Sales tax is a little bit of every mainstream, from grocery to luxury goods and services. Most large stores have a state tax applied to their products, so looking up which store or store you need in Alachua County Florida is easy.
However, not all stores have the money to charge sales tax on their merchandise. Many small businesses do not charge sales tax on their products either because they are not a large business or because they do not market themselves appropriately.
If you would like to help him or her maximize revenue and/or customer satisfaction, then having some sales tax will help offset costs of running a business. Luckily, we have some tips here for you!
This article will go over the different taxes that exist in Alachua County and how they affect you as a business owner.
Contents:
The effects of the sales tax
When the sales tax was first instituted in Alachua County, it wasn’t very impactful. People bought cars and trucks without the tax, because it was a penny per mile for most vehicles.
However, as time went on, the tax grew and grew until it was a dollar per mile. That is how much money you paid to have your vehicle registered in the state.
As time went on, people started noticing the effect of this. Some drove without vehicles because they knew they would pay the tax when they bought their vehicle. Some purchased vehicles that did not require registration, but still registered due to the sales tax.
Because of these effects, there has been a lot of discussion about whether or not people should be allowed to buy non-registered vehicles without having to register them with the state.
What is included in the sales tax
When you purchase items in a store, the sales tax is included. However, most stores do not charge a tax at the moment due to an exemption from the state tax system.
The exemption was created as part of the federal tax reform legislation passed in 2017. At this time, there are no plans to re-evaluate this decision, so you will still need to pay sales tax on all items you purchase in a store.
You do not need to worry about paying too much sales tax though-the current rate is only 5%! Most people find that price tag reasonable enough to include it as business cost.
Another thing you may not know that includes in the sales tax is property taxes! Many people do not know that they charge something to use their home or property as business premises.
How to pay the sales tax
When you purchase a product or service in Alachua County, you must pay the county’s sales tax. This tax is charged on all purchases except for things that are rentals.
You can pay the tax in person, via credit card charge, or by check made out to Alachua County. You can also choose to pay it with a credit card, if your business charges a fee for services.
In order to ensure you do not overpay the tax, it is important that you enter your total price on the sales invoice and that you include the total cost of all items purchased.
Where to pay the sales tax
The legal threshold at which cash payment of sales tax is required is called the statewide standard. Most cities and counties in Florida have the statewide standard at or above this threshold, so it is common to pay the tax at a store or shop where it is displayed.
Most stores and shops that display the tax are not authorized by law to charge sales tax on purchases made by customers. Therefore, the customer must pay the store or shop a fee in order for them to charge the state of Florida on their purchase.
However, some businesses do not charge sales tax but are told they must by law. In these cases, it can be difficult for businesses to know which way to pay because they will be charged sales tax!
If you go into a store that displays the statewide standard and you do not have money (or your phone does not work) they can help you figure out what price your item is due and how much tax you should pay.
Report an error on your bill
If you buy something that is not legal in Alachua County, the sales tax may break your bank. There are some places that charge no tax, and others that charge a very low (or non-existent) tax.
In order to report a sale or purchase at a store or store location, you must provide contact information such as a phone number. This can be done by calling the store or directly to the owner or manager.
When asking for an explanation for the high sales tax at stores, it is important to ask why? Why does this business have to charge this much? These questions can help determine if there is a need for legislation that reduces the sales tax in Florida.
How do I know how much I’ve spent?
You can track your bill by entering your card or account information into your bank’s billing system. This helps gauge how much you spend, especially if you purchase more merchandise than necessary.
Most retailers have a “offer” feature where they can add on additional items to your order without having to add new charges to your credit card. This helps gauge whether or not you are paying enough for products, and how much of each product you need.
If you pay with a Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover card, those companies offer fraud protection and tracking. In most cases, you will not need this as the retailers typically honor these cards at no charge.
bullet point “What Is The Sales Tax in Alachua County Florida” There is no state sales tax in Alachua County except for motor vehicle sales taxes which are 6%/.125%.
What are some exemptions?
There are a few things you should know about Alachua County, Florida’s sales tax. First, there are no exceptions for school supplies or materials that are needed by the classroom, such as textbooks. Second, if your item is classified as medical equipment or supplies, then it does not apply to the patient either.
That is why a heart monitor can be sold to a person who is anxiously awaiting results of an angiogram, but not the same person who needs it for blood pressure control during ergo wave therapy.
Third, if you need to order an item by mail, you must receive it before anything else applies. Fourth, if one store can sell one thing and another can sell another thing, then the more expensive one must be because of sales tax.
When are taxes collected?
Sales taxes are collected at the business level, usually by a clerk or manager.
The sales tax is 6% and the property tax is 1%. Both are based on the value of the business, with the value being its cost to operate.
Most large businesses have a tax account with the county to help with collections. More often than not, if a business is operating, it will owe money in addition to having a bank account and paying bills from that account.
Generally, small businesses do not have enough money in their accounts to cover a full year of operations. Instead, they use an annual payment plan to cover some time out of operation.