Tag Archives: SCDOR

Is same sex marriage now legal in South Carolina?

October 6, 2014

The United States Supreme Court announced today that it has declined to intervene in a few same sex marriage cases that came before it.

The supreme court’s refusal to hear the state of Virginia’s appeal of a court ruling allowing same sex marriages means Virginia must recognize same sex marriage.  Since South Carolina is in the same circuit and bound by the same rulings does this mean same sex marriage in South Carolina is now likely to be confirmed in short order.

We will have to wait for the legal scholars to weigh in on this case but it sure looks like same sex marriage has arrived in South Carolina.  And if so, does that mean South Carolina taxpayers who are in a same sex marriage may now file joint tax returns for South Carolina tax purposes.

You may recall that the South Carolina Department of Revenue promulgated procedures for same sex couples who are in federally recognized same sex marriages, and therefore able to file a joint federal tax return, to bifurcate their tax returns for state taxation purposes thereby removing the joint filing status for state purposes.  It now appears to me that this procedure is no longer constitutionally kosher.

Stay tuned!

 

Sales tax free weekend in South Carolina this Friday thru Sunday

This weekend, the 6% state sales and use tax, and any applicable local sales and use tax, will not be imposed on clothing, clothing accessories (e.g., hats, scarves, hosiery, and handbags), footwear, school supplies (e.g., pens, pencils, paper, binders, notebooks, books, bookbags, lunchboxes, and calculators), computers, printers and printer supplies, computer software, and bath wash clothes, blankets, bed spreads, bed linens, sheet sets, comforter sets, bath towels, shower curtains, bath rugs and mats, pillows, and pillow cases.

The sales tax holiday, however, does not apply to sales of jewelry, cosmetics, eyewear, wallets, watches, furniture, rental of clothing or footwear, items for use in a business, or items placed on layaway or similar deferred payment and delivery plans.

This may or may not be the best time to purchase your back to school items.  Some retailers may not put the best prices on their wares this weekend, relying instead on the feeding frenzy that is sales tax free weekend to drive sales.  Once the sales taxes are back in place, retailers have to once again compete for your business by giving you the best price.

However, tax free weekend may be an excellent time to purchase products that have their prices set on a nationwide basis, such as computers or other goods purchased online.  Next weekend, after the sales tax holiday has ended, may produce better overall prices as retailers seek to sell their remaining inventory but the selection may be limited as items may be picked over at that point. The trick is to know the true cost of your intended purchase and only buy if its a good deal or you are not really concerned about getting the best possible price.

Remember, if your goal is to get the best possible price, avoiding sales taxes may not be the best way to get there.  If you end up having to pay sales taxes but still get a lower overall price, that, my friends, is still a victory in the retail wars.

Happy shopping!

What to do if You Get a Notice from the IRS

July 2, 2014.

Each year the IRS mails millions of notices. Here’s what you should do if you receive a notice from the IRS:

1. Don’t ignore it. You can respond to most IRS notices quickly and easily. And it’s important that you reply promptly.

2. IRS notices usually deal with a specific issue about your tax return or tax account. For example, it may say the IRS has corrected an error on your tax return. Or it may ask you for more information.

3. Read it carefully and follow the instructions about what you need to do.

4. If it says that the IRS corrected your tax return, review the information in the notice and compare it to your tax return.

If you agree, you don’t need to reply unless a payment is due.

If you don’t agree, it’s important that you respond to the IRS. Write a letter that explains why you don’t agree. Make sure to include information and any documents you want the IRS to consider. Include the bottom tear-off portion of the notice with your letter. Mail your reply to the IRS at the address shown in the lower left part of the notice. Allow at least 30 days for a response from the IRS.

5. You can handle most notices without calling or visiting the IRS. If you do have questions, call the phone number in the upper right corner of the notice. Make sure you have a copy of your tax return and the notice with you when you call.

6. Keep copies of any notices you get from the IRS.

7. Don’t fall for phone and phishing email scams that use the IRS as a lure. The IRS first contacts people about unpaid taxes by mail – not by phone. The IRS does not contact taxpayers by email, text or social media about their tax return or tax account.

