Many businesses know what it feels like to be up against tax burdens, or to slough through the hassle of figuring out what's owed and what needs to be filed—there are many different scenarios where Pennsylvania state and local tax resources can come in handy, and a small business or a mid-size one knows that counting these costs out of the equation is a recipe for disaster.

The web can help with finding the right Pennsylvania state and local tax resources for the job. Some of the work involved in filing and figuring state and local tax has migrated online, and tech-savvy business decision-makers can take advantage of this for an enhanced tax year experience. Readers can find info on working with Pennsylvania state and local tax resources:

1. State tax resources for getting oriented early in the game and figuring out how PA state tax rules affect a beginning business according to its scope.

2. More on state tax for filing time, with handy e-tax sites that will help figure up what's due and how to manage employee tax.

3. Local tax resources for finding out all about what's required in your PA community and using Pennsylvania tax forms.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Use PA state tax resources to get situated on all of what's in Pennsylvania state tax

One way the web can help is when a business is just starting to figure out what will be needed to comply with PA state tax requirements. Find info on licensing, record keeping and more from qualified web resources.

I recommend: Go directly to the PA Department of Revenue to get info on the standards for operating a business in PA with full regard to PA tax law. Learn more about state tax requirements or getting a business license from the state at Business.gov.

Get advanced state filing information with PA state tax resources

When the tax deadline is approaching, and a business needs to get its cards on the table to pay state tax correctly with PA state tax laws, the web can also provide informational assistance for any size of business that needs to really assess its responsibilities.

I recommend: The PA State Depts. of Revenue and Labor & Industry have brought electronic resources to the table to help businesses figure out filing for themselves and employees. Check out E-TIDES (Electronic Tax Information and Data Exchange System) online for assistance. Or get more for filing online through "outside" sites like TaxAct.

Use PA local tax resources to figure out what's levied by communities and what a business should do

There are also a lot of helpful hints online about PA local communities and how they tax both individuals and businesses. Business shops can find out about all types of local or PA state taxes including property, income and sales, as well as how these taxes might affect withholding and employee pay checks.

I recommend: Find out all about tax types levied by PA local governments at the NewPA website: "Ready, Set, Succeed." Build your business and strengthen your PA community by getting "plugged in" to what this site has to offer in Pennsylvania local tax tips. Get more info on PA local taxes at this PennState page.

All business owners in the state of Pennsylvania need a familiarity with Pennsylvania local tax and Pennsylvania state tax rules and guidelines. The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue has a wealth of information online designed to help the business owner navigate the maze of understanding and filing the various business taxes.

Using the Internet, you can securely, easily and quickly find PA tax resources and online tools for the business owner. When dealing with business taxes in the state of Pennsylvania, be sure to:

1. Use Pennsylvania state and local tax resources to learn about business taxes in Pennsylvania.

2. Locate the Pennsylvania tax forms that your business needs.

3. File your Pennsylvania state taxes online using e-TIDES.

4. Use additional online tax services to help your Pennsylvania business.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Obtain information about PA state tax and PA local tax for businesses

Before attempting to file taxes for your business or before starting a business in the state of Pennsylvania, it is very important that you arm yourself with important information about business taxes. The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue has many Pennsylvania state and local tax resources designed to help business owners understand state taxes.

I recommend: View the PA tax bulletins for businesses. Search the frequently asked questions for information about business taxes in the state of Pennsylvania. Browse the event calendar for information about due dates for business taxes. Obtain information on tax rates for business taxpayers in Pennsylvania.

Gather any applicable Pennsylvania tax forms for your business

If you need to review the applicable tax forms for your business, look to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue for help. You can search for and download tax forms online, and you can even fill out a simple online form to request to have PA state tax and PA local tax forms mailed to you.

I recommend: Browse and download Pennsylvania state tax forms by category. Search online for applicable tax forms for your business. Order Pennsylvania tax forms online.

