California Sales/Use Tax On Untaxed Internet Purchases -- The Law is Clear: You Owe It
By Ron Cohen, CPA, MST
Partner
Greenstein, Rogoff, Olsen & Co., LLP
This is an excellent article in the L.A. Times, December 24, 2009, Page B1.
Their has been confusion in the minds of tax and non-tax people about their tax obligation for California Use Tax on internet purchases, when the internet seller does not charge sales tax on purchases of tangible personal property.
There really is no confusion under the law. All California taxpayers should pay this tax with their Form 540 filed with the Franchise Tax Board each year... and people who want or need to be 100% accurate in all their tax obligations should seriously make a good-faith effort to pay-in a reasonable estimate of Use Tax due on untaxed internet sales.
See:
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hiltzik24-2009dec24,0,487418.column
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