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I live in Florida and I admit I am not an expert in Sales tax.... it is just too confusing, convoluted and dependent on each state. When clients have questions about sales tax, I usually advise them to call the DOR and ask directly since they know their circumstances best. I have seen too many businesses struggle or close due to unpaid sales tax because they did not understand the specific rules for all the nuances of their business product and/or sales. The DOR will ask questions about their business that they did not even know would be affected or applicable to sales tax. So when I realized that when I order my (downloadable) program for Quickbooks and Creative Solutions, they do not charge me sales tax, I wondered why I do have to pay sales tax for my Wolters Kluwer/ATX tax software and called the FL DOR just to double check on the rules. According to a representative from FL DOR, sales tax is only charged on "canned software delivered on Tangible Personal Property (CD, etc.)". So then I called my sales representative at WK/ATX. She told me they charge sales tax to everyone, regardless of the state. So I asked to speak to Accounts Receivable. The AR rep said it does not matter what FL DOR says, they charge sales tax regardless of your state or the type of product you receive. The FL DOR offered to talk to WK/ATX rep and the WK/ATX rep agreed that they would talk to the DOR, but no matter what the FL DOR had to say, WK/ATX would not change their policy because they always send a CD. I told them I don't want the CD, and they said .... (wait for it) ...... "We have to send you a CD, so we can charge the sales tax". Oh yeah... Also according to the FL DOR (and they offered this, I did not even ask), they (FL DOR) probably does not receive the FL sales tax from WK/ATX that we pay on these products, because it is not required. Site showing map with legends showing taxability of software transactions: http://taxfoundation.org/blog/states-sales-taxes-software

Jack tends to be aggressive and snarky; we all know that. However, the original poster makes an excellent point. By charging sales tax that they are NOT passing on to the state, they are effectively stealing from both the state (in whose name they are taking additional funds that are not required to be collected) and from the person who is paying the higher-than-required price. My question is rather, do you really want to do business with a company that has NO qualms about such unethical acts?

Jack, enough with the snarks and little quips. Your remarks in your first post suggesting that this new member cannot afford the software or needs a course in budgeting were out of line. This person posted a concern regarding the company's handling of sales tax compared with that of other software vendors and provided a link to a useful map of sales tax rules by state, and has now voiced concerns over the company's overall treatment of its customers, its policies and pricing. There's no reason anyone here should not be able to discuss these issues as they do pertain to the ATX software and CCHSFS.

Could this be "Teddy" as a baby? For complete MSN.com article: "21 Animals You Rarely See As Babies" http://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/pets/21-animals-you-rarely-see-as-babies/ss-AAfxDwT?ocid=U147DHP#image=1

How do you pet a porcupine? Very, very carefully.

I think he is adorable. I am not sure how SAFE a porcupine is as a pet, and I have to admit I think you could edit that footage to make a great restaurant scene in a science fiction movie but I did not think it was creepy!

The ATX product is a canned product (not customizable for individual customers) and if I do not WANT a CD (or any other tangible property since it is pretty much all online), I should not be paying sales tax since only 'canned software delivered on tangible personal property is taxable'. >>(John from Ohio): "I see no reason to be complaining here. ATX does not pocket the sales tax, your STATE does. Same rule applies to everyone everywhere. If the cost of the sales tax makes the software unaffordable, you are shopping in the wrong department, or need a class in business budget management. "<< SERIOUSLY? First of all, I just wanted to pass this information along, I wasn't really looking for a debate. But since YOU brought it up.....It has nothing to do with whether I can afford it or not. I do not like to pay ANY tax I am not required to. Plus, I constantly fight to keep my clients from paying tax they do not have to. Do you just let yours pay taxes that are unnecessary because they can afford it?? I feel bad for them, they deserve better. My main point for bringing this up and thinking others may be interested is that all the other software I purchase, allows me to receive products via the internet and then correctly, does not charge sales tax. Whereas CCH's response, 'we don't care if you don't want the CD or other tangible products, we are sending them, otherwise we cannot charge you the sales tax'. Good job at paperwork reduction and saving trees/the environment CCH. The other thing is the FL DOR said they have dealt with other companies like this. You request download only, but they still charge you sales tax because they offer the CD, then they do NOT send in the sales tax on downloadable only sales because they don't have to. They could not say whether ATX does that but that IS why you would not be able to get refund from the state. For the last couple of weeks we have been trying to decide whether to stick with ATX or switch to UltraTax, which I have used before and loved, especially when combined with their accounting software I already use. Now I am also considering, would I rather pay extra for a superior product, or more tax than I should to the alternative because the company just cannot be bothered changing their policy to save their customers some money.... it may not be a lot to any one of us, but it adds up over the years and if you add up all the avoidable sales tax that is being collected from all applicable customers, it is probably quite considerable.

