The Sales Tax People Podcast

Is your business sitting on a hidden sales tax liability? In this episode, Danny Wright and Paul J dive deep into the most complex sales tax consulting scenarios they encounter daily — from construction industry taxability nightmares in Texas to software licensing and SaaS taxation across multiple states. They break down why a one-size-fits-all approach to sales tax compliance can cost your company millions.🔍 What You'll Learn in This Episode:📌 Why construction companies face some of the most complex sales tax challenges — and how even state auditors get the rules wrong on lump sum vs. time and materials contracts📌 The hidden complexity of software licensing and SaaS taxation, including use-based sourcing and multi-state rate determination that most businesses overlook📌 How Voluntary Disclosure Agreements (VDAs) actually work — and when a state might deny your VDA application altogether📌 Why historical registration might be a smarter alternative to a VDA depending on your exposure period, filing frequency, and penalty waiver likelihood📌 The dangers of relying on CPAs, fractional CFOs, or outsourced providers who lack specialized sales tax expertise — and how simple mistakes create million-dollar-plus liabilities📌 A layered risk analysis approach that goes beyond standard nexus studies to evaluate state-by-state risk, penalty forgiveness probability, and cost-benefit of different remediation paths📌 Why rapidly growing businesses need to address sales tax proactively before hockey-stick revenue creates an unexpected compliance crisis💬 Key Takeaway: "The complexity surrounding construction in the state of Texas when it comes to lump sum versus time materials, it gets really robust and gets really complicated. Even for auditors... we end up educating a lot of auditors on their own legislation in their home state." — Paul J🤝 Whether you're a business owner, CPA, fractional CFO, or financial advisor, a free sales tax consultation can uncover blind spots you didn't know existed — and provide an actionable game plan to protect your business.📞 Ready to uncover your sales tax blind spots? Reach out to The Sales Tax People for a free consultation — no sales pitch, just expert guidance from professionals with decades of experience.

In this episode, Danny, Parr, and Paul break down real-world horror stories from this week's client calls:😳Businesses unknowingly collecting hundreds of thousands in sales tax without remitting it to the right states😱Filing $0 returns because of disconnected systems😨Trusting advisors who were operating outside their expertise You'll learn why automated tools like Avalara and Shopify Tax require proper setup and ongoing oversight, why VDAs won't always save you when tax has been collected but not remitted, and how a simple 30-minute conversation can uncover blind spots that 95%+ of businesses don't even know they have.📌 Questions We Answer in This Episode:What happens if I collect sales tax in multiple states but only remit it to my home state?Can a Voluntary Disclosure Agreement (VDA) protect me if I collected tax but didn't remit it?Why is my Avalara account filing $0 returns after I switched to Shopify Tax?Is my CPA qualified to handle multi-state sales tax compliance?How often should I review my sales tax filing footprint and registrations?What are the risks of the "set it and forget it" approach to sales tax tools?How do I know if my product tax codes are set up correctly in Avalara or Shopify Tax?What does a sales tax diagnostic checkup actually look like?💬 Featured Quotes:"You believe that you had a system in place and that you were handling it and reporting it properly and managing compliance because that's the world that you live in now. Post-Wayfair. But it wasn't being handled correctly at all." – Jason Parr"Find where compliance meets a practical approach for your company... Everybody else could benefit from a 30-minute conversation with an expert." – Danny Wright🗓️ Ready to uncover your blind spots before they become six- or seven-figure problems?

From Small-Town New Mexico to Building a Marketing AgencyIn this episode, we sit down with David Mink to explore his incredible entrepreneurial journey — from growing up in small-town Moriarty, New Mexico, to building Avalanche Media and ultimately joining the Ampleo family. David shares how his military family upbringing instilled adaptability, resilience, and a sink-or-swim mentality that shaped his path as an entrepreneur and marketing leader.As David puts it: "Every retainer and kind of ongoing plan ends up looking different, but it's always custom built with the leadership on that side of the table using tried and true frameworks that help us put together something that people can really be confident in and have a lot of success."We talk:♟️Strategic marketing philosophy🧐 Approaching every client with curiosity🙈 Blind spot assessments before taking on projects👑 The power of fractional CMO leadership🧠 Generative engine optimization (GEO)He warns: "If you don't do that, you're leaving it up to all of these AIs to grab sentiment. And if they're grabbing it from what your customers are saying about you and those customers are disgruntled or angry or what your competitors are saying about you, you start to understand how mixed up that story can be."📌 Who This Episode Is For:Business owners and CEOs exploring fractional CMO services, marketing leaders looking to optimize their strategy and execution, entrepreneurs building scalable marketing teams, and anyone interested in how AI is reshaping brand visibility and sentiment online.If you're looking for more help in sales tax, it's time to schedule your What's NexT Call.

