Online Taxes

The days of tax-free purchases from Amazon.com are coming to an end for Tennessee customers. WPLN Nashville Public Radio reports that the online retail giant will begin charging the Tennessee sales tax on Jan. 1, in keeping with a previous agreement with the state.

As every business owner knows, it's important to comply with local, state and federal tax laws. But compliance can be a challenge. It's not always easy to figure out what taxes are owed on which items, even if you sell goods in one state only. If you operate in multiple states, that can complicate matters exponentially. Tax rates and taxable item categories can vary considerably from state to state. Cities can also impose their own taxes on certain items and services. And sometimes, tax regulations just don't make much sense, which leads to confusion for business owners who are struggling to accurately collect taxes from customers. Here are seven examples of bizarre taxes found in states: