# County Tax in California?



## dbcom (Jan 17, 2007)

I suppose I should have asked this b4 i filed my tax form with the Board of Equalization, but here goes.

I filled out the form and paid my sales taxes back to the state, but I didn't realize that it would be that much of a pain when it came to the County Taxes (additional county tax on top of the state tax rate). 

I had to report total sales for each county I sold to, meaning that I had to comb through my invoices, identify the city, figure out which county it was in, multiply the total sales for shirts sold in that county by whatever the county rate was and input that amount. Thankfully I only had about 20 invoices, but it still resulted in extra work for the 6 or 7 counties I had to calculate for. And I think it ended up being $5 total paid to all the counties. I can't imagine having 1000 orders and having to do that again. 

Has anyone done this before as well, and if so, is there an easier way to go about this?


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## scpromos (May 27, 2006)

Use Quickbooks. You can set it up to track the amount of sales tax for each county. Don't forget that certain cities have an additional tax on top of the county tax as well.


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## debz1959 (Jul 29, 2007)

Unless things have changed in the past 3 years...

You only have to pay the county tax for the county that you live in for California, unless you have a presence in another county. 

Did you physically deliver the t-shirts to another county? If so, you would have to report that county's sales tax...

Or did you ship them from your county? In this case, you would only report your county's sales tax.


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## dbcom (Jan 17, 2007)

debz1959 said:


> Unless things have changed in the past 3 years...
> 
> You only have to pay the county tax for the county that you live in for California, unless you have a presence in another county.
> 
> ...


THanks both. I do need to start using Quickbooks.

debz1959, I hope you're right. 

I was confused when the instructions said: Enter sales of items (excluding vehicles, vessels or aircraft) delivered and used (1) at a location where no district tax is in effect or (2) in a district where you are not "engaged in business" and did not collect the district tax. 

Based on (2), it made it seem like I had to report the sales, right?


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## debz1959 (Jul 29, 2007)

Oh, boy...

I'm an accountant and I don't understand that instruction! 

But "delivered and used" is the key...

Did YOU physically deliver the item? Or did you deliver it the the UPS man/Post Office where you live for delivery?

read...

http://www.boe.ca.gov/pdf/pub105.pdf


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## Screenanator (Feb 14, 2007)

This is the exact reason we brought UPS in house.provides documented proof of where things went....to eliminate the Franchise Tax Boards poorly worded and awful county tax rules.....we are more like The Republic of California...not a state...LOL


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## badalou (Mar 19, 2006)

I charge all california residence 8 percent no matter where they are. I don't go by county by county.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

All of our sales are made in San Bernardino, our shipping point, or out of State so we only charge 7.75% or 0% and that is the way we fill out the taxes. 

Don't worry about screwing with county by county calculations. Also, ask the BOE if you can use the simplified form that only has the calculation for your county. 

And btw, don't you just hate that form?


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## dbcom (Jan 17, 2007)

Thanks everyone. I guess I didn't need to pay that extra $5.

debz1959, thanks for clueing me in to the key phrase. 

binki, yes the BOE form is a little intimidating and the instructions are always brief, if not vague.


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## Screenanator (Feb 14, 2007)

dbcom said:


> Thanks everyone. I guess I didn't need to pay that extra $5.
> 
> debz1959, thanks for clueing me in to the key phrase.
> 
> binki, yes the BOE form is a little intimidating and the instructions are always brief, if not vague.


And they are down right ruthless at times.....ever had an agent "drop" by??.....big lump in the throat !!!!...or PITA....LOL


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