1. We do not pay sales tax so I do not see how you can save me monies?
As a manufacturer, there is a good chance you have no taxable sales or taxable purchases on your sales tax returns, however, there is a very high probability that you are being charged sales tax by various vendors on the face of your invoices for tax exempt items. We will identify the overcharges and recover those monies for you in a risk-free, non-invasive manner.
2. What is the cost for a Sales and Use Tax Review or Audit Representation?
There is no out-of-pocket expense or financial risk to your company as we are paid a one-time fee on a contingency basis.
3. Are there any additional fees?
No, we are only paid based on the refund amount we secure on your behalf. There are no hidden fees and Benchmark pays all expenses necessary to complete the review.
4. What if no overpayments are identified?
If no overpayments are identified you would owe Benchmark nothing. We are only paid based on the refund we secure for you. However, we are so confident in the quality of our service that we provide a written Benchmark Guarantee to every client stating we will pay you for your time if we do not identify you a refund.
5. How much time is required from me and my staff?
Virtually none after the initial brief meeting and plant tour. Our team is very experienced and our processes are streamlined with little to no interruption to daily operations.
6. Is our information kept confidential?
Yes, we observe confidentiality at all times and your information will be maintained in the strictest of confidence.
7. How many years are included in the Review?
We will perform an invoice-by-invoice review for every year within the statute of limitations allowed by your state. Depending on your state it is typically three or four years.
8. What if we just recently had a Sales and Use Tax Review?
Due to our thorough method of performing an invoice-by-invoice review for the entire statute of limitations instead of simply performing a sampling of your accounts payable, it is not uncommon for us to follow up behind other consultants and still find very material dollars left on the table. In some cases, our follow up review produces larger refunds than the initial review. Even if you have had a review recently we firmly believe there is still material dollars that we can recover for you and we will still issue you our written Benchmark Guarantee that we will pay you for your time if we do not identify you a refund.
9. What is the process of filing for a refund?
Following the onsite review everything else is handled off site at our offices. All invoices identified during the review are entered into our database and we send you a very detailed listing of our findings showing every invoice identified including a description of the items purchased and the reason it qualifies for exemption. Once you review and approve our work we will handle all filings of the refund, correspondence, collections and tracking of payments.
10. Are we bound by a long-term contract?
No, our service is a one-time review and there are no long-term obligations.
11. Are there only certain times of the year when we can have a Sales and Use Tax Review?
No, we can perform a review at any time of the year. There are no waiting periods between reviews.