We’re quickly approaching the third anniversary of the South Dakota v. Wayfair decision and states are still enacting legislation that impacts sales tax nexus and the way companies do business across the country.
The Sales Tax Jumpstart online coaching program will give you the tools and knowledge you need to get sales tax compliant in light of South Dakota v. Wayfair. You’ll build your sales tax knowledge base from the ground up so that you can manage multi-state sales tax for your company.
Over the course of 9 weeks, students will partake in weekly interactive online classes to obtain the skills they need to get sales tax compliant. This course is best for those who currently handle (or will soon handle) sales and use tax for their company.
Registration for the Spring 2021 session of Sales Tax Jumpstart is closed. To be notified when registration for the Fall 2021 session is available, please fill out the form to the left.
Learn the tools and knowledge you need to get sales tax compliant in light of South Dakota v. Wayfair.
On June 21, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) issued its highly anticipated decision in the South Dakota v. Wayfair case changing sales tax for companies everywhere.
You can read a detailed, technical analysis of the case, but the long and short of it is, a business can be on the hook to pay sales tax in a state, even if they do not have a physical presence. This is completely different than how things have ever operated, especially for online retailers.
There are some provisions, but most companies will need to collect and remit sales tax in many more states than they ever did before…
Large companies that have been handing sales tax in all states already won’t feel much from this change. But it is mid-sized and small businesses that will be impacted the most.
They will need to quickly obtain the skills, knowledge, and processes required to properly handle these new requirements or risk falling out of compliance towards assessing huge fines and fees down the line in a surprise audit. Sometimes these fines are so significant they can can major financial damage to the stability of a company, so you must pay attention.
Implementing what is needed for proper sales tax compliance will be significant for most companies and wading out into multi-state sales tax compliance waters is murky at best.
For example, take the case of an mid-sized online fashion brand located in California that has customers in all 50 states. They did not have physical presence, or nexus, in any other state except California so they only ever charged sales tax in California before.
Now, they suddenly have to pay sales taxes in at least 20 new states because they fall under the provisions of each state’s law. Their small finance and accounting team is just trying to grapple with understanding what has changed, what rate to charge, how to remit and file taxes in each state, not to mention looking for solutions to help them automate some of this work.
As a person responsible for making sure your company is compliant on these matters, you now have a lot more to manage for a lot more states.
Unfortunately, the states don’t make it easy. Each one has its own unique challenges and make it your responsibility to figure out. If you don’t, you could be facing an audit and get assessed huge fines.
But just paying taxes isn’t all there is. You also have to:
That’s a lot of ground to cover, but you don’t have to do it alone.
Sales Tax Jumpstart is different than other training programs because it will guide you over the course of 9 weeks on the practical application you need to adjust to these sales and use tax changes. You’ll learn fundamental sales and use tax concepts each week and be given assignments to implement what you learned to your business before the next session starts.
The course will completely demystify this sales tax stuff that you have to understand. If you have no experience with multi-state sales tax, you’ll be able to confidently handle all of these requirements when you’re done. If you have some experience, it’ll really hone your skills, improve your accuracy, and allow you to make more strategic sales tax recommendations as your company needs to scale its efforts.
Everyone will also learn how to optimally manage sales tax workflow, eliminate guesswork, and reduce risk with a practical application, hands-on teaching approach.
Diane L. Yetter, President & Founder, YETTER and Sales Tax Institute
Diane L. Yetter is the “Sales Tax Nerd®” as well as a strategist, advisor, speaker, and author in the field of sales and use tax. She is president and founder of YETTERTM, a sales tax consulting and tax technology firm in business since 1996. She is also the founder of The Sales Tax Institute, a premier think tank that offers live and online courses to educate business professionals about sales and use tax.
More About Diane L. YetterSales Tax Jumpstart is a 9-week online coaching course that meets once a week for interactive, live classes with Diane Yetter, Founder of Sales Tax Institute.
Students will learn about foundational sales and use tax issues needed to comply with Wayfair. Participants will have self-study between the streamed classes to apply what they learned to their business.
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INTERACTIVE: We won’t just talk at you. You will meet once a week for 9 weeks in classes that are interactive with discussion based around the critical things you have to know about sales tax. |
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CONVENIENT: All of the sessions will meet online so you can attend easily and conveniently from the office or home. |
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PRACTICAL: Non-class practical application assignments are built into the program so that you can actually put what you’re learning into practice during the course. |
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FLEXIBLE: If you have to miss a session you can easily catch-up on the recording before the next class (just without the ability to participate and earn CPE for the session). |
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COMMUNITY-BASED: You’ll get to know your course mates and develop a network of sales tax people to turn to long after the course is over for inevitable questions that come up.
