MONTGOMERY, April 15, 2016 – State tax obligations can sometimes confuse business owners. Licenses, sales tax, property tax, etc. – business owners are responsible for many details. To make that task easier, the Alabama Department of Revenue (ADOR) is offering all business owners the new Business Essentials for State Taxpayers (B.E.S.T) educational program.

The cornerstone of the program is ADOR’s B.E.S.T. Seminars, formerly called Business Workshops. These free seminars are offered quarterly at each of ADOR’s nine Taxpayer Service Centers or the cities in which the service centers are located. Specialists from the service centers conduct the seminars, which include a brief but comprehensive overview of Alabama’s business taxes, the business owner’s tax obligations, and the forms that are required, as well as information on electronic filing and other requirements. Presenters cover a variety of state tax information topics, including employer withholding taxes, state and local sales taxes, property taxes, and business licensing requirements. Attendees also will learn about Alabama’s ONE SPOT, a free Internet filing and payment portal that allows business taxpayers to file and pay state, county, and city sales, use, and rental taxes all in one place!

The B.E.S.T. Seminars are designed to offer the same information in the same format across the state, so it will not matter which seminar business owners attend. New owners will learn how to register their business, obtain licenses and permits, file returns, and much more to help them get started, while current owners can brush up on any recent changes in tax laws.

Currently under development is the B.E.S.T. website, where business owners can find a schedule of upcoming seminars and registration information. The PowerPoint presentation that is used at each seminar will soon be available on the website, as will the “Starting a New Business” guide book that seminar attendees receive. In the future, videos will be added that touch on each portion of the B.E.S.T. presentation, so business owners who cannot attend a seminar will still have access to the essential information they need.

For more information on B.E.S.T. seminars and resources, please visit the website. The inaugural B.E.S.T. Seminars will occur on Tuesday in Opelika and Thursday in Hoover.

Media contact for more information:
ADOR Communications/Publications Division
Frank.miles@revenue.alabama.gov
Amanda.collier@revenue.alabama.gov Telephone: 334-242-1390; FAX: 334-242-0550
Website: http://www.revenue.alabama.gov/