Service
Sales and Excise Tax Compliance
Transaction taxes are collected from customers and held in trust until remitted. Treating them as a liability from the moment of sale, and reconciling them monthly, keeps a predictable obligation from becoming a cash problem.
Calculation and Accrual
Point-of-sale tax configuration is verified against current rates and product categories, then accrued to liability accounts and reconciled to filings. Adult-use retail sales in New York are generally subject to a 9% state cannabis excise tax plus a 4% local excise tax, and adult-use cannabis products are exempt from state and local sales tax, while qualifying medical sales are treated differently; current rates and categories should be confirmed with the state each period.
- Point-of-sale tax table review
- Liability accrual and monthly reconciliation
- Filing calendar with remittance tracking
Exemptions and Medical Sales
Registered patient sales and certain product categories follow different treatment. Documentation supporting any exempt or differently taxed sale should be retained with the transaction record.
Filing Support and Reconciliation
Returns are prepared from reconciled ledger balances, and any difference between collected and remitted amounts is identified and explained before filing.
Notices and Prior Periods
Where prior filings are inconsistent with the records, we assemble the reconciliation history and support the response to state correspondence.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How often are cannabis transaction taxes filed in New York?
- Filing frequency depends on the tax type and the state's assignment for your account. We maintain a filing calendar for each obligation and confirm frequency with current state guidance.
- Is excise tax part of revenue?
- Tax collected on behalf of the state is recorded as a liability rather than revenue. Reporting it in revenue overstates both sales and margin.
- What if the point-of-sale was configured incorrectly?
- Quantify the exposure across affected periods first, then correct the configuration and address prior periods through the appropriate state process.
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Call to talk through your license types, current records, and reporting needs, or schedule a consultation at a time that works for your team.