Is Your CPA Firm Costing You Millions in Sales Tax Liability You Don't Even Know About?In this episode, our sales tax consulting experts break down real client stories that reveal how businesses unknowingly accumulate massive seven-figure sales tax exposure — and the proven strategies used to save them close to $1 million in M&A deals, eliminate unnecessary automation costs, and navigate voluntary disclosure agreements. Whether you're selling online, preparing to sell your business, or just trying to understand your multi-state sales tax responsibilities after Wayfair, this conversation will change how you think about compliance.🔑 Questions we answer in this episode:Where do I actually have sales tax nexus, and how did Wayfair change my responsibilities?What is a voluntary disclosure agreement (VDA) and how can it limit my historical tax liability?Is my tax calculation software actually costing me more than it's saving me?What happens if sales tax was collected but never remitted to the state?How do I make sure sales tax doesn't blow up my M&A deal at the last minute?Why doesn't my CPA or accounting firm handle multi-state sales tax correctly?What are the three critical qualifiers every business needs to evaluate for sales tax compliance?How do I know if I'm paying for zero-dollar transaction calculations I don't need?Should I register prospectively or address my historical liability first?What does "set it and forget it" really cost when it comes to sales tax automation?📞 Ready to find out what your sales tax exposure really looks like? Schedule your free What's Next call today and let our sales tax consulting team give you the clarity and confidence you need to move forward. Don't wait for a state letter or an M&A surprise — let's talk now. 👉 [Schedule Your What's Next Call]

Ceretax CEO Mike Sanders shares the complete story behind building an enterprise indirect tax software platform designed to solve the most complex sales tax challenges in the market. From serial entrepreneurship to assembling an all-star team, Mike reveals how Ceretax was built from the ground up to compete with legacy incumbents like Avalara and Vertex — with better technology, superior support, and lower cost.---📌 **KEY TOPICS COVERED:**✅ Enterprise indirect tax software architecture & technical differentiation✅ Proprietary GIS geospatial system with rooftop-level tax boundary precision✅ Fish-to-pond-to-ocean market entry strategy for complex tax verticals✅ Competing with Avalara and Vertex on technology, service, and price✅ AI integration roadmap for tax calculation and efficiency analysis✅ Startup challenges: VC market shifts, pivots, and headcount reductions✅ Customer success philosophy vs. documentation-and-disappear models✅ Microservices architecture enabling scalable AI and partner integrations✅ Platform-first model empowering SIs, VARs, and CPA partners✅ Upmarket expansion path from mid-market to SAP/Oracle enterprise clients---If you're wondering what is your next step in regards to sales tax compliance, give us a call.

Are You Making These Costly Sales Tax Mistakes When Buying for Resale? 🚨In this episode, we break down the critical sales tax compliance rules every retailer and reseller needs to know — from properly using resale certificates and self-assessing use tax on inventory pulled for internal use, to navigating state-specific pitfalls when you've erroneously paid tax on purchases. You'll also learn why post-Wayfair economic nexus means you can no longer ignore tax obligations in states where your customers are located, and how to protect your business from double taxation, penalties, and audit exposure.Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4bsM3uPRFgW6Vkpsfom53r?si=912ca2780b3f419aListen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sales-tax-people-podcast/id1881711222Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Vn3O0XqkMo8📞 Ready to get your sales tax compliance right before it costs you? Schedule your What's Next call today and let our experienced team give you the clarity and confidence you need.⏱️ Timestamps:00:00 – Introduction: The correct way to buy inventory tax-free00:30 – How resale certificates work and why states only want to tax the end consumer02:05 – Use tax obligations when you pull resale inventory for personal or business use03:45 – Which jurisdiction gets the use tax: where you are vs. where the item is shipped04:48 – What constitutes "use"? State-specific deep water (Texas temporary storage provisions)07:26 – What happens when a vendor refuses to accept your resale certificate09:35 – Can you credit erroneously paid tax on your state return? (Texas vs. most states)12:19 – NEVER label reimbursed tax costs as "tax" on customer invoices — here's why13:54 – When tax becomes your cost of doing business and eats into margins15:18 – Post-Wayfair reality: Nexus is based on where your customers are, not where you operate17:47 – California's unique credit line item for tax paid on resale purchases20:01 – Why the answer is always "it depends on the state"21:40 – Why resale certificates and exemption claims are low-hanging fruit in audits#SalesTax #SalesTaxCompliance #ResaleCertificate #UseTax #EconomicNexus #Wayfair #SmallBusinessTax #SalesTaxAudit #TaxCompliance #Ecommerce #RetailTax

Why do states require a Social Security Number when you register for sales tax?It’s one of the most common questions we hear. In this episode, we unpack what’s really behind the “responsible party” requirement, and why it matters more than you might think.As your business grows and your nexus footprint expands, states want to know who is ultimately accountable for collecting and remitting sales tax. That’s where Social Security numbers, ITINs, passports, and other identifying information come into play. Ahh, the joys of being on the hook for remitting sales tax to the state. In this conversation, we cover:Why states require a Social Security Number (or alternative ID)What it means to be a “responsible party”How economic nexus changed the game post-WayfairWhy registration is required before collecting taxWhat auditors are actually looking forHow to handle audit requests without overexposing your businessThe difference between being friendly and being friends with an auditorWe also talk about the real risk: sales tax never dies. If tax is collected and not remitted, someone will be held accountable. And auditors will make sure of that!Nevertheless, if you're proactive and compliant, your risk is minimal. The key is understanding your responsibility and building the right process from the start.At The Sales Tax People, we believe in real conversations, real expertise, and real support. Because when you understand your role, you can confidently protect your business and focus on growth.Simplify your sales taxes.Protect your business.Start with nexus.Want clarity on your next step? Let’s talk. Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7Muus2Q5EjrPEXR3108pe1?si=03135aa70a344947Listen on Apple Podacsts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sales-tax-people-podcast/id1881711222Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/OkIPH77PAHs