Alabama Sales Tax Exemption For Implants

An often-overlooked Alabama medical sales tax exemption that can yield significant refund opportunities and future sales and use tax savings is related to the purchase of implants. If your Alabama hospital or ambulatory surgery center is acquiring implants for patients and paying sales or use tax on those purchases, Agile Consulting Group can help. We originated and pioneered this issue by first fighting for the correct application of Section 40-9-30, Code of Alabama 1975, which includes an Alabama sales and use tax exemption that had been “on the books” since August 1, 2014, but not honored by the Alabama Department of Revenue. Our sales tax consultants then worked hand-in-hand with the Alabama Department of Revenue and local taxing authorities to find mutually agreeable supporting documentation that would enable hospitals and surgery centers to enjoy the benefits of this Alabama medical sales tax exemption for implants.

Background Of Alabama Medical Sales Tax Exemption For Implants

In the Regular Session of 2014, House Bill 280 was introduced into the Ways and Means Education Committee by Representative Ron Johnson from District 33. The Bill made its way through both houses and was forwarded to Governor Bentley on April 3, 2014. House Bill 280 was signed into law and became Act 2014-453 taking effect August 1, 2014. Act 2014-453 added subparagraph (d) to Section 40-9-30. Subparagraph (d) reads,
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Monika Miles

Are you curious what state tax updates are on the horizon? October 1, 2019 is a big date coming up; numerous states have new online sales tax provisions, amnesty programs and other legislative changes going into effect in just a few weeks. Keep reading for a quick summary of new laws and programs to keep an eye out for beginning next month.

Alabama’s Simplified Sellers Use Tax

As of October 1, Alabama requires remote retailers selling more than $250,000 in total sales (taxable and nontaxable) to begin collecting and remitting sales tax. Although sellers need to file their Alabama state tax returns monthly, these sales and use taxes fall into the “simplified” category because they’re a flat 8 percent on all purchases, regardless of the shopper’s locality in the state.

Arizona Eases Into Online Sales Tax

Arizona’s transaction privilege tax (TPT) is designed to ease the smaller out-of-state retailers into online sales tax compliance. As the Arizona Department of Revenue explains, the threshold for remote alleges to pay TPT is:

  • $200,000 in 2019 (beginning October 1)
  • $150,000 in 2020
  • $100,000 in 2021 and thereafter

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If you’re like most small business owners, you’re always looking for ways to lower your taxable income. Here are five ways to do just that.

1. Deducting The Cost Of A Home Computer

If you purchased a computer and use it for work-related purposes, you can take advantage of the Section 179 expense election, which allows you to write off new equipment in the year it was purchased if it is used for business more than 50 percent of the time (subject to certain rules).

2. Meal Expenses For Company Picnics And Holiday Parties

If you host a company picnic or holiday party–even if it is at your home–100 percent of your meal expenses are deductible. Prior to tax reform legislation passed in late 2017, 50 percent of your business-related entertainment expenses (with some exceptions) were generally deductible. Starting in 2018, however, entertainment-related expenses are no longer deductible. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call.

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Aaron Giles

The state of Alabama is relatively limited when it comes to providing sales and use tax exemptions for medical purchases made by hospitals and health care facilities. However, there is an Alabama sales and use tax exemption available for medicines and other substances consumed by the body.

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Monika Miles

A couple of weeks ago we started a series that looks at the ramifications of various online sales tax legislation states across the country are proposing and signing into law. We started with Colorado as they’ve been at the forefront of the debate since 2010. Today we take a look at Alabama!

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Annette Nellen

New Security Step – IR-2016-124 (9/22/16) – The IRS alerted people filing an extended return electronically for 2015 (due 10/17/16), that they likely would be asked to enter their AGI (Adjusted Gross Income) for 2014. The purpose is to help properly identify the taxpayer. The information release reminds people how to order a tax transcript from the IRS should they not have it.

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By Michael J. Fleming

One of my mentors constantly reminds me that, “We are accountants; words have meaning.” My immediate response is to usually think that, “if we were not accountants would words not have meaning?” However, once I get past my sarcastic thoughts, I realize that he is challenging us to be more precise and succinct in our writing and to not just read surface meanings but to really analyze the words for alternative meanings. Looking for alternative meanings is especially important when it comes to state tax audit defense. Since you can’t change the facts, you sometimes have to change the argument.

This concept was illustrated quite pointedly in the recent decision of Van Horn v. Alabama Department of Revenue, Alabama Department of Revenue, Administrative Law Division, No. S. 12-863, January 3, 2013. In this case, the taxpayer or his employees traveled throughout AL to take photographs which were later developed at the home office and sent to customers by common carrier. The taxpayer also made in-person phone calls. The DOR examiner assessed the taxpayer for the local taxes based on the sales and photographing visits. The administrative law judge agreed that it could be argued that the taxpayer had purposely availed himself of the economic market and met the conditions of Quill. However, Quill did not apply because the DOR had not updated its regulations concerning local nexus. Basically the only activity that mattered was solicitation and the taxpayer actually traveled into four jurisdictions to solicit sales. However the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) found that this was still not enough to create nexus. His reasoning was that the statute read “salesmen” while in the taxpayer’s case there was only one “salesman”. He clarified that since the state only used the plural form, the regulation anticipated multiple sales people and therefore the taxpayer did not have nexus.

Words have meaning! In this case the state failed to update its language to be more encompassing and capture the implications of Quill as well as using only the plural form of a word. What great illustrations! We don’t suggest taking this approach when doing tax planning but when you find yourself in an audit situation having someone who can think outside the box is invaluable. My mentor constantly forces us to do so.