Global tax software leader Sovos today announced that it is offering retailers and direct-to-consumer (DtC) manufacturers one file-ready sales and use tax return for any U.S. state at no cost. The free offering is available throughout May 2020, and aims to alleviate some of the burden that COVID-affected businesses are facing.
“Our social mission is to Solve Tax for Good, and we mean that in every sense of the word,” said Pawel Smolarkiewicz, chief product officer at Sovos. “After hearing about the challenges many businesses are facing during today’s environment, we wanted to help.”
The Tax Filing Drain
Sales & use tax filing is complex, with differing regulations by state and local jurisdictions. In fact, businesses with nationwide nexus must track and comply with regulations in each of the 12,000 state and local tax jurisdictions in which they do business.
Moreover, rates and rule accuracy is a continually moving target. Between 2017 and 2018 alone, Sovos identified a 28% increase in the number of jurisdictions reporting a standard rate change. And Aberdeen Research found that about half of companies cite tax filing as a top business drain. Add in today’s pandemic crisis, and the filing burden is exponential.
COVID-19 and Increasing Tax Complexity
When the pandemic hit, ecommerce became the only channel to buy products deemed non-essential. Most retail sectors have seen a 74% growth in online shopping in March 2020 compared to the same period last year.
While this growth is a lifeline for many struggling retailers and a welcome boost for essential sellers, an increase in online sales adds more complexity for businesses unfamiliar with the tax ramifications of expanded ecommerce.
“Sovos Sales and Use Tax Filing has always enabled retailers and DtC manufacturers to file more returns accurately and on time in every jurisdiction with less effort,” said Smolarkiewicz. “But we recognize business is more difficult than ever as sales strategies have pivoted, resources are stretched, and teams are working remotely. So, for the month of May, we’re taking our easy-to-use product a step further with a limited, free service.”
Sovos Sales and Use Tax Filing is a finalist for a 2020 SIIA CODiE Award in the best compliance solution category. Retailers and manufacturers can try it for free by clicking here to file now.
About Sovos
Sovos is a leading global provider of software that safeguards businesses from the burden and risk of modern transactional taxes. As tax goes digital, businesses face increased risks, costs and complexity. The Sovos Intelligent Compliance Cloud is the first complete solution for modern tax, giving businesses a global solution for tax determination, e-invoicing compliance and tax reporting. Sovos supports more than 7,000 customers, including half of the Fortune 500, and integrates with a wide variety of business applications. The company has offices throughout North America, Latin America and Europe. Sovos is owned by London-based Hg. For more information visit http://www.sovos.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
