Couple of questions

I have a couple of questions.

1. Is there a sales tax on books? As far as I know there is no tax on books in MA, just on magazines. I'm not sure though. The question came up tonight in class.

2. Has anyone ever heard of a literary agency in Boca called Lips Unsealed? They have answered my friend's query and have shown an interest in her novel. I found a website for them, but it doesn't tell a lot. I hope they are legit.

Louisa

Hi Louisa....don't know the answer to #1, but Preditors & Editors website does show Lips Unsealed Literary Agency as a "real" business in Boca Raton, FL - no "cautions or warnings" shown for them either so that's probably a good sign! Perhaps they are new and don't have a lot to say yet on their website???

Hi Pam, Thanks. It says they have been around since about 2000 I think. Hopefully, they are a legitimate agency and will help her find a publisher. She has written a novel called "Alice Blue Gown." Alice is an old Victorian house and the story is about the three or four women who live in the house and what Alice thinks and how she feels about what is going on around her. It's a good story.

I'm going to call a bookstore today and find out my other answer. I want to be sure I'm right.
Louisa

Louisa, tax depends on the state you are in. And sometimes a city tax is also applied, depending on where you live.

As long as you are selling to someone in your own state, and your state does not exclude state and local taxes on books, you have to charge buyers in YOUR state sales tax. All other buyers are exempt from sales tax according to what the state told me.
For eg. Anybody I sell to in IL has to pay 6.25% sales tax because that is what the sales tax rate is in my location. Outside of IL, I do not charge sales tax. Then, of course, you have to file a Sales Tax Return [called different things in different states] quarterly or yearly if your sales are not much.