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ACCOUNTABILITY: Diane Yetter, the industry’s leading sales tax consultant, will personally help you every step of the way. You aren’t reading and watching a bunch of stuff on your own wondering what it means and what to do next. We help you develop ways to actually implement what you learn so that your sales tax work is completely transformed. |
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CPE-BEARING: You’ll be able to earn up to 21 CPE credits for attending the entire course as prescribed. |
What You Get Each Week with Sales Tax Jumpstart:
Lay the groundwork for the course by getting clear on sales and use tax basics that are critical for compliance and understanding tax jargon.
Start breaking down tax law into application. Determine which states you need to watch for tax and what to do about it.
Learn the best ways to manage state-by-state registration and how to leverage the Streamlined Sales Tax Project in your work.
Learn how to uncover situations that greatly impact your sales tax obligations – whether you need to remit more or less. What could have looked straight forward, may not anymore as you take a more in-depth view of taxability.
Sales tax can alter greatly across industries. For week five, you’ll be able to choose from a buffet of videos about 10 major industries and their tax challenges. This week is self-paced and does not meet for the regular streamed class. You can learn about as many industries as you’d like!
This week we’ll cover research shortcuts that will save you time and help you maintain compliance as well as use tax.
Take things to the next level as we go into the nitty gritty of compliance, including sales tax return preparation and filing.
Lean how to automate your tax obligations without worry. This class will show you how to save time and how to avoid common automation errors that can make your work a huge liability. You’ll learn how to have automation help, rather than hurt, you.
Sales tax audits are almost inevitable for a business. We’ll take you through tried and true audit processes to allow you to take control of future audits so they go as favorably as possible. We’ll also talk through a Sales Tax Process Plan so you can take all your new knowledge and put it right to work!
Use our copy & paste approval letter template to ask your supervisor for approval.
This course is designed for those working in finance and accounting for small and mid-sized businesses with limited or no sales tax experience.
It is especially designed for those who may have new sales tax obligations due to the Wayfair ruling and are looking for ways to manage all of the new requirements. Online retailers will especially benefit.
Those who advise small and mid-sized clients on sales tax obligations would also benefit.
It is not recommended for those with extensive sales and use tax experience. If you aren’t sure, please ask!
This is an online course that is 9 weeks long that meets once-a-week on Tuesdays. You’ll meet online with Diane Yetter and your fellow classmates for the week’s new material. In between sessions you’ll have an assignment that will help you implement what you learned.
You also get two bonus office hour calls with Diane during the course of 9 weeks. These calls are open-ended and a good chance for you to ask specific questions you might have.
There is an industry week in the middle of the class that breaks from the usual streaming format to evaluate differences of sales tax across industries. This week you’ll have access to short videos on each major industry that you can watch as your interests determine.
No, this is not a self-guided pre-recorded course where you’re left wondering what is next. Though there may be some recorded elements at different times throughout for self-study, 95% of the material is taught with live streaming where you can ask questions and take part in discussions. Think about it like taking an interactive online course at a university.
This is not a problem at all, though we do suggest that you keep absences to a minimum. We will record every class session and have it available only to participants in the program for the duration of the 9 week class. We recommend you watch the class before the next session as each class will build upon the lessons from the week prior. You will not be able to get CPE credit for recorded sessions.
Yes! You will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the course that you can include on your resume, LinkedIn profile, and display at work to communicate your sales and use tax skills. We have seen so many of our students leverage great career opportunities from their sales and use tax expertise and want you to be one of them!
Unfortunately, some ill-informed advisors, coaches, and “online experts” tell businesses that they don’t have to worry about sales tax unless they are a big fish. They give this incorrect advice because they don’t fully understand taxability and what is at stake.
To be blunt, no business or corporate financial advisor paying attention would say this. Here’s why:
Choosing to ignore the provisions, relying on the state to communicate what you need to do, or assuming you’re too small to matter is incredibly risky. Sales tax simply doesn’t work this way.
First, if you wait for the state to reach out to tell you what to do, you’ll be waiting a long time. States do not proactively make their requirements clear to a business. They just show up with an audit notice. States are under no obligation to send you information when you need to start remitting sales tax. That responsibility is on you as the business.
Second, this law is designed for small and mid-sized businesses. Large companies that have had nexus across the country for years are already paying taxes and are wise to what is needed. States will certainly be actively targeting small and mid-sized companies that fit the provisions. They can find you pretty easily, so don’t assume you’re flying under-the-radar.
Third, not knowing you needed to pay sales tax or misunderstanding a law is no excuse when the audit happens! We’ve seen too many businesses assume they were fine and are suddenly on-the-hook for tens of thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands in sales tax. Can your business afford this surprise expense? Where do you think your “don’t worry about sales tax” advisor will be then?
We don’t say this to scare you, we say it because it is true. We’ve seen businesses have to close because the costs of not paying sales tax were so high. They contact us far too late in the process when their options were few. We don’t want it this to happen to anyone!!!
Compliance at the get-go is really the safest and most cost-effective answer.
Those who successfully complete the course as intended can be eligible to earn up to 21 CPE credits. Please read more for additional Information about CPE. You will receive your total CPE credit at the end of the course.
Please read our cancellation and complaint policy here.