For more on this topic visit IRS.gov. Click on ‘Responding to a Notice’ at the bottom left of the home page. Also see Publication 594, The IRS Collection Process. You can get it on IRS.gov or call 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676) to get it by mail.

Most people would do well to have professional guidance when dealing with most IRS correspondence.  We encourage you to contact Tax On Wheels, LLC for assistance with any taxing authority correspondence whether it be state or federal.  We are ready to help. You can reach us at 803 732-4288.
Additional IRS Resources:

South Carolina Income Tax Filing Opens This Week

Columbia, SC (January 28, 2014) — The SC Department of Revenue (SCDOR) is reminding taxpayers that the 2014 individual income tax filing season opens Friday, January 31, 2014.

In accordance with the Internal Revenue Service, SCDOR will begin to accept electronic or paper individual income tax returns this Friday.

SCDOR encourages taxpayers to file their income tax returns electronically as it is not only beneficial to the taxpayer, but to the state as well due to the efficiency in processing times. Electronic filers may receive a refund in as little as 10 days, as compared to those who file a paper return, which could take an average of three weeks to receive a refund.

Whether filing electronically, via paper, or fillable form, taxpayers have three options for receiving a tax refund: direct deposit, prepaid debit card, or paper check. Direct deposit is the preferred method by DOR.

To learn more about filing your taxes electronically, or to check on the status of your refund, visit www.sctax.org or call the individual income tax section of SCDOR at (803) 898-5000.

Also, please feel free to contact Tax On Wheels, LLC at 803 732-4288 if you need any assistance with state for federal tax issues.

South Carolina reafirms it does not recognize same sex marriages

In a draft ruling today, the state of South Carolina reaffirmed it’s intention to not recognize same sex marriages.  The preliminary draft ruling can be found here (PDF).

A marriage between one man and one woman is the only lawful domestic union that shall be valid or recognized in this state.

Since South Carolina tax calculations begin with federal taxable income, same sex spouses are presented with a bit of a dilemma when filing the state return. The state proceeds to provide guidance to those persons who qualify to file jointly for federal purposes but cannot file a joint South Carolina return.

Basically those persons are instructed to file the federal tax return in any way for which they are eligible to file for federal purposes, for example married filing jointly.  Then those persons are instructed to create a second pro forma federal tax return to calculate each spouses share of income and deductions.  This second pro forma return will not be filed with the federal government, but instead will be attached to the state return or retained as a worksheet to substantiate the entries on the state return.

Which all seems reasonably straight forward given the circumstances.

The question I have is how can the state survive a challenge to the constitutionality of this particular provision in light of the fact that the Defense of Marriage Act, which prohibited same sex marriages at the federal level, has fallen to constitutional defeat?

I guess we will all just have to stay tuned to find out.

 

Free Identity Protection Service by CSID Now Open For Enrollment

Columbia, SC (October 24, 2013) — Starting today, South Carolina taxpayers impacted by last year’s security breach at the SC Department of Revenue are able to enroll for up to one year of identity and credit protection coverage with CSID by visiting www.scidprotection.com or by calling 855-880-2743. Enrollment will remain open until October 1, 2014.

“Eligible individuals are encouraged to enroll with this state-provided service to take advantage of the comprehensive array of identity and credit protections provided. CSID has a dedicated team working to ensure an overall successful enrollment process for the taxpayers of South Carolina,” said Department of Revenue Director Bill Blume.

