Stafford and Associates is a multistate sales and use tax consulting firm

We have nearly three decades of experience specializing in understanding sales and use tax laws and audit techniques.

We provide a unique blend of client services designed to develop sales and use tax strategies that will ensure maximum cash flow with minimum liability, and we can coordinate these efforts across as many geographic locations as you require.

With each engagement, the firm stakes its reputation on providing quality customer services that enhance business performance and bring value to the operational focus of our customers.

We are glad you have visited our website. Please explore it further and contact us if we can provide additional information.

Nexus Studies

A Nexus Study is a tool used to determine in which states a company should or should not be filing sales and use tax returns.

Our study helps clients identify the states and quantifies the potential exposure to these taxes by reviewing product marketing activities, channels of distribution, and the solicitation activities of employees, sales reps, and independent contractors.

If a filing requirement exists, we are skilled in determining the option best suites to handle each specific situation and can assist you through the registration process, filing on a prospective basis, voluntary disclosure program, or even compilation of a sales and use tax return, if necessary.

Whether you are a new company, growing, or downsizing, a Nexus Study can save you time and money.

Overpayment/Refund Studies

There are many factors that can contribute to the overpayment of sales and use tax including law changes, lack of resources to assess areas of overpayments to simple non-compliance of established company policies and procedures.

Unfortunately, most states are running on deficit budgets and are becoming more aggressive at bringing in additional revenue and cannot be relied on to identify overpaid sales and use tax credits.

For your own protection, a periodic review through an overpayment study is considered the best practice.

At Stafford and Associates, we conduct overpayment studies for our clients or can assist by overseeing our clients’ personnel performing this function.

Sarbanes-Oxley Reviews

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act is considered by many to be the most significant piece of legislation affecting financial disclosure and the practice of public accounting since the US securities laws of the 1930’s.

At Stafford and Associates, we have a comprehensive understanding of this monumental legislation and how it impacts sales and use tax compliance of public companies as it pertains to FASB 5 and Fin 48.

We review our clients’ internal controls and reporting processes for sales and use tax compliance. We then test/audit these internal controls, track results and make recommendations in a prepared report that can be used as documentation for the client’s Sarbanes-Oxley review.

Managed Audits

The Managed Audit is a collaborative effort between the taxpayer and the tax authority where the State’s auditor oversees a self-audit performed by the taxpayer or taxpayer’s representative.

A few solid reasons to choose the managed audit alternative are, minimized business disruption, audit efficiency, timely mediation of issues, and prevention of any potential “fishing expeditions” by the State’s auditor at the taxpayer’s expense.

Additional benefits to considering the alternative include State sponsored incentives such as reduced interest and/or the elimination of penalties.

At Stafford and associates, our staff is trained to reduce our clients’ audit exposure and look for credits/refunds commonly overlooked by the State’s auditor. We highly recommend this program for companies that are routinely audited.

Business Process Design

The sales and use tax business process design decision is a mission critical element in proper sales and use tax reporting. It is typically influenced by the following three factors?

• When - Is the tax decision made at the beginning, middle or end of the transaction?
• Where - Is the tax decision made at the order entry, accounts receivable, purchasing, accounts payable, etc?
• Who - Is the tax decision made by the buyer, department head, order entry clerk, accounts receivable supervisor, accounts payable clerk, etc?

These drivers are often overlooked when a business process is designed due to the focus being placed on more compelling factors affecting daily operations. Consequently, sales and use tax may be over or under paid as a result.

At Stafford and Associates, we can assist you in analyzing how your current business processes are affecting your sales and use tax reporting.

Compliance Automation

With the increasing focus on governance and regulation, tax compliance has never been so important. Compliance failure represents not only financial risk, as it can damage a company’s reputation with the tax authority and the public.

At Stafford and Associates, we analyze our client’s current reporting system and determine the sales and use tax compliance solution best suited for their business.

If in our judgment an automated system would be beneficial, we offer our clients a gateway solution by providing a list of reputable software vendors. As we have either worked with, or are familiar with, these providers and their products, we can assist our clients with any future implementation requirements.

Audit Representation

if your tax return has been selected for examination, our experienced associates can represent your interests with proven results in reducing audit liability.

We have a comprehensive understanding of tax regulations, laws, and statutes, but more importantly, the audit technique used to establish liability. We won’t waste your time if we cannot help you, but are confident that in the majority of cases we can.

Our services range from simple audit consultation and if warranted, complete handling of our clients’ interests up to and through any appeals proceedings.

However, it has been our experience that an organized audit defense generally results in an expedient and more favorable resolution in favor of the client.

Stafford and Associates is a multistate sales and use tax consulting firm with nearly three decades of experience specializing in understanding sales and use tax laws and audit techniques.

We provide a unique blend of client services designed to develop sales and use tax strategies that will ensure maximum cash flow with minimum liability, and we can coordinate these efforts across as many geographic locations as you require.

With each engagement, the firm stakes its reputation on providing quality customer services that enhance business performance and bring value to the operational focus of our customers.

We are glad you have visited our website. Please explore it further and contact us if we can provide additional information.

Stafford and Associates is a multistate sales and use tax consulting firm with nearly three decades of experience specializing in understanding sales and use tax laws and audit techniques.

We provide a unique blend of client services designed to develop sales and use tax strategies that will ensure maximum cash flow with minimum liability, and we can coordinate these efforts across as many geographic locations as you require.

With each engagement, the firm stakes its reputation on providing quality customer services that enhance business performance and bring value to the operational focus of our customers.

We are glad you have visited our website. Please explore it further and contact us if we can provide additional information.

Training/CPE Classes

At Stafford and Associates, we are dedicated to educating our clients about sales and use tax issues and concepts that will minimize their tax expense through accurate compliance.

We provide sales and use tax classes specifically designed to meet the needs of our clients’ businesses, and if desired, can prepare sales and use tax policy and procedures manuals that can be integrated into these training classes.

We also offer group sales and use tax continuing professional education (CPE) training seminars to organizations, accounting firms, law firms, or any group that could potentially benefit from this information.

Other Client Services

We offer flexible arrangements in meeting our clients’ sales and use tax objectives in addition to those client services highlighted on the website including: exposure analysis, compliance reviews, audit appeals, transactional planning, letter rulings and opinion requests.

Please contact us if you have any questions regarding additional client services information that we can provide.

Voluntary Disclosure Agreements

Under a Voluntary Disclosure Agreement, eligible businesses may file returns and pay taxes and interest for a limited look back period without imposition of penalties, in exchange for future tax compliance.

At Stafford and Associates, we will perform a managed audit designed to limit the sales and use tax liability, eliminate penalties, and identify credits/refunds routinely overlooked by state auditors.

We then utilize this information to represent our clients’ interests in the negotiation of a Voluntary Disclosure Agreement with the target state agency.