It’s really important you’re aware of the use tax vs sales tax differences: how they’re applied, when they’re applied, and in what instances they might apply to you.
As with anything tax-related, it’s not always straightforward.
So, join us as we answer questions such as “what is the difference between sales tax and use tax” and “is use tax the same as sales tax”.
If you own a business which produces and sells tangible goods, then you are obligated to pay sales tax to the CDTFA. There are, however, a number of exemptions to this rule, some of which apply to various types of goods and others which attach to certain buyers.
The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) administers the tax program for both business and property taxes for the State of California. Business taxes include:
Robert Wood, tax expert and frequent contributor to Forbes.com, wrote that “many would-be former Californians have unrealistic expectations about establishing residency in a new state. They may have a hard time distancing themselves from California, and they may not plan on California tax authorities pursuing them.”
California Tax Evasion Penalties Generally
Generally, penalties for fraud or intent to evade are imposed only when tax deficiency determinations are made by the CDTFA and CDTFA must prove evasion to impose tax evasion penalty. The RTC sections that impose evasion penalties are as follows:
Sales tax audits are one of the areas of practice that I am most proud of at our firm. We have dealt with some very difficult cases and gotten some really phenomenal results. I credit that to the hard work and diligence of our team. Brotman Law really understands sales tax audits.