New Sales tax discussion

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: May 07, 2006 Posts: 2

I guess I forgot about Delaware as well. Sorry Delaware.

Posts: 6 · New Forum Member Joined: Apr 02, 2006 Posts: 6

dalsx1 wrote:

I guess I forgot about Delaware as well. Sorry Delaware.

Don't you dare forget Delaware again!

Posts: 41 · Posted: Sat May 13, 2006 4:54 am Post subject:

Well, I did not get a new "sales tax" added to my bill here in Texas, but I do have a new tax. It is a "County 911 Fee". Also the FET Tax has gone up. I hope this is the last new tax, but I don't believe that it is.

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: May 13, 2006 Posts: 5

New Hampshire also has no sales tax.

Posts: 135 · Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 7:33 am Post subject:

Replying here since this thread was locked...

It does seem that Vonage has changed the way they calculate the Federal Excise Tax (FET). The tax is supposed to be "3% on all communication services". In the past my Vonage invoice has been:

Monthly Service Charge $14.99
Regulatory Recovery Fee $0.99
Emergency 911 Cost Recovery $0.99
FET Tax $0.45
Total $17.42

It is now:
Monthly Service Charge $14.99
Regulatory Recovery Fee $0.99
Emergency 911 Cost Recovery $0.99
Federal Excise Tax $0.51
Total $17.48

Notice that in the past the FET was calculated as 3% of the Monthly Service Charge. Now the FET is calculated as 3% of the Monthly Service Charge plus the other recovery fees. This does not seem right. I think the only "Monthly Service Charge" should be used in the calculation of the "3% on all communication services". I do not have a state or local tax (yet). If I did, would the FET also tax my tax?

It may not seem like much ($0.06 per month in my case) but just multiply that by 1.6 million customers and it approaches $100,000 a month. Oh, thats right... that is still a drop in the bucket of cash that Vonage is losing every month.

Posts: 3 · New Forum Member Joined: May 19, 2006 Posts: 3

racinmd wrote:

Just a thought, Are these 21 states the states that have passed the so called "simplified tax code"?

This is all part of the attempt by the states to get Congress to pass a law forcing Internet Retailers to collect taxes and negate the Supreme Court ruling regarding the physical presence rule for tax purposes.

I'm in Wisconsin and know they still haven't done this and Wi. isn't on the list.

I too am in Wisconsin, and per an earlier post found the following link to be disturbingly useful:

http://www.vonage-forum.com/outgoing/out.php?url=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5kb3Iuc3RhdGUud2kudXMvaXNlL3d0Yi8xNDF0ci5wZGY%3D

I tried to argue with Vonage customer support that since they do not have a presence here in Wisconsin that they should not be required nor attempt, to collect sales tax. The 'support' person then tried to tell me that Vonage is now operating an office here in Pewaukee, oddly the same city I just told them I live in. I quickly asked for the address... she didn't have it .. no ****.

At any rate, based on the linky, it looks like Wisconsin is trying to get their money through taxes... and additionally through some county baseball park ****.. both of which I'm little peeved about. I'll be writing a congressman tomorrow as soon as I figure out who it is...

harryk
Pewuakee, WI

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: May 30, 2006 Posts: 4

Durp wrote:

Well, I did not get a new "sales tax" added to my bill here in Texas, but I do have a new tax. It is a "County 911 Fee". Also the FET Tax has gone up. I hope this is the last new tax, but I don't believe that it is.

PERFECT!!!!! I just got tagged with the "County 911 Fee". Yes, that would be 4 tax fees this month.

Oh, one more thing... The FET tax... I asked Vonage last week when they'd stop charging the FET and their response on 5/26 was:

"We understand that you want to know when we will stop charging you $0.75 federal excise tax.We are really sorry to inform you that the federal excise tax is mandatory for all customers."

Posts: 1123 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: May 26, 2005 Posts: 1123

The FET tax is slated to go away in the Sep/Oct timeframe, as mandated by federal decision. Check the box on the right side of the forum for the article.

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: May 27, 2006 Posts: 5

OldSnipe wrote:

dalsx1 wrote:

Vonage then lists the states where sales taxes may apply:
Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota,North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah and West Virginia.

You really didn't think that states would not get their piece of the action, did you? 21 down, 29 to go..........

Stay Tuned.

28 to go? Oregon does not have any sales tax. They do have their own 911 tax to sort of make up for that.

I was wondering what that 911 tax thingy was...

Posts: 10 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Mar 19, 2006 Posts: 10

Add NY to the list apparently:

Premium Unlimited Plan (16/Jun-15/Jul) $24.99
Directory Assistance (16/May-15/Jun) $3.96
Regulatory Recovery Fee $0.99
Emergency 911 Cost Recovery $0.99
Sales Tax $2.55
Federal Excise Tax $0.93
Total Amount $34.41

The Directory Assistance charge won't be happening again (cell phones for that stuff), but my bill has gone up every mont since I got Vonage back in February.

March - $27.72
April - $29.76
May - $29.82

All these taxes put a damper on the great deal that Vonage is (or was?). On the bright side, some of you look like you're getting it hard from the tax man. What's up with Illinois?