South Carolina taxpayers, their dependents, and businesses who filed an electronic South Carolina tax return between 1998 and 2012 may be eligible for this coverage and are encouraged to enroll with CSID at www.scidprotection.com or by contacting CSID’s South Carolina Identity Protection Hotline at 855-880-2743, open 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

Enroll at SCIDprotection.com or by calling 855-880-2743

For more information, contact:

CSID

www.scidprotection.com

855-880-2743

Helen Murphy

INK Public Relations for CSID

512-382-8988

csid@ink-pr.com

SC ID Protection Service Open for Enrollment October 24, 2013

Learn More and Enroll at SCIDprotection.com or by calling 855-880-2743

Columbia, SC (October 15, 2013) — The State of South Carolina and CSID, a leading provider of global, enterprise-level identity protection and fraud detection technologies and solutions, today announced that taxpayers impacted by last years’ SC Department of Revenue security breach can begin enrolling in the state-provided identity protection coverage beginning October 24, 2013. Eligible taxpayers can sign up for the identity protection coverage through www.scidprotection.com or by calling 855-880-2743. Enrollment will remain open until October 1, 2014. CSID’s service will end on October 31, 2014, unless the State chooses to renew the contract.

“The goal of the State of South Carolina has been to provide the best in identity and credit protection, and that is what the taxpayers are getting with the comprehensive services of CSID. South Carolina and CSID will work to ensure taxpayers are aware of the state-provided services available, including not only in-state residents, but those residing out of state as well,” said Department of Revenue Director Bill Blume.

South Carolina residents will be provided with ongoing information about enrollment and eligibility through media and public announcements. This will include advertisements in local newspapers and magazines, on radio stations and via local news coverage. CSID will attempt to contact eligible persons living outside of South Carolina via mail.

“We highly encourage eligible South Carolina taxpayers to take advantage of CSID’s identity protection coverage to ensure the integrity of their families’ personal information” said CSID President, Joe Ross. “For any questions about eligibility or enrollment, citizens should keep an eye on local media and news coverage. We will share information through those venues and at www.scidprotection.com.”

Until CSID enrollment is open, taxpayers are encouraged to visit www.scidprotection.com for more information about the services provided, or contact CSID now at 855-880-2743 for more information and to leave a number for call back when enrollment becomes available.

For more information, contact:

CSID

www.scidprotection.com

855-880-2743

Helen Murphy

INK Public Relations for CSID

512-382-8988

csid@ink-pr.com

 

CSID to Provide Identity Protection for South Carolina Taxpayers

Columbia, SC (October 8, 2013) — Eligible South Carolina taxpayers can sign up and receive state-provided identity protection coverage through CSID, at www.scidprotection.com or 855-880-2743, beginning October 24, 2013. The deadline to enroll is October 1, 2014.

Until CSID enrollment is open, taxpayers are encouraged to visit www.scidprotection.com for more information about the services provided. Additionally, taxpayers have the option to contact CSID now at 855-880-2743 for more information or for a representative to call the individual back for enrollment when it becomes available.

CSID, the leading provider of global, enterprise-level identity protection and fraud detection technologies and solutions, was selected to assist South Carolina taxpayers whose personal identifying information was potentially compromised during the Department of Revenue security breach in 2012.

“I applaud the state Budget and Control Board for selecting a vendor whose services offer comprehensive identity protection solutions for not only South Carolina individuals, but businesses as well. CSID’s services provide a range of credit and identity monitoring proven to cover potential identity theft, and we hope that all eligible taxpayers will take advantage of the state-provided service through CSID,” said DOR Director Bill Blume.

CSID’s identity protection is a comprehensive service to ensure the protection of an identity through credit and other identity monitoring. These services include credit monitoring from TransUnion, online black market internet surveillance, monitoring of court records and pay day loans, change of address alerts, as well as a Social Security number trace, sex offender monitoring, identity theft insurance and identity restoration.

Minor dependents, adult dependents, and businesses are also eligible for CSID enrollment beginning October 24, 2013.

“Data breaches continue to grow in frequency and severity of impact to both organizations and affected individuals,” said Joe Ross, president of CSID. “CSID offers a comprehensive array of identity protection solutions and services to assist in the mitigation of a data breach event. Our coverage will not only provide incremental identity theft protection for the impacted citizens of South Carolina, but we are also able to offer these services at a price that is cost-effective to the state.”

For more information or a list of frequently asked questions, please visit the DOR website at www.sctax.org/security.

