YOUR PHYSICAL PRESENCE IS NO LONGER REQUIRED
By Courtney Morin
Senior, Tax Services
cmorin@sponselcpagroup.com


As our economic and social landscapes continually change through products purchased and consumed, so do the regulations as well as the way business is conducted. This can be demonstrated by the US Supreme Court's recent ruling of  South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc. , which overturned a previous 1992 decision related to sales tax. This latest ruling states that a physical presence is no longer needed, making remote sellers obligated in collecting and remitting sales tax.

Effective October 1, 2018, Indiana will begin enforcing the state's economic nexus law, requiring remote sellers to start collecting sales tax for purchases made within Indiana. Under Indiana law, sellers not having a physical location in Indiana are required to obtain a registered retail merchant's certificate if a seller meets either or both of the following two conditions in either the previous calendar year or the current calendar year:
  • Has gross revenue from sales within Indiana in excess of $100,000 or ...
  • 200 or more separate transaction within Indiana

DO YOU NEED TO PIVOT? - ADAPT TO THE MARKET
By Tom Sponsel, CPA/ABV, CFF
Managing Partner
tsponsel@sponselcpagroup.com


Life doesn't always go as planned, especially in the business world. But don't be afraid of change! Use any detour or setback as a springboard toward new and exciting opportunities. As the year slowly draws to a close, you may want to ask yourself if your business needs to pivot in a different direction - which may include changes in product or services, marketplace, management, salesforce, maybe even the go forward vision for your company!

Many companies have done this with great success. Take PayPal, for instance. After operating as a subsidiary of eBay for more than a decade, it went on to thrive as an independent company. It changed its business model to attract users across multiple platforms outside of the eBay auction community. It smoothly stepped out of eBay's shadow and formed its own identity.

Ash & Elm Cider Co., the start-up business featured in this month's client profile, also adapted in a similar way. The founders, Aaron and Andréa Homoya, originally wanted to tap into the craft beer industry. But as they saw it crowding the market in Indianapolis, they decided to stand out by making and selling hard cider instead. (Read more about them and their company below.) 

CLIENT PROFILE: ASH & ELM CIDER CO. 
Ash Elm & Cider Co. is a relatively new family business run by the husband and wife team of Aaron and Andréa Homoya. After roughly two years of planning, they opened the craft cidery in the summer of 2016.

Aaron, the chief fermentation officer, has been brewing beer at home for more than a decade. But as the craft beer industry seemed to be crowding the market in Indy, he and Andréa decided to shift their focus to hard cider. A particularly tasty cider they tried in Ireland inspired them to start making their own. And they wanted to stand out from the local competition.
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT: PHILIP JACKSON
Not to be confused as the former professional basketball coach, Philip Jackson is a new Manager in our firm's Tax Services department. He is also a CPA with more than 20 years of experience in public accounting in assisting businesses, individuals and not-for-profits through tax consulting and compliance services. A University of Indianapolis graduate with a bachelor's degree in accounting, Philip enjoys explaining tax considerations and options to keep clients informed of current and potential tax regulations. This allows him to proactively provide knowledge and expertise from a tax planning perspective.

Having experience with clients in a wide variety of industries and sizes allows Philip to focus on a business's specific needs and tailor the various solutions accordingly. This industry experience includes manufacturing, real estate, professional services and healthcare, to name just a few. Philip also has experience and interest working with technology companies and startups to provide business entity selection considerations and financial guidance.

It's Not Too Early to Plan for 2019
 
The new year is coming up around the corner. Now is the time to conduct an annual evaluation and start preparing for 2019. Identify the areas in which you excelled and the ones that need improvement. Determine your goals and develop a course of action to achieve them. It's never too soon to think about the future.