by Fresh Start Tax | Aug 23, 2013 | Florida Sales Tax
Let our Former State Tax Agent Frank Lamantia ( 16 year vet ) represent you so you can stop the anxiety and worry of your Florida Sales Tax Debt.
Florida Sales Tax Debt – Insider Tips
The Florida Department of revenue can wage war against individuals and businesses that owe Florida sales tax.
The Florida Department of revenue has all sorts of enforcement tools in their bag of tricks including such frozen bank accounts, seizing or closing your business and opening an active criminal investigation for failure to pay your back Florida sales tax debt.
Start making current payments
If you are behind on your Florida sales tax debt. I would encourage you to start to make current payments and make some effort to show Florida sales tax you want to get back in the system.It will go a long way when working with them in negotiating with them.
Back delinquent tax returns
In the past the Florida Department of revenue would automatically send out notices for delinquent returns, followed by more severe notices, then threatening notices, then a Florida tax warrant with an estimate of the taxes due plus penalties and interest.
After the last threatening notice had been sent with no response then the matter would be taken over by a collection agent who might initiate a lien on the bank account normally used to pay the tax.
If that bank account did not have any funds then the collection agency would begin searching for other bank accounts or assets.
That was then – this is now!
The Florida Department of revenue began on March 1, 2012 using a new method called “COLLECTION ANALYTIC” to track down and seize funds of delinquent taxpayers for filing returns for paying taxes.
The new system analyzes data from various federal and state resources to predict where a company has funds.
The Florida Department of Revenue will then levy/seize funds without additional warning.
The source of data used by the new collection system can come from many sources. Such as state unemployment tax returns, and payroll accounts.
This new system could use the information to place a lien on the payroll account on the day that funds come into this account to meet a payroll.
Below is a quote from the Florida Department of revenue regarding the new collection analytic system
“Revenue to Use New Tax Collection System”
The Department switched to a collection analytic system in April.
The Florida Debt of Revenue says:
It will allow us to better focus our tax collection efforts to determine positive future tax payment outcomes, based on predictive behavioral models.
We will maximize collection outcomes by routing accounts to the collection step most likely to result in payment in the least amount of time, which will mean fewer follow-up notices and shorter time frames between collection and enforcement actions.
It is extremely important for taxpayers to respond promptly to bills and delinquency notices from the Department.
Collection analytic should have no impact on taxpayers who file and remit their full amount of taxes on time.”
Caution – Do not ignore notices from the Florida Department of revenue
When you receive any type of delinquent return, payment notice from the Florida Department of revenue – take this matter very seriously.
Florida Sales tax debt law can be very complicated and if you feel uncomfortable with handling this matter then discuss this with our tax law professionals.
Remember that if your bank accounts have been frozen by the Florida Department of revenue the funds are still there. They are just frozen for a period of time.
Keep in mind that any bank account with the same federal employment identification number as your business is subject to a lien.
It is very possible that you and your company should have a negotiator with the Florida Department of revenue collection agent to help release some or all the funds.
Our firm can assist in negotiating the release of funds on the business bank accounts.
Your bank account is the lively hood of your business and could be detrimental to the survival of your business.
We can negotiate with the Florida Department of revenue to help release these funds.
After the funds are released our next goal will be to determine whether the Florida Department of revenue’s claim that you owe money is correct.
We may still be up the help you even if the period of time to protest an assessment has passed.
Our Tax Firm for Sales Tax Debt
We are a full-service tax firm that specializes in federal tax representation and are one of Florida’s most experienced for sales tax audit defense.
Our staff consists of tax attorneys, certified public accountants, former IRS agents and a former sales tax auditor with over 16 years of direct work experience with the Florida Department of revenue.
Feel free to contact us for initial tax consulting for Florida sales tax audit defense.
We will completely review your case and give you a full assessment of your audit status so you can make an informed and confident decision of how to fully resolve your sales tax audit case.
Florida Sales Tax Debt – Former Agent Can Represent You
by Fresh Start Tax | Aug 23, 2013 | Florida Sales Tax
There is nothing worse than to be pulled for an audit of any type no less a sales and use tax audit by the state of Florida.
