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Maximize Sales Tax Savings While Minimizing Risk for Manufacturers

Manufacturers often buy expensive stuff, including the enormous pieces of machinery and equipment necessary to efficiently run their production processes. In almost every state, manufacturers can purchase at least some items to be used in the production process free of sales tax or possibly subject to a reduced rate. However, the scope of available exemptions […]

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How Sovos CertManager Helps Growing Businesses with Sales Tax

Exemption certificate management can be an extremely time-consuming and costly challenge for businesses, especially as their organization expands into new jurisdictions. How can you ensure that all customer and exemption data is correct? Is any data missing? If your team is still utilizing a manual process, are you positive that nothing was overlooked? For growing […]

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2023 Beverage Alcohol Summit Takeaways

The two-day 2023 Sovos ShipCompliant Beverage Alcohol Summit virtual event included a wide variety of speakers covering topics that affect every level of the industry. Some of the highlights from the event are presented below. Actionable DEI Strategies for Growth Dr. J Jackson-Beckham, of Brewers Association, shared five strategies to build diversity, equity, inclusion and […]

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How Can Women-Led Beverage Alcohol Companies Change the Industry?

The beverage alcohol industry might no longer be strictly viewed as a “boys’ club,” but there are a minority of women leading organizations in the space. However, the number of women-led wineries, breweries and distilleries is on the rise, which – as we’ll explain – is likely a very positive thing for the industry. Let’s […]

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Potential Government Shutdown Will Affect Beverage Alcohol Industry

Unless Congress is able to pass an appropriations bill in the next few days, the U.S. government is set to shut down all nonessential services effective October 1, 2023. This will include (among many other agencies) the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), which will impact the beverage alcohol industry. If the shutdown […]

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Why Conduct a Pilot Season for Tax Information Reporting?

Another tax information reporting season is just around the corner and now is the time to start preparing your teams handling forms such as Series 1099, 1098, 1042-S, 3921, 5498, W-2, W-2G and more. Getting your teams ready and testing your reporting process ahead of January ensures you are set up for a successful season. […]

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Sovos Education Returns to Orlando with Statutory Accounting CPE

If you didn’t join us in D.C. or San Francisco earlier this year, you won’t want to miss one last opportunity in 2023 to take part in live continuing education. Sovos Education is returning to the Orlando area for a full week of statutory accounting CPE opportunities and we’re hoping to see you there. Sun […]

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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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