Q: How to claim CA County vs City sales tax difference?
Purchased a car in 2018. My zip code is shared with the City of Riverside, which has a 1% higher sales tax. Can I claim the 1% difference on my annual State Income Tax? I overpaid sales tax buy $550. Form CDTFA 101 indicates I had 6 months to file for a refund, which I was unaware at the time. Can I claim this on my annual income tax?
A:
No. ZIP codes have nothing to do with county and city physical jurisdictions. So, unless you actually live within the city limits (get a map and look, or call the city and ask) you cannot (lawfully) claim the extra 1% sales tax.
BTW, is cheating really worth it? Think: If the car cost $35,000, the additional 1% would only give you a $350 deduction. When multiplied by your marginal tax rate (your marginal rate is probably about 15%), your tax "savings" would only be $52.50. Hardly worth the potential trouble, no?
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