Being former government agents we understand the anxiety and stress that these situation cause however due to our years of experience we understand the techniques that can be used as well as the tax strategies to avoid all the pain and anxiety that both individuals and businesses walk-through during a sales and use tax audit or an audit by the Internal Revenue Service.
It is also important to ask the auditor why your tax return was pulled for sales and use tax audit.
You want to stop the cycle and stop the trend so the state of Florida Department of revenue is not breathing down your back every couple of years.
HOW BUSINESSES ARE SELECTED FOR AUDIT BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA FOR SALES,USE TAX AUDITS
Several factors by the state of Florida, Department of Revenue have to be considered:
- The Department’s present Targeted Industries
- Amount of total sales being reported
- Amount of exempt sales being claimed
- Ratio of exempt sales to total sales
- Location of the business and programs being administered by the Sales, Use Tax Division
- Information from customers or employees or possible informant
You must remember that Florida sales tax wants to go after the low hanging fruit and find the easiest ways to collect backs tax revenue.They are no fools they know exactly where to go and were look and they know the industries that tend to bury their money from the Florida Department of revenue.
If you review the above list you will find out there are very specific reasons why Florida sales tax division goes after those areas. Basically they are easy targets.
They may also the receive information or tips from third parties, sometimes by ex-spouses, sometimes from referrals from other persons who simply wish to get you in trouble and many times. You may find your competition turning you in.
Florida sales tax division and the Department of revenue likes to keep you guessing.
Most of the factors above are obvious.
The Easy targets for Sales Tax Audits
- Companies with a history of prior audits where there was recovery will more than likely get audited again.
- Larger companies with high amounts of sales and those reporting high amounts of exempt sales are targeted.
- The industry type can be a factor in why they were chosen for an audit.
- Bars, restaurants, and liquor stores can be cash based businesses and cash has a way of getting lost or not reported.
Other elements that may contribute to your company being assessed in an audit on the lack of internal controls and or not understanding the sales tax laws.
One thing for sure Florida sales tax audits are increasing because of the huge amounts of revenue they produce for the state of Florida.
Criminal Activity
If you feel that there may be some criminal issues involved with some area of sales tax you best not represent yourself but find a competent criminal tax attorney who specializes in Florida sales tax audits and representation.
Here at Fresh Start Tax we have tax professionals who can help you either in-house or with placement for your particular situation.
The department of revenue for the state of Florida uses the criminal division to collect their back sales tax. It is a great collection technique either prison are paying back sales tax.
If you have received a letter stating that you are under criminal investigation by Florida sales tax audit by all means do not talk to the state of Florida, Department of revenue investigator. Immediately contact a tax attorney at Fresh Start Tax.
We are comprised of tax attorneys, tax lawyers, certified public accountants, former sales tax auditors, and former IRS agents, managers and tax instructors.
We have well over 300 years of professional tax experience and are A+ rated by the Better Business Bureau.
You can contact us today for a free initial tax consultation and hear the truth about your case. We can take the stress and the worry away from your life.
We have been in private practice in the state of Florida since 1982. We are one of Florida’s most experienced professional tax firms.
Sales, Use Tax Audits – Hire Former Agents- We know the Strategies – FLORIDA
by Fresh Start Tax | Aug 22, 2013 | Florida Sales Tax
SALES TAX CONSULTANTS – Statewide Representation and Consultation
Fresh Start Tax LLC is a specialty firm the deals with all federal and state tax matters. We are one of the most trusted names in Florida. We are one of the most experienced and trustworthy sales tax consultants statewide.
On staff are tax attorneys, CPAs, former IRS state auditors, Sales Tax Consultants and former IRS agents, managers and tax instructors. We have a combined 76 years of combined federal and state experience.
Our staff of former IRS agents have over 60 years of combined experienced.
Also on staff a former Florida State Tax Auditor with 16 years experience.
We can handle all your sales tax needs from simple bookkeeping to appellate work.
Many of our clients have back taxes issue, have unfiled tax returns and are involved in the sales tax audit process with the Department of revenue state of Florida.
We have over 300 years of professional tax experience and have been in private practice since 1982 in the state of Florida.
Let our past work experience be your best defense against a sales tax issues or problems you have.
You can contact us today for free initial tax consultation or Skype us using password freshstarttax.
