A recent U.S. Supreme Court case has prompted California legislators to change a state use tax law that affects out-of-state sellers. Under the new law, some retailers outside of California must register with the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) and collect California use tax.

The law applies to remote sellers who have total sales of $500,000 in tangible personal property for delivery in California in the preceding or current calendar year. The law went into effect on April 1, 2019, so these sellers are required to collect and remit taxes on sales which occurred on or after this date. 

Examples of out-of-state sellers that may be affected by this change include online merchants, mail-order catalogs, or telephone salespeople. Retailers with a physical presence in California will continue to have the same registration and use tax obligations as before the new law was passed.

California employers are responsible for withholding payroll taxes, filing returns, and paying state and federal payroll taxes. The laws governing payroll taxes are complex, and as your small business grows, the onerousness of compliance with these tax rules will intensify.

What Are Payroll Taxes?

California has four state payroll taxes. Two are paid by the employer: Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Employment Training Tax (ETT). Two are withheld from workers’ wages: State Disability Insurance (SDI) and Personal Income Tax (PIT). Payroll taxes are administered by the Employment Development Department (EDD).

In addition, employers must handle federal payroll taxes. A small business will be required to pay federal taxes for Medicare, Social Security, and unemployment (FUTA). Also, an employer withholds federal personal income taxes, Medicare, and Social Security from workers’ wages.

Limited liability companies (LLCs) are often touted for their tax flexibility. In fact, that is one of the reasons why people choose to set up their business as an LLC.

LLCs are commonly called pass-through tax entities for federal income tax purposes. This is because the LLC will not be responsible for these taxes. Instead, the LLC’s individual members will pay the federal income taxes.

However, LLCs must comply with certain filing requirements and possibly pay a state minimum tax in California and may need to pay a California LLC fee. The proper forms and amount of taxes and fees will be determined by the setup of the LLC and also by certain elections made.