Business Tip #12 for Writers: Sales Tax

September 17th, 2012 → 8:00 am @ Carol

You’re selling your book, and that’s great. I hope you can’t keep your inventory stocked! When making those sales, it is easy to overlook a crucial piece: sales tax. Why is this necessary? Here’s a few tips on how to keep sales tax records from my book, Business Tips and Taxes for Writers:

“My recommendation is to keep sales tax record keeping as simple as possible. Keep records of all your sales, both taxable and nontaxable. A receipt book is a good idea if you sell your books face-to-face at book tables, fairs, or conventions. At the end of the event, total your sales and calculate the sales tax owed … Another easy way to keep track of sales is to count your books before and after an event.”

 By keeping good records, it will be much easier to determine how much total sales tax you owe, and how it breaks down per book. Our next tip will dive into what sales tax exemptions exist, and how you can take advantage of them! For even more help with sales tax, Chapter 12 of Business Tips and Taxes for Writers is ready and waiting to answer your questions about sales tax!

Carol Topp, CPA