Symposium to Focus on Sales Tax Issues Regarding Cloud Services & Digital Goods

Sales and use taxes are already a complex and ever-changing issue, and the explosion in ecommerce, cloud services and digital goods has made compliance even more challenging for an increasing number of businesses, small and large.

To help businesses and tax professionals better understand these issues, sales tax and compliance automation services provider Avalara Inc. is bringing together a host of nationally recognized experts on digital products, federal legislation, and sales and use tax compliance at Horizons 2014, a first-of-its-kind tax symposium that will address the most pressing issues facing today's digital marketplace. The conference, which qualifies for continuing professional education (CPE) credit, will be held April 30-May 2 at the Grand Hyatt in Seattle.

Horizons 2014 will feature nationally-recognized tax specialists from AT&T, Starbucks, Verizon Wireless, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Intuit, KPMG LLP and Ernst & Young, who will identify and discuss sales tax compliance challenges for accounting professionals that work in business and industry, government and public practice.

The session content is tailored specifically for chief information officers, chief financial officers and controllers; state and local tax accountants; global commerce and digital sales/software companies; CPA, accounting, legal, and sales tax consulting firms, as well as technology resellers and venture capital firms.

The conference will also include a roster of distinguished thought leaders in the area of digital goods and cloud services taxation, including:

Sylvia Dion, Managing Member at PrietoDion Consulting Partners, LLC
Jordan Goodman, Partner at Horwood Marcus & Berk Chartered
Mark Houtzager, Owner of US VAT, Inc.
Carolynn Kranz, COO at Industry Sales Tax Solutions
Steve Kranz, Partner at McDermott Will & Emery, LLP
Scott Peterson, Director of Governmental Affairs at Avalara
Chris Sullivan, Tax Attorney at Rath, Young & Pignatelli, PC
Marilyn Wethekam, Shareholder at Horwood Marcus & Berk Chartered

Headline topics will address how:

States define digital goods and why the definitions vary between states.
Pending state and federal legislation affects taxation of digital goods and cloud services.
Out-of-state cloud services or digital goods sales are treated under current sales tax requirements.
A company can get ahead of the curve on cloud and digital goods taxation.

“The taxability of cloud services and digital goods is one of the most complex issues facing accounting and tax professionals today,” said Pascal Van Dooren, EVP Sales & Marketing at Avalara. “Horizons 2014 will help attendees more competently and confidently manage this changing landscape by providing best-in-class content delivered by some of the most knowledgeable experts currently working in this field.”

Accounting professionals can receive up to 11 hours of CPE credit during the conference. More information is at salestaxhorizons.com.