes. Check out our state-by-state guide to candy taxes for more details.

Adding e-invoicing extraordinaire to our résumé. Did you hear? IDC has positioned Avalara in the Leaders category in the IDC MarketScape on European Compliant e-Invoicing Solutions 2024.

It's YOU! If we were investigators in a Scooby-Doo-style mystery, we'd end each case by lifting the rubber ghoul mask off the face of the culprit only to find - gasp! - sales tax trickery, yet again. In this blog post, we look at an Illinois retailer masquerading as a contractor to avoid collecting sales tax.

Hard problems with soft drink taxability. In July 2015, Vermont enacted a sales tax on "nonalcoholic beverages that contain natural or artificial sweeteners." But retailers in the Green Mountain State struggled to apply the confusing taxability rules.

Nonprofits Maine-ly exempt. As of January 1, 2025, eligible nonprofits in Maine will get a blanket sales tax exemption, thanks to Governor Janet Mills. Learn more about the policy that will replace the current "unusual, unfair, confusing, and inefficient" policy.

Bay State back taxes? If your company owes taxes in Massachusetts, you're in luck. The Massachusetts DOR will administer a tax amnesty program from November 1 through December 30, 2024. Read about the budget bill making this possible and get answers to your tax amnesty FAQs.

Goods and services!? Personal, professional, and business services are often taxed, just like the sale of goods, but as per usual, the rates at which they're taxed and what qualifies for sales tax varies by state. See if your combination dog-grooming+resume-writing+landscaping business is obligated to register for and remit sales tax.

This guide is my recital, I think it's very vital to collect (on time), remit (on time), and Tricky 10's the title. While tax compliance can be complex everywhere, it's especially difficult to get right in these 10 states.

Ecommerce growth. We recently hosted a webinar featuring insights from GTSE and BigCommerce. See what we learned about effectively scaling your business and addressing compliance challenges.

From the Beverage Alcohol Tax Desk

Licensing in the Last Frontier. As of January 1, 2024, Alaska requires a license to ship alcohol directly to consumers. Learn more about the Title 4 Rewrite that changed licensing requirements, how manufacturers can apply for an Alaska direct shipment license, and more.

From the Property Tax Desk

Could property tax automation change your life? Well, it depends on what your life looks like now. We looked at a day in the life of a company that doesn't use property tax automation. Let's just say … things get complicated quickly.

From the Lodging Tax Desk

Hotel taxes go high tech. Tiny soaps, fresh towels, tax compliance; hotels and short-term rental hosts have a lot to manage. Technology can help, however. An automated tax solution can adjust for tax rate changes, integrate with other hotel management software, and help your business scale.

From the Excise Tax Desk

Complex compliance. What happens when your business is liable for both sales tax and excise tax? Some industries, like oil and tobacco, have particularly complex tax complications. Learn why a single tax solution can help your team wrangle multiple tax types.

From the Avalara Partner Desk

Howdy, partners. Earlier this year, we unveiled the Avalara Partner Program to help our partners drive profitable, sustainable growth, make it easier to do business with us, and provide peace of mind for you and your customers. Learn why it's been named the Emerging Partner Program of the Year.

From the other end of the line

Tax exemptions on line three. Businesses that sell communications products and services need to be able to manage exemptions for different tax types. This includes sales and use tax and more complex communications taxes.