Professional Tax Representation
- On staff, Board Certified Tax Attorney’s, IRS Tax Lawyers, Certified Public Accountants, Enrolled Agents, Former Sales Tax Agents, State of Florida
- Full Service Accounting Tax Firm,
- We taught Tax Law in the IRS Regional Training Center
- Former IRS Agents, Managers and Instructors with over 60 years experience in the local, district and regional IRS offices.
- Highest Rating by the Better Business Bureau “A” Plus
- Fast, affordable, and economical
- Licensed and certified to practice in all 50 States
- Nationally Recognized Veteran /Published Former IRS Agent
- Nationally Recognized Published EZINE Tax Expert
- As heard on GRACE Net Radio.com – Monthly Radio Show-Business Weekly
Areas of Professional Tax Practice:
- Same Day IRS Tax Representation
- Offers in Compromise or IRS Tax Debt Settlements
- Immediate Release of IRS Bank Levies or IRS Wage Garnishments
- Tax Relief from a IRS Bill, Letter or Notice of “Intent to Levy”
- IRS Tax Audits
- IRS Hardships Cases or Unable to Pay
- Payment Plans, Installment Agreements, Structured agreements
- Abatement of Penalties and Interest
- State Sales Tax Cases
- Payroll / Trust Fund Penalty Cases / 6672
- Filing Late, Back, Unfiled Tax Returns
- Tax Return Reconstruction
- Consulting, Services, Representation
- SALES TAX CONSULTANTS
SALES TAX CONSULTANTS – Florida – Affordable Experts
by Fresh Start Tax | Aug 21, 2013 | Florida Sales Tax
If you owe back Florida sales tax make sure you take care of this liability as soon as you can. At the very least, contact us to find out the different options that are available to resolve your situation so Florida sales tax does not follow up with seizure enforcement.
Seizure enforcement can include frozen bank accounts, the filing of tax warrants or the seizure and loss of your business.
The State of Florida, Sales Tax, new tax policies and systems can more readily find your assets. They are now basing some of there collection techniques on predictive behavior models.
Predictive Analytics by the Department of Revenue
Predictive analytics encompasses a variety of techniques from statistics, modeling, machine learning, and data mining that analyze current and historical facts to make predictions about future, or otherwise unknown, events.
In business, predictive models exploit patterns found in historical and transactional data to identify risks and opportunities. Models capture relationships among many factors to allow assessment of risk or potential associated with a particular set of conditions, guiding decision making for candidate transactions.
What this really means is a department of revenue, state of Florida is now in the tracking business and is letting modern technology find out where you bank and your financial patterns. And if you all money to the state of Florida, Department of revenue beware there are collecting there money faster.
Florida Sales Tax Back Tax – Revenue to Use New Tax Collection System
The Department of Revenue, State of Florida will partly switch to a collection analytics system in early April.
It will allow the State of Florida Sales Tax Division to better focus their tax collection efforts to determine positive future tax payment outcomes, based on predictive behavioral models.
Now the system is automated and without hesitation or sympathy for the taxpayer – usually after 90 days of delinquency.
The data used by the new Collection Analytics system can come from a variety of source such as:
- the state unemployment tax returns,
- tracking that there may be an additional company,
- bank accounts used for payroll,
- checking with other government agencies
This mean much quicker enforcement for Florida Sales Tax
The Department of revenue system could now use this data to file a lien/warrant on the on the same day funds normally come into the account.
It is extremely important for taxpayers to respond promptly to bills and delinquency notices from the Department.
This new system of Collection Analytics should have no impact on taxpayers who file and remit their full amount of taxes on time.
Owe Florida Sales Tax, your name will be published
The Florida Department of Revenue is authorized by law to publish a list of the names of taxpayers who have large unresolved tax liabilities. These taxpayers have failed to pay or arrange to pay their debt, despite repeated attempts by the Department to collect the amount due.
The names were selected according to the following criteria:
- Taxpayers who have unsatisfied tax warrants or liens totaling $100,000 or more, and
- In counties where no taxpayer has warrants or liens totaling $100,000, the two taxpayers with the highest amount of warrants or liens are included.
- Taxpayers who are in bankruptcy, who have entered into and are current on a stipulated payment agreement, or who have in place a payment agreement with the Department, are excluded.
