Dept. of Revenue Responds to Sales Use & Tax Audit Concerns

Dept of Revenue Commissioner Myron Frans presents info
on tax reform to spark a discussion from local business owners
 and managers.  Also presented was the Dept. of Revenue's response
 to a June meeting where OACCT members shared
concerns regarding Sales Use & Tax Audits.

In June this year, the Owatonna Chamber was the first chamber in the state to host a forum with the MN Dept. of Revenue and Commissioner Frans regarding sales use and tax audits.

Members shared concerns like:

• clarity of the sales and use tax laws and many businesses are surprised with tax burdens they were not previously aware of in spite of diligent efforts to understand and comply with the regulations

• educate first with new tax law; fine after diligent efforts have not been met

• audits consume valuable time, money and energy of our small businesses 

• auditors’ interpretation of the tax laws seem to deviate from the best and generally accepted practices in the tax code

Last week on November 28th, Commissioner Frans and his team were back to share their response to these concerns. Link here for their answers.  Commissioner Frans also lead a tax reform discussion and the overall theme was to simplify tax laws to make it easier for businesses to file.