File Pennsylvania state taxes for your business online

The online e-TIDES (Electronic Tax Information and Data Exchange System) from the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue allows businesses to file returns, request extensions or make Pennsylvania state tax payments online. Some of the taxes that businesses can file in e-TIDES include various corporation taxes, withholding tax and Pennsylvania sales tax.

I recommend: View the online e-TIDES demonstration to help you learn about the e-TIDES filing system. Register to use e-TIDES to help you file your business taxes online.

Use online PA tax resources to help your business

Consider taking advantage of the online tax services for businesses provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. New business owners can securely and easily register their new businesses, and all businesses can access the Online Customer Service Center for assistance and help in a secure environment.

I recommend: Register your new Pennsylvania business online using the Online PA-100 or the Online Business Registration Interview (OBRI). Visit Pennsylvania's Online Customer Service Center to submit questions, to review the answers to questions you have submitted or to change your profile with the Department of Revenue.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Use the online penalties and interest calculator to help you estimate penalties and interest for Pennsylvania local tax and Pennsylvania state tax due.
• •  View the online list of third party vendor e-file software programs for an alternative to electronically filing your Pennsylvania state taxes through e-TIDES.

Pennsylvania, as any other state, has various local taxes that employees and businesses find imposed on them, such as the Local Services Tax and Mercantile Tax. Attendees at a sporting event or concert are subject to an Amusement Tax. In an effort to streamline the process and make operations more efficient, Pennsylvania entered the electronic age, allowing individuals and businesses to submit tax forms and other information electronically using applications such as E-TIDES and TeleFile.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Local Services Tax

The Local Services Tax (LST), formerly known as the Emergency and Municipal Service Tax (EMST), is a tax levied on employees working within a municipality and/or school district and submitted to the tax collector quarterly by one's employer. Emergency services located within the municipality must receive at least 25% of the LST revenues collected. Municipalities may use the remaining monies for the Homestead and Farmstead Exclusion programs designed to provide tax relief to property owners.

I recommend: Refer to the NewPA website for more information on the Local Services Tax.

Mercantile Tax

The Mercantile Tax, also known as the business gross receipts tax or business privilege tax, is the tax businesses (wholesale, retail and restaurant) pay on their gross receipts for their establishment located within a taxing jurisdiction. In 1988, the Local Tax Reform Act prohibited jurisdictions imposing new mercantile taxes, but grandfathered jurisdictions currently doing so.

I recommend: For more information, reference the Penn State University website

Amusement tax

An amusement tax is the tax paid on admission to recreational, entertainment or amusement events such as concerts, sporting events and fairs. Amusement tax rates may vary among jurisdictions.

I recommend: For information on Pennsylvania’s Amusement Tax, refer to the Radnor Township website.

E-TIDES

E-TIDES is an online application that allows individuals to submit tax forms and payment pertaining to Employer Withholdings, Sales, Use and Hotel Occupancy Tax, Liquid Fuels and Fuels Tax, Corporation Taxes, and Unemployment Compensation.

I recommend: Refer to the E-TIDES website for a complete listing of tax form available for online submittal and payment instructions.

TeleFile

TeleFile allows individuals to submit sales tax and employer withholding information via a touch-tone telephone. Required information for submitting sales tax information over TeleFile includes an eight digit PA Sales Tax Account ID Number, a nine digit Entity ID, amount of tax due, applicable credits and banking information. Required Employer Withholding information includes an eight digit Employer Account Identification Number, a nine digit Entity ID and amount of Personal Income Tax withheld.

I recommend: For more information on this service, refer to the TeleFile webpage.

Tax appeals

Individuals may file a petition and submit evidence for a tax appeal electronically. A benefit of this process is that any correspondence between the applicant and the Board of Appeals is through email, therefore negating delays of missed phone calls or transmitting information through the postal service.

I recommend: Refer to the Board of Appeals website to review instructions of filing an appeal electronically and acceptable file formats for submitting evidence.