Manufacturer Coupons vs. Store Coupons: Which Discounts Actually Reduce the Taxable Sales Price
Manufacturer coupons stay taxable because the vendor reimburses you; store coupons cut the base. US rules for BOGO, double coupons, and booking each.
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Sales Tax
Sales tax compliance, nexus rules, filing requirements, and tax automation for businesses
Billable Expense Income Done Right: How to Invoice Client Pass-Throughs Without Overpaying (or Underpaying) Tax
Client reimbursements are gross income on Schedule C, and most states tax them even at zero markup — bill and book pass-throughs correctly.
Bag Charges Are Not Merchandise Sales: A Retailer's Guide to California's Bag Ban and Washington's Fee Hike
California's 10-cent paper bag charge is excluded from taxable sales, while Washington's 12-cent plastic bag charge is taxable — book each in its own account.
Ditching the Cloud for a Colo Rack? The Move Changes Your Depreciation Schedule, Not Just Your Monthly Bill
Leaving the cloud for a colo rack turns opex into capex — servers are 5-year MACRS property, but Section 179 or 100% bonus can expense them in year one.
Furniture Flipping Isn't a Hobby to the IRS: A Reseller's Guide to COGS, Mileage, and the 2026 1099-K Rules
Flipping furniture is a Schedule C business, not a hobby: deduct per-piece COGS and 2026's split IRS mileage rate; expect no 1099-K under $20,000/200 sales.
Bookkeeping for Martial Arts Schools: Why Testing Fees, Merchandise, and Autopay Need Separate Revenue Lines
Split dojo income into six revenue lines — dues, testing, pro shop, privates, camps, parties — and carry prepaid tuition as deferred revenue, not income.
The Real Cost of Returns: How Refunds, Restocking Fees, and Reverse Logistics Quietly Eat E-Commerce Margins
A single return costs 20-65% of the item's value. US sellers cut the loss with tiered fees, exchanges-first policies, and ASC 606 refund accounting.
Chicago's Lease Tax Just Jumped to 15%: What It Means for Every Software Subscription and Equipment Lease You Pay For
Chicago's lease transaction tax rose from 11% to 15% in 2026 — Illinois businesses now owe $150 a month in city tax on every $1,000 of SaaS.
Corn Maze and Fall Festival Bookkeeping: Your Six-Week Season Playbook
Season-pass cash is deferred revenue, not August income — and your maze crew is usually non-farm labor owed US overtime. A six-week bookkeeping playbook.
Hawaii's General Excise Tax Is Not a Sales Tax: What the GET, County Surcharges, and the 4.712% Pass-Through Cap Mean for Small Businesses
Hawaii has no sales tax — the GET taxes your gross receipts at 4.5% including county surcharges, and 4.712% is the most you may legally show a customer.
Reverse Sales Tax Audits: How to Get Back the Sales and Use Tax You Overpaid
A reverse sales tax audit recovers US sales and use tax you overpaid to vendors or self-assessed — most states allow refund claims three to four years back.
Only 8 States Tax Manufacturing Equipment: How to Claim Your Machinery Exemption
Thirty-eight states exempt manufacturing machinery from sales tax, but the break works through exemption certificates you hand vendors, not automatic refunds. Alabama, Hawaii, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, and the Dakotas tax equipment in full or at reduced rates, while repair parts, utilities, and missing paperwork trip up makers everywhere.