Blog

Prevent Consumer Confusion Around Hard Versions of Soft Drinks

A trend of the last few years has been the surge in new products entering the beverage alcohol market, from hard seltzers to RTD cocktails, along with the entry of well-established, traditionally non-alcoholic brands, like Hard Mountain Dew and Simply Spiked. While the growth of hard soft drinks is great for consumers, who benefit from […]

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Form 1042 (and 945) Returns Electronic Filing Requirement Updates

Changes announced: Click here for the most up to date Form 1042 information. We’ve previously discussed how the IRS released final electronic filing requirements for information returns effective with 2023 returns. One of those key changes is that businesses can no longer submit Form 1042 withholding tax returns on paper starting with tax year 2023 […]

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How Evolving Consumer Demand is Changing the DtC Wine Industry

There may only be two certainties in life, but consumer preferences are still undoubtedly going to evolve over time. This is definitely true in the direct-to-consumer (DtC) wine industry. Whether consumers are pushing for greater sustainability, increased transparency through a brand’s marketing or want something else entirely, wineries must work to incorporate that into their […]

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3 Things Software Companies Should Keep in Mind About Sales Tax

In addition to selling automated solutions, software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies often provide a variety of related services, including configuration, implementation, training, testing, bug fixes, technical support, and software enhancements.  Each of these services could have sales tax consequences different from those applicable to the underlying software. Even more challenging, the rules can sometimes vary based on […]

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How Does the Software Industry Feel About Sales and Use Tax?

The U.S. software industry is no stranger to evolving technology. But what about sales tax compliance? Can this segment keep pace with ever-changing regulations, while still meeting customer needs? Sovos and SG Analytics conducted a survey to better understand how software organizations are planning to improve sales tax management. Overall, 43% of respondents said they […]

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Oregon, Iowa Litigation Signals Interest in More Self-Distribution

While the wave of litigation to remove legal barriers to retailer direct-to-consumer (DtC) keeps crashing against the breakwaters of district courts, a recent ripple in the courts may signal a potential shift in rules around self-distribution, which could have deep effects on the industry in the years to come. First, the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis […]

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4 Things to Know About Transmitter Control Code (TCC) Requirements

Organizations that access IRS systems to file information returns, including Form 1099, Affordable Care Act returns and more, need to understand how technological updates could impact their filing processes. As part of its multi-year business systems modernization plan, the IRS has implemented new systems and processes that must be followed for accessing their systems for […]

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Sovos 1099, Unclaimed Property Reporting Build Efficient AP Depts

In today’s complicated world of tax compliance, it can be nearly impossible for teams to keep up with their 1099 and unclaimed property reporting obligations. From ensuring tax identity management for 1099 recipients to executing on the due diligence requirements needed to report unclaimed property, the time your accounts payable (AP) teams spend on compliance […]

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Why Don’t States Trust Each Other’s Three-Tier Systems?

The District Court for Arizona recently ruled against a Florida retail shop in the latest in an ongoing series of lawsuits that seek to address the right of alcohol retailers to engage in interstate direct-to-consumer (DtC) shipping. The Florida retailer in this case, which was joined by two Arizona wine collectors, argued against an Arizona […]

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Are You Ready for Your 2023 Statutory Annual Statement?

Do you work on your company’s statutory annual statement? If so, a committee of the National Association of Insurance Commissions (NAIC) you should track is the Blanks Working Group (BWG). One of the primary responsibilities of the BWG is to adopt improvements and revisions to the various statutory annual and quarterly statements. Yes, the BWG […]

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Exploring the Digital Barbie Transformation and Sales Tax

Back in 1959, Barbie took her first plastic steps to become the cultural icon that she is today. Living in that Barbie world meant driving to your local toy store and physically purchasing the doll and accessories. Physical products like this were and still are subject to sales tax, meaning the consumer pays tax at […]

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Tax Information Reporting: The Basics of 1099

All types of businesses are subject to reporting earnings on the 1099 form series. Tax information reporting 1099s can be a complex process, especially when you must report more than one type of 1099 form. There are also many different parts of the reporting process that can be confusing, including knowing what 1099s to report, […]

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Understanding and Utilizing the Multiple Points of Use Exemption

Businesses use software for everything, and for many companies, the aggregate cost of all their software licenses represents an enormous expense. When purchasers of business software acquire or renew their license, negotiations around the total price of the solution are often rigorous and sometimes even contentious. This is understandable as cost containment is a key […]

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Nevada Enacts Some Unwelcome Changes to Unclaimed Property Law

For the third time in four years, Nevada has amended its unclaimed property law. Indeed, Assembly Bill 55 was enacted in Nevada on June 2, 2023, and became effective July 1, 2023. The new law impacts the analysis of when certain property types are presumed abandoned. Further, a new certified mailing requirement is added for […]

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What Small Wineries Should Look for in a DtC Compliance Solution

Congratulations, your winery has grown to a point where shipping under someone else’s license has become too great of a risk, and you’ve decided to search for a direct-to-consumer (DtC) shipping compliance partner. There are choices in the marketplace, so how do you know which company to work with? As you conduct your due diligence […]

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Wines and Spirits Will Soon be Subject to California’s Bottle Bill

Effective January 1, 2024, wine and spirits products will be subject to the California Beverage Container Recycling Program (BCRP). This change follows the passage of SB 1013 in September last year and reflects efforts by the state to help manage and reduce waste from beverage containers by extending the BCRP to a class of products […]

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Not All the Grapes Are Freed Just Yet

By Jeff Carroll, WineDirect   Wineries in the United States can ship to 97% of the U.S. population for direct-to-consumer (DtC) shipping, right? Not exactly. Most people think of states as either open to direct shipping or closed, but the reality is more nuanced. Although 47 states, representing 97% of the population, allow some form of […]

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Spirits New Product Registrations Spike 20% in First Half of 2023

All categories saw growth January to June in 2023, compared to that same time in 2022  The first half of 2023 has come and gone, with new product registrations showing positive growth across categories. Spirits new product registrations increased 20% from January to June 2023, followed by wine (+10%) and beer/malt (+1%). Overall, Product Registration […]

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