On March 28, 2022, Mississippi’s governor signed S.B. 2831, creating the Taxation of Remote and Internet-based Computer Software Products and Services Study Committee, which is tasked with examining the taxation of remote and internet-based computer software products and services in Mississippi. By October 1, 2022, the Committee must report to the legislature its findings
Digital Economy
Mississippi justices to review sales tax on digital photos
On March 23, 2022, the Mississippi Supreme Court issued an order granting review of a trial court determination that sales of digital photographs are not subject to sales tax. The trial court struck down an assessment against a wedding photographer, concluding that taxable “tangible personal property” did not include digital photographs and photography is not…
New Jersey updates guidance regarding virtual currencies
The New Jersey Division of Taxation recently updated Technical Advice Memorandum 2015-1(R), first issued in 2015, regarding the tax treatment of transactions involving convertible virtual currency, such as Bitcoin. The updated TAM states that the state conforms to the federal treatment of convertible virtual currency for Corporation Income Tax and Gross Income Tax purposes.…
Ohio Supreme Court renews sales tax refund for computerized services
On March 15, 2022, the Ohio Supreme Court determined that the Ohio Board of Tax Appeals (BTA) must apply the true object test when determining whether a bank purchased nontaxable custom software or taxable services. The taxpayer was a bank that purchased computerized services which allowed the bank to run transactions on a daily basis…
Virginia sales tax applies to software purchases where no express proof of electronic delivery
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Business-to-business platform is a North Carolina marketplace facilitator
The North Carolina Department of Revenue issued a private letter ruling finding that a business-to-business online platform where businesses list inventory for sale for other businesses to order and pay was a marketplace facilitator responsible for collecting and remitting tax on sales that took place over its platform. The platform was not open to the…
Tennessee Department of Revenue rules platform is software, implementation and content fees taxable
The Tennessee Department of Revenue ruled recently that an information technology company’s platform product was subject to Tennessee sales and use tax. The platform was used to support a decision-making process.
The platform was hosted on Taxpayer or third-party servers, and users accessed the platform from their employer’s electronic software system. The platform was highly…
New York Tax Appeals Tribunal concludes IT managing and monitoring services are taxable
The New York Tax Appeals Tribunal upheld the New York Division of Tax Appeals’ determination that an information technology security company provides a taxable protective service. The taxpayer provides monitoring and firewall management services, by configuring its customers’ software and devices to prevent malicious activity. The Department of Taxation and Finance asserted that the taxpayer’s…
Breaking news: Federal court dismisses legal challenge to Maryland digital advertising tax
On March 4, 2022, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland partially dismissed a challenge to the Maryland Digital Advertising Gross Revenues Tax.
- The plaintiffs asserted that the Tax violates the Internet Tax Freedom Act and the Commerce and Due Process Clauses of the United States Constitution.
- The federal court held that
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Loan packages taxable data processing in Texas
The Texas Court of Appeals ruled that a law firm’s purchases of loan packages for lending institution clients was the taxable purchase of data processing services. The law firm purchased loan packages consisting of promissory notes, deeds of trust, tax disclosures and other pertinent legal documents from vendors. The law firm argued that the “essence…