Place of Filing of a Warrant/Lien for Florida Sales Tax Division
The warrant or lien is a public record filed with the Clerk of Court or other government office in the county where the taxpayer is located. The list is published according to section 213.053(19), Florida Statutes. Unauthorized use of this information is prohibited by Florida law. For more details, read our privacy notice.
The list will be updated every 30 days. The current list was posted on August 9, 2013.
If your name or business name appears on the list and you want to resolve your tax liability, contact your local Department of Revenue service center.
You must do one of the following:
1. Pay the amount in full.
2. Enter a stipulated payment agreement.
3. Provide information to prove the amount on the warrant is not due.
If you are dealing with any issues or Florida sales tax issues, contact us today and speak directly tax attorneys, tax lawyers, or a former Florida Sales tax agent.
Our firm has well over 300 years professional tax experience and have an A+ rating with the better business bureau and have been in private practice since 1982.
Owe Florida Sales Tax – Warrants, Liens, Frozen Bank Accounts – FLORIDA
by Fresh Start Tax | Aug 21, 2013 | Florida Sales Tax
Insider Tips from – Former – Sales Tax Auditor
Are you located in Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh or any other state and being audited by The State of Florida Sales Tax.
Are your books and records located in your state other than Florida and you have “Nexus” in Florida?
We can represent companies in all 50 States for Florida Sales Tax Audits.We are Out of State specialists.We can travel to you.
Our former Florida sales tax auditor who has conducted Florida audits in all of these states has insider information that will help you while under a Florida Sales Tax Audit.
Our insider – Former sales tax auditor – can travel to your location or we can have the audit handled at our location in Georgia or Florida.
The state of Florida targets certain industries for audits “they like low hanging fruit” if they think there is easy tax recovery with minimal work hours they target specific industries.
The industry type can be a factor in why they were chosen for an audit – current industries the DOR has targeted for “Low Hanging Fruit”
Which Industries are ” low hang fruit?”
• Hotels
• Restaurants
• Car dealerships
• Convenience stores
• Retail stores
• Manufacturing companies
• Shipping companies
These industries are typically low hanging fruit because all of the available dollars collected from Florida sales tax audits. These companies have a history of being repeated offenders within the state of Florida. As a result, you will find continued audits for Florida sales tax department of revenue.
As a – Florida Sales Tax – Insider I have found major recovery from in these areas, so beware, the auditors will probably be looking here:
• fixed assets
• consumable supplies
• disallowed exempt sales
• unreported income
Also, bars, restaurants and liquor stores that are cash based businesses and cash has a way of getting lost or not reported.
Does your company have Nexus with – The State of Florida?
The answer could be yes, depending on conditions in which business activities occur.
Your out-of-state company with Nexus could be a target of a Florida sales tax audit
Nexus
Nexus in general terms means a connection. The term Nexus is used in tax law to describe a situation in which a business has “Nexus” or presence in a state and thus subject to state sales taxes for sales within that state.
Here are some cases in which a business might have a sales tax Nexus in the state:
• if the business has a physical location in the state
• if there are resident employees working in the state
• if the business has property including intangible property in a state
• if there are employees who regularly solicit business in the state
Nexus for state sales tax purposes has in the past required a physical presence of the taxing business in that state; most recently Nexus has also been invoked in relation to affiliates.
In corporate law and taxes, and the affiliate is a company that is related to another company, usually by being in the position of a member or subordinate role. Two companies may be affiliated if one company has control over the other or if both are controlled via third company.
Your out-of-state company with Nexus could be subject to back taxes
Beware if your out-of-state company is subjected to a Florida State tax audit an assessment will be issued for a three-year audit.
Charging Florida Sales Tax
Businesses who have Nexus and who also sell products in some services are required by the state in which they do business to collect sales tax, at the applicable sales tax rate for that state including local option taxes sales tax rate is separately stated and added to the price of the goods/services by the merchant.
Sales tax is a trust fund tax, meaning that when you collect the taxes you are doing so on behalf of the state and you are required to turn this money back to the state in a timely manner.
ISSUES AN OUT OF STATE BUSINESS COULD HAVE DOING BUSINESS IN – FLORIDA
• commercial rent
• rental consideration
• Fixed assets located in Florida
• consumable supplies used in the Florida locations
Your business that is located in a state other than Florida and when you conduct business in Florida either directly or indirectly you will be subject to the same laws of a Florida-based company for your Florida locations.
