Blog

Insights from Tax Year 2021 Form 1099-NEC Reporting

The tax season isn’t over yet, but one of the biggest organizational reporting challenges is behind us–   issuing and filing of Form 1099-NEC for payments companies made to nonemployees in exchange for their services. As we look back on the flurry of activities that our organizations orchestrated to issue and file millions of Forms 1099-NEC […]

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SMBs are Experiencing Employee Burnout at a Rapid Rate Due to Sales Tax Management

No company wants a focus on managing sales tax to distract them from their primary business objectives. But it’s a mandatory part of business that can be particularly daunting for SMBs that lack the necessary time and resources to keep pace with the complexities of sales tax. With over 12,000 U.S. tax jurisdictions that are […]

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What’s Up with DtC Audits and Enforcement?

Regulatory scrutiny is a constant in the beverage alcohol industry, and direct-to-consumer (DtC) shipping is no exception to that. However, the DtC market does bring some unique regulatory concerns. The last several years have seen increased efforts by regulators to get a handle on the growing market, which has led to more audits and enforcement […]

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5 Ways to Revamp Your Sales Tax Strategy

Let’s face it: no one likes dealing with tax, and no one likes learning they’ve done something wrong when it comes to their organization’s compliance. Sovos launched the Sales Tax Learning Series to guide you through revamping your team’s sales tax strategy. This learning series was designed with industry-leading partners to help you navigate the […]

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DtC Alcohol Shippers Cannot Contract Their Way Out of Compliance

Suppliers looking to get into the valuable and growing market of direct-to-consumer (DtC) alcohol shipping often need support from third parties. From setting up sales to managing shipping logistics to handling complicated tax filings, DtC alcohol shipping is often too much for any one business to deal with entirely on their own. Within the ecosystem […]

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Don’t Let Tax Be An Inhibitor to Sales in 2022

Managing sales tax doesn’t have to be a complicated, overwhelming and time-consuming process. Assuming of course that you properly evaluate your internal capabilities, existing technology and varying levels of expertise correctly. With thousands of tax regulations that can change at a moment’s notice, it can seem a nearly impossible task for businesses to remain compliant. […]

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4 Fast Facts from the 2022 Direct-to-Consumer Wine Shipping Report

Among the many facts and analysis shared during our recent webinar on the 2022 Direct-to-Consumer Wine Shipping Report, a few really stood out. We gathered some highlights and key stats from the session. The report is an annual collaboration between Sovos ShipCompliant and Wines Vines Analytics, providing detailed insights into the DtC wine channel. The […]

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California Introduces Unclaimed Property VDA Program

On February 16, 2022, California introduced AB 2280, allowing the California Controller to establish a California Voluntary Compliance Program (VDA Program). This is a significant development as California has long declined to provide a formal or informal unclaimed property voluntary disclosure agreement (VDA) program, despite automatically assessing 12% interest on late reported property. In the […]

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Retention Pays Off Big with Increase in DtC Wine Shipping

By Andrew Adams, Editor, Wine Analytics Report This year’s annual Direct-to-Consumer Wine Shipping Report featured an additional set of data to help put the past two years of unprecedented winery shipment growth in context. Since the surge of shipment volume in March and April 2020, there has been sustained interest in trying to understand just […]

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Sales Tax Compliance Challenges and the Great Resignation

If the last two years have been any indication, no industry is safe from the Great Resignation. The latest PwC Pulse Survey found that 77% of respondents said hiring and retaining employees is their most critical growth driver this year. As we have previously covered, many employees see the current job market as the perfect […]

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Three-Tier System Essentials: Getting Licensed

The three-tier system is the prevailing way that alcohol is distributed and sold in the United States, based on a clear cut distinction between different sectors (or “tiers”) of the beverage alcohol market. In the three-tier system, suppliers, such as producers and importers, are required to sell to wholesalers and distributors, who in turn sell […]

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Insights on Developing State Compliance Efforts

As unclaimed property regulations continue to change and the methods that states implement to engage holders evolve, it is important for holders to gain from the lessons learned and make adjustments to remain compliant and effectively manage unclaimed property liabilities. The following information captures just a few of the insights and lessons Sovos learned throughout […]

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DtC Shipping Is One Reform Among Many Suggested in Treasury Report

On February 9, the Treasury Department issued a report on competition in the beverage alcohol industry, identifying several areas where possible reforms could foster a more level playing field for small businesses, craft producers and new market entrants. The report was part of Executive Order 14036, initiated by the Biden Administration to investigate ways to […]

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Compliant DtC Wine Shipping: Things to Know for a Successful 2022

It’s hard to believe that the first month of 2022 is already in the rearview mirror, but the same way that time keeps moving along, the DtC wine shipping world continues to change. With more states implementing DtC shipping options — and some that took a step in the other direction — it can be […]

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What to Expect for This Year’s Sales Tax Holidays

This blog was updated on July 30, 2024 While the concept of a sales tax holiday, or a tax free weekend, is not new, it is one that can evolve and change over time. A state may have initially not had one, but implemented one within the last few years. Retailers’ tax departments must remain […]

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Will the Pink Tax Be a Thing of the Past?

Several states are redefining their sales tax laws to better consider gender equality in evaluating what is a necessary good. Often, this means states are looking into how the “pink tax” is applied. The “pink tax” refers to the application of sales tax or value-added tax (VAT) in a way that is considered disproportionally unfair […]

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Cryptocurrency is Subject to Unclaimed Property Too?

It seems like you can’t go a day without hearing something about cryptocurrency or the associated terms like virtual currencies, bitcoin and fiat currencies. Since the release of Bitcoin in 2009, thousands of cryptocurrencies have emerged, with Ethereum being another prominent name. The current cryptocurrency market is estimated to be worth more than $3 trillion […]

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Delaware Unclaimed Property VDA 2023 Invitation Dates

This blog was updated on January 10, 2023 Delaware’s Secretary of State (SOS) recently advised that they plan to send invitations to participate in the Delaware VDA program around February 24, 2023 and July 14, 2023. If a company receives an invitation to participate in the Delaware VDA 2023 program and is interested in taking […]

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