CPE Catalog

Manufacturing Matters: Sales Tax Risks and Opportunities

Sales tax is especially important to consider for manufacturers. On the sales side, a manufacturer must be aware of which states they need to register to collect sales tax, know the taxability of their product, maintain exemption certificates and develop a system to apply the correct tax rate on sales. The cost to mitigate risk is much less than the cost of being caught on a state sales/use tax audit or the reduction to sales price in due diligence. Manufacturers must also be aware of the up-front exemptions that apply to the purchases. Often these exemptions are missed, and refund opportunities are available. Utility studies must be considered to determine the percentage of exempt use for production.