You need to be aware that even though your headquarters is out of the state of Florida if you rent any commercial real property in the state of Florida this commercial real property will be subject to taxation in the state of Florida.
Beware the state of Florida imposes a sales tax on all commercial rental property in the state of Florida. I can tell you that as a former auditor many businesses that I audited in Georgia and other Southern states and had other locations in the state of Florida were not aware that real estate when rented was taxable.
Also, companies that had a related company that paid rent to itself were subject to commercial sales tax.
In addition to the rent being taxable, rental consideration such as paying the real estate ad valorem tax on behalf of the landlord is taxable as rental consideration.
When you purchase fixed assets and consumable supplies from vendors outside of the state of Florida and have these consumable items and fixed assets shipped to your location in Florida they are subject to a sales tax and if a sales tax was not charged by the vendor.
The use tax should have been paid to the state of Florida on your sales tax return.
Beware – more than likely these out of state vendors would not have been registered with Florida and would not have charged a Florida sales tax on your purchases.
Remember that any tax liability you have will be for the whole audit period and could amount to a sizable amount of tax, penalty and interest.
We are a full-service tax firm that specializes in federal tax representation and are one of Florida’s most experienced for sales tax audit defense
.
Our staff consists of tax attorneys, certified public accountants, former IRS agents and a former sales tax auditor with over 16 years of direct work experience with the Florida Department of revenue.
Feel free to contact us for initial tax consulting for Florida sales tax audit defense.
We will completely review your case and give you a full assessment of your audit status so you can make an informed and confident decision of how to fully resolve.
Florida Sales Tax Audits – Out of State Taxpayers – Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh
by Fresh Start Tax | Aug 20, 2013 | Florida Sales Tax
We are a full service professional tax firm that specializes in all Florida sales tax issues. Our tax specialty deals with non-filers, owing back taxes consulting services and Florida sales tax representation.
Do not be bullied by Florida Sales Tax. Let Former Agents and Attorneys fight back.
Our firm is comprised of tax attorneys, tax lawyers, certified public accountants, former sales tax audit agents, former IRS agents, managers and tax instructors.
All work is done in-house by a qualified staff of Florida sales tax experts.
We have well over 300 years of professional tax experience and over 75 years of working directly for government agencies.
We have been in private practicing since 1982 and have an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau.
You can contact us for a free initial tax consultation and hear the truth about your case.
We are experienced, affordable and when of the most trustworthy tax firms in the industry.
We offer a full range of tax and accounting services including Florida sales tax consultations and Florida sales tax representation. We cover the entire state of Florida.
Professional Tax Representation
- On staff, Board Certified Tax Attorney’s, IRS Tax Lawyers, Certified Public Accountants, Enrolled Agents, Former Sales Tax Agents, State of Florida
- Full Service Accounting Tax Firm,
- We taught Tax Law in the IRS Regional Training Center
- Former IRS Agents, Managers and Instructors with over 60 years experience in the local, district and regional IRS offices.
- Highest Rating by the Better Business Bureau “A” Plus
- Fast, affordable, and economical
- Licensed and certified to practice in all 50 States
- Nationally Recognized Veteran /Published Former IRS Agent
- Nationally Recognized Published EZINE Tax Expert
- As heard on GRACE Net Radio.com – Monthly Radio Show-Business Weekly
Areas of Professional Tax Practice:
- Same Day IRS Tax Representation
- Offers in Compromise or IRS Tax Debt Settlements
- Immediate Release of IRS Bank Levies or IRS Wage Garnishments
- Tax Relief from a IRS Bill, Letter or Notice of “Intent to Levy”
- IRS Tax Audits
- IRS Hardships Cases or Unable to Pay
- Payment Plans, Installment Agreements, Structured agreements
- Abatement of Penalties and Interest
- State Sales Tax Cases
- Payroll / Trust Fund Penalty Cases / 6672
- Filing Late, Back, Unfiled Tax Returns
- Tax Return Reconstruction
- Consulting, Services, Representation
Sales Tax – FLORIDA – Consulting, Services, Representation
