Class 2 Business Taxpayers File with the Department of Revenue by May 31
Thursday, May 20, 2010 | 08:58am
NASHVILLE – Last legislative session, the 106th General Assembly enacted Public Chapter 530, shifting the administration and collection of business tax from local municipalities and counties to the Department of Revenue. With this change, the Department of Revenue is using its resources and experience in tax administration to provide greater efficiency in the collection process and increased revenue for the State and for local governments. Classification 2 taxpayers must file and pay with the Department of Revenue by May 31. Businesses will continue to obtain business licenses from the county clerks and/or municipal officials.
“With this undertaking, the Department of Revenue is working hard to make sure this transition is as smooth as possible for taxpayers,” said Commissioner Reagan Farr. “I want to encourage all business tax filers to take advantage of our convenient e-filing services.”
Businesses selling the following items are specifically included in Classification 2:
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•Advertising specialties
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•Boats, marine supplies and outboard motors
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•Clothing, including shoes, hats, underwear and related articles for personal wear or adornment, except persons selling retail clothing to individual order
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•Coal, wood, ice, fuel oil and liquefied gas
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•Florists
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•Nurseries
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•Home furnishings, including retail sales of radios, televisions, record players, stereos, sound reproducing equipment, musical instruments, phonographic records, pianos and sheet music
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•Household furniture, floor coverings and related products, draperies, curtains, upholstery, china, glassware and metalware for kitchen and table use, miscellaneous home furnishings, such as brooms, brushes, lamps and shades, electric and gas stoves, refrigerators and other household appliances
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•Mobile homes and campers
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•Motorcycles and go-carts
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•Motor vehicles, parts and accessories, tires and batteries
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•Prescription drugs and patent medications
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•Restaurants that prepare food and drinks, including alcoholic beverages for consumption on and/or off the premises
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Any business selling tangible personal property that is not specifically named or described in this list or any other classification also uses this classification. For more information, visit TN.gov/revenue.
Online business tax filing is now available through the Tennessee Department of Revenue's Web site at TN.gov/revenue. The Department's convenient online tax filing and payment options allow taxpayers to submit their tax return information, make payments and receive confirmation of such filing and/or payment in just minutes.
Business tax taxpayers who are currently required to file their sales tax returns electronically are also required to file their business tax returns electronically.
Taxpayers can pay via credit card (MasterCard, American Express and Discover Card) or through an EFT payment option. An associated 2.49 percent processing fee is charged with all credit card transactions. The Department of Revenue also offers payment warehousing for taxpayers that use the EFT payment option with its business tax online filing application. Payment warehousing allows a taxpayer to complete the tax return in advance and schedule the payment to be processed on the due date. This enables taxpayers to better manage their filing obligations while maintaining access to their money as long as possible.
In order to assist taxpayers, the Department of Revenue provides computer access and customer service assistance in its offices in Chattanooga, Knoxville, Jackson, Johnson City, Memphis, and Nashville. The Department also offers an electronic commerce hotline to assist taxpayers and tax practitioners. In-state callers may dial (866) 368-6374 and callers within the Nashville area and out-of-state may dial (615) 253-0704. All taxpayer data, whether paper or electronic, filed with the Department of Revenue is confidential data protected under Tennessee law.
The Department of Revenue is responsible for the administration of state tax laws and motor vehicle title and registration laws established by the legislature and the collection of taxes and fees associated with those laws. The Department of Revenue collects approximately 92 percent of total state tax revenue. During the 2009-2010 fiscal year, the department collected $10.2 billion in state taxes and fees. In addition to collecting state taxes, $1.9 billion of local sales tax was collected by the department for local governments during the 2009-2010 fiscal year. Besides collecting taxes, the department enforces the revenue laws fairly and impartially in an effort to encourage voluntary taxpayer compliance. The department also apportions revenue collections for distribution to the various state funds and local units of government. To learn more about the department, log on to www.TN.gov/revenue.
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View this news release online at TN.gov/revenue under newsroom.