I think Teddy is adorable! I had no idea a porcupine would be so vocal.

I think this is supposed to be cute, but it gave me the creeps.

Jack, dear friend, this time you are 100% wrong. They collect it from ALL, but only because that's the easy way FOR THEM.. They are benefiting because shipping the CD costs a lot less than the sales tax on the whole package, but saves them a very small amount of 'bookkeeping' to track which packages to charge it on. Plus, when they know that they don't have to charge it on downloadable product, the right thing to do, both legally and morally, is to not charge it when it is not required. It adds up. A few years back, my son's IT firm had a CA sales tax audit. At the time, the bookkeeper did not realize that the tax was not required on downloadable product, but when I came out for the audit, I brought the issue up, the auditor agreed with me, we went through the invoices, and we ended up getting back several THOUSAND in overpaid sales tax, which we refunded to the customers. Reprogramming the invoicing system to reflect the correct taxablity took me about 20 minutes. Problem eliminated. CCH certainly has the same ability. And the snarky last paragraph is beneath you. I hope you will reconsider that this is hardly a way to make a newbie feel welcome. Or even an old-timer like me. His message made it clear that it was not so much about the money as it was about the rip-off. And it is a rip-off when they charge you for something you don't need, just so they can charge you sales tax on the whole package.

I agree. I think is important to allow new posters a little more leeway and consideration. After all, we need to encourage them to return and be a part of this community. The ability to make distinctions is a mark of a good business mind.

>>"If the cost of the sales tax makes the software unaffordable, you are shopping in the wrong department, or need a class in business budget management. "<< >>"Will you chase this for all states? Or is this just you and your state."<< Again, I did not really want to argue about the amount nor do I plan on 'chasing' anything. You seem to have a strong, almost protective attachment towards the company and I am not sure why your tone is so pugnacious towards me because of my opinion, so I sort of doubt it, but maybe if you could have heard the attitude behind the words. It was borderline sarcastic and conveyed the attitude "it's not that we do not know how it should be done, we just do not plan on doing anything different". I guess maybe I was overly sensitive because of all the money I dished out this week for software, but today this rubbed me the wrong way and spoke of the attitude of a company towards it's customers. I feel it speaks to overall mindset. Other software companies bothered to take the time to do it correctly why doesn't CCH feel the same? Especially after taking the time to publish an article meant to educate people on the subject. Over the last few years, I think there has been plenty to ACTUALLY complain about with this software (and still is) and there have been things that they should be applauded for, but I know from personal experience the programmers DO care and work very hard to get the program right for all of us. This, I'm afraid, is NOT the main focus or purpose of the powers that set policy and prices. I am not so naïve to think that it always would be, but sometimes it feels good to just get it off your chest and let it out there, no matter how minor to others.So maybe you could stop minimizing my thoughts or posts and move on to something else that actually warrants debate.

Margaret, if you search on youtube, the rescue woman has posted others of Teddy also, one where he gets Christmas gifts. He is really cute, isn't he?

Gene, I think you would owe that sales tax because Drake sends out the first release of the software on CD in December, so that would be canned software on tangible, and you would be taxed regardless because AL also taxes the canned software received via download also.

You can always request a refund of the sales tax from FL.