For more information, contact:

CSID

www.scidprotection.com

855-880-2743

Helen Murphy

INK Public Relations for CSID

512-382-8988

csid@ink-pr.com

 

CSID Awarded Contract to Provide SC Identity Protection

Columbia, SC (October 4, 2013) — The South Carolina Budget and Control Board today announced that CSID, a leading provider of global enterprise-level identity protection and fraud detection technologies and solutions, has received the award to assist South Carolina taxpayers whose personal information was compromised during the 2012 Department of Revenue (DOR) security breach.

Eligible taxpayers will be able to enroll either online or over the phone with CSID’s state-provided identity protection coverage by no later than October 24, 2013. The deadline to enroll is October 1, 2014.

“I applaud the state Budget and Control Board for selecting a vendor whose services offer comprehensive identity protection solutions for not only South Carolina individuals, but businesses as well. CSID’s services provide a range of credit and identity monitoring proven to cover potential identity theft, and we hope that all eligible taxpayers will take advantage of the state-provided service through CSID,” said DOR Director Bill Blume.

In addition to comprehensive credit bureau monitoring, CSID offers specialized identity monitoring of events such as surveillance of internet and other media for use of personal identifying information. Black market identity monitoring provides internet surveillance to alert individuals if their identity has been stolen, allowing time to remediate before a fraudulent event can occur. If needed, CSID’s Identity Theft Restoration Services will restore the individual’s identity to a pre-compromised state and is available to all eligible individuals even if they have not enrolled with CSID.

Minor dependents, adult dependents, and businesses will be eligible for CSID enrollment no later than October 24, 2013.

In the coming weeks, CSID will launch an enrollment outreach plan to educate the taxpayers of South Carolina on the state-provided services available.

“Data breaches continue to grow in frequency and severity of impact to both organizations and affected individuals,” said Joe Ross, president of CSID. “CSID offers a comprehensive array of identity protection solutions and services to assist in the mitigation of a data breach event. Our coverage will not only provide incremental identity theft protection for the impacted citizens of South Carolina, but we are also able to offer these services at a price that is cost-effective to the state.”

For more information or a list of frequently asked questions, please visit the DOR website at www.sctax.org/security.

For more information, contact:

Helen Murphy

INK Public Relations for CSID

512.382.8988

csid@ink-pr.com

South Carolina Awards Credit Monitoring Contract to CSID

Columbia, SC (September 23, 2013) — Budget and Control Board Director Marcia Adams today announced that after a competitive bid process, CSIdentity Corporation (CSID) has been awarded a contract to provide an additional year of free credit protection for eligible individuals.

Individuals whose information was potentially compromised in the Department of Revenue (DOR) security breach will be able to enroll in the credit protection and identity monitoring services provided by CSID on October 24, 2013. DOR and CSID will provide more details on the enrollment process in the upcoming weeks.

In addition to comprehensive credit bureau monitoring, CSID offers specialized identity monitoring of events such as surveillance of internet and other media for use of personal identifying information. Black market identity monitoring provides internet surveillance to alert individuals if their identity has been stolen, allowing time to remediate before a fraudulent event can occur. If needed, CSID’s Identity Theft Restoration Services will restore the individual’s identity to a pre-compromised state and is available to all eligible individuals even if they have not enrolled with CSID.

DOR Director Bill Blume stated, “As an agency, the Department of Revenue has taken precautions to ensure the data entrusted to us is processed in a safe and secure environment. We encourage all eligible individuals to continue to protect their personal identifying information by enrolling with CSID. In a world where technology is ever-evolving, CSID offers more than credit protection services by providing the added protection of identity theft monitoring and credit restoration to best protect the citizens of South Carolina.”

Credit and identity theft protection will be available for those eligible including minor dependents, adult dependents, and those with no credit history. Protection for eligible businesses will also be available through CSID.

Credit protection services provided by CSID will end on October 31, 2014, unless the state chooses to extend the CSID contract. Individuals who enrolled with Experian are still covered for one year from the date of their enrollment, and can enroll in CSID’s credit protection service while still enrolled with Experian.

CSID Background:

Headquartered in Austin, TX, CSID is the leading provider of global identity protection and fraud detection technologies for businesses, their employees and consumers.