On October 2, 2020, the Indiana Department of Revenue issued Revenue Ruling #2019-09ST concerning the sale of digital course materials to Indiana colleges and universities, which were made available to students on the schools’ online learning management systems. The Department determined that these sales were exempt from sales tax because: (i) the course materials were
Indiana
Indiana Introduces Surcharge Tax Bill Targeting Social Media Platforms
Representative J.D. Prescott (R) introduced Indiana House Bill 1312, which would impose a surcharge tax on social media providers. This proposed bill shares similarities with proposed digital advertising taxes in Maryland and New York, except that Indiana’s proposed surcharge tax is targeted at social media providers deriving revenue from advertising services on their…
The Comity Club: Federal Judge Remands Indiana Franchise Fee Case Back to State Court
Citing to principles of comity, a federal district court remanded back to state court a class action suit brought by Indiana municipalities seeking franchise fees from various streaming video companies.
The Indiana municipalities filed a class action lawsuit against the streaming video companies in state court, asserting that the companies were obligated to pay franchise…
Indiana updates informal remote seller and marketplace facilitator guidance
The Indiana Department of Revenue has updated Information Bulletin No. 89, providing guidance for remote sellers and marketplace facilitators regarding the state’s sales tax physical presence standards. The updated guidance, which is effective July 1, 2020, explains the applicable factors for remote sellers and marketplace facilitators to consider when determining whether they have physical…
Trouble at the Pump: Indiana Department of Revenue Concludes that a Holding Company is not Unitary with a Gas Station Partnership
In Indiana Department of Revenue Letter of Findings No. 02-20191221 (Dated June 3, 2020, published August 26, 2020), the Department concluded there was a lack of a unitary business relationship between an out-of-state holding company and a partnership that operated gas stations within the state. The Department held that the holding company could not show…
Indiana Publishes Remote Seller and Marketplace Facilitator Guidance
Indiana released Information Bulletin #89 updating guidance for remote sellers and marketplace facilitators. The guidance, which became effective July 1, implements SEA 408. It also notes, among other things, that marketplace facilitators must include both transactions made on its own behalf and transactions facilitated on behalf of their sellers when making the determination as…
Indiana Supreme Court Holds Driver Was an Independent Contractor, Not Employee
The Indiana Supreme Court recently held that a company properly classified a driver as an independent contractor, not an employee, for unemployment insurance tax purposes. The company connected drivers with vehicle manufacturers that needed large vehicles driven to their customers or dealerships. When a former driver filed a claim for state UI benefits, the Indiana…
Indiana Department of Revenue Finds Out-of-State Pharmacy Benefit Management Provider Must Include Income from Drug Sales to Indiana Customers in Sales Factor
In a letter of finding, the Indiana Department of Revenue concluded that a pharmacy benefit management provider was required to include in its sales factor receipts from prescription drugs sold to Indiana customers. The taxpayer contracted with insurance companies, retail pharmacies and drug manufacturers to provide health benefit plans and beneficiaries access to discounted prescription…
Indiana Supreme Court Cites Business Purpose Requirement in Holding RV Dealership Liable for Uncollected Sales Tax
On December 5, 2018, the Indiana Supreme Court in a 3-2 split decision held that an RV dealership was liable for uncollected sales tax on RV sales even though it delivered the RVs to buyers at out-of-state locations.
The RV dealership’s protocol for transferring possession of its RVs to customers depended on the customer’s state…
Indiana Affirms Taxpayer’s Section 382 NOL Limitation Calculations
An Indiana taxpayer claimed net operation loss deductions (“NOLs”) on its adjusted gross income. The NOLs were acquired by the taxpayer as part of a corporate acquisition. The Indiana Department of Revenue did not dispute that the taxpayer was entitled to the NOLs, but limited the NOLs by an “asset ratio” based on the assets…