State & Local Tax
It is an enormous challenge for businesses and individuals to understand and ensure compliance with the thousands of varied tax regimes that states and localities impose. ZAG/S&W has unusual depth of resources to help you meet the challenge. Moreover, we have long been recognized as a leader in the resolution of state and local tax disputes from the audit to the appellate court level. We are also experienced in sale/use tax cases involving private airplane purchases and leases. Our state and local tax group includes attorneys with many years of experience at high levels in tax agencies as well as in private tax practice. We work collaboratively to bring you advice that is informed by much more than book knowledge alone.
Representative Client Work
- Represented Fortune 500 companies, closely held businesses and individuals in some of the largest and most important tax controversies in Massachusetts
- Assisted a national retailer in resolving a sales- and use-tax dispute involving cross‑border sales
- Represented television stations in sales-tax disputes regarding the acquisition of broadcasting rights
- Advised high-net-worth individuals in connection with domicile planning and disputes
- Helped a large environmental services company integrate operations after a major acquisition so that state taxes would be dramatically reduced
- Assisted large multistate businesses and high-net-worth individuals in the voluntary disclosure of their non‑filing
- Analyzed state and local tax exposures for purposes of establishing financial statement reserves
- Assisted companies in qualifying for special, favorable tax regimes and discretionary credits and incentives
- Reviewed all significant intercompany pricing arrangements of a complex multistate financial services business for compliance with arms-length pricing principles
- Defended officers and employees who have been assessed tax as "responsible persons"
- Represented a Massachusetts corporate trust in a dispute involving the application of the Massachusetts "sting tax" to the sale of its qualified subchapter S subsidiary
- Advised a Louisiana municipality regarding the funding mechanism for its energy efficiency programs
News
- June 4, 2013
Sullivan & Worcester Ranked in the 2013 Edition of The Legal 500 United States
S&W Press Release - May 24, 2013
Sullivan & Worcester Ranked in the 2013 Edition of Chambers USA
S&W Press Release - May 3, 2013
New Software Tax Does Not Compute
Boston Business Journal - April 9, 2013
The Wrong Road to Progressivity
The Boston Globe - January 16, 2013
S&W Tax Partner David Nagle Appointed to Massachusetts Department of Revenue Advisory Council
S&W Press Release - December 28, 2012
Chapter 8, Department of Revenue Organization
Massachusetts Taxation and DOR Practice - October 19, 2012
A kinder, gentler DOR?
Boston Business Journal - May 2012
Snowbirds Beware: No Vacation from DOR
Boston Business Journal - April 9, 2012
Online Sales Tax Fight in Mass.
New England Cable News - March 23, 2012
Taking Inventory of State's Aggressive Tax Collection Rep
Boston Business Journal - March 20, 2012
Panel to Urge Fewer Tax Breaks in Mass.
The Boston Globe - March 2, 2012
Cutting Tax Breaks Won’t Create a Pot of Gold
Boston Business Journal - January 30, 2012
Why Taxpayers Will Be at IRS's Mercy if Supreme Court Rules Against Home Concrete
International Tax Review - January 24, 2012
Sullivan & Worcester Partner Elected President of the Independent State and Local Tax Alliance
S&W Press Release - October 20, 2011
S&W Attorneys Named 2011 Massachusetts Super Lawyers
New England Super Lawyers Magazine - October 1, 2011
Groupon Craze, Other Online Daily Deals A Hot Topic for State Tax Authorities
BNA - Electronic Commerce & Law Report - June 14, 2011
Sullivan & Worcester LLP Receives Top Rankings in Six Categories in the 2011 Edition of The Legal 500 United States
S&W Press Release - March 28, 2011
The Scope of Work Product In Massachusetts Tax Controversies
State Tax Notes - January 7, 2011
New Approach Needed to Resolving Tax Disputes
Boston Business Journal - November 9, 2010
S&W Assists GLAD with Another DOMA Court Challenge
AmLaw Daily, New York Law Journal, Bay Windows - October 2010
Massachusetts Delivers a Year's Worth of Various Tax Decisions
The Journal of Multistate Taxation and Incentives - August 25, 2010
Widespread Taxing of Bloggers Could Stifle Internet Speech, Internet Speech Advocates Say
Washington Internet Daily - August 2, 2010
Sullivan & Worcester Successfully Represents Onex Communications in Important SJC Ruling For Manufacturers in Massachusetts
S&W Press Release - July 31, 2010
Ruling Favors Start-Ups
The Boston Globe - July 28, 2010
Kerry Will Pay Mass. Tax on R.I. Yacht
The Boston Globe - July 12, 2010
Court Rules Mass. Same-Sex Couples Can File Joint Tax Returns
WebCPA - July 8, 2010
GLAD Lawsuit Results in Federal Court Striking Down DOMA Section 3
S&W Press Release - July 8, 2010
Pro Bono 2010: The Other Gay Marriage Case
The AmLaw Daily - July 5, 2010
Mirror, Mirror: Identifying Property In a Reverse Like-Kind Exchange
Tax Notes - May 14, 2010
Ameek Ponda on IRS Advisory Board
India Abroad - May 10, 2010
Lawyer’s E-mails to Co. Co-Owner Deemed Privileged
Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly - May 7, 2010
Squeezing Foreign Firms
Boston Business Journal - May 2010
Amnesty and Voluntary Disclosure Programs - April 6, 2010
SJC to Hear Tax Break Dispute
Boston Globe - March 23, 2010
Sullivan & Worcester’s Tax Group Nominated for Chambers USA Awards for Excellence 2010
S&W Press Release - December 14, 2009
Tax Benefits for Emerging Companies Intact - For Now
Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly - August 31, 2009
Out-of-State Vendor Can’t be Taxed
Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly - August 28, 2009
New Tax Law Draws Fresh Fire From Pharma
Boston Business Journal - August 25, 2009
State Supreme Judicial Court Ruled in Favor of Client, Town Fair Tire, Inc., in Case Involving Collection of Use Taxes
S&W Press Release - August 2009
Town Fair Tire Case
Various Publications - August 10, 2009
Case Could Extend State's Taxing Powers
Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly - July 16, 2009
Destination Sourcing Might Resolve States' Conflict Over Sales Taxes, COST Official Says
Daily Tax Report - July 2009
New Hampshire Businesses Will Not Be Tax Agents for Massachusetts, Governor Vows
Weekly State Tax Report - July 13, 2009
Massachusetts Finalizes Combined Reporting Regulations
State Tax Notes - February 16, 2009
Welcome to TAXachusetts
Tire Business - February 9, 2009
New Regs Set the Framework for Combined Reporting in Massachusetts
State Tax Notes - February 3, 2009
State Chases Sales Taxes in N.H.
The Boston Globe
Events
- June 19, 2013 (2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.)
Massachusetts State & Local Tax Policy Update - April 23, 2013 (11:45 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.)
The Challenges of State Tax Administration: Ethics, Culture, Transparency and the Burden of Consistency - March 28, 2013 (11:45 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.)
The Works: Massachusetts Finance, Funding, Tax, and Training Programs Seminar - January 24, 2013
Annual State Tax Conference - September 14, 2012
Love and Money: The Interplay Between the Code, DOMA, and "Evolving" State Domestic Relations Laws - September 14, 2012
Recent Developments in Massachusetts Taxation of Financial Institutions - June 6, 2012 (2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.)
Massachusetts State & Local Tax Policy Update - February 16, 2012 (1:00 p.m. - 2:50 p.m.)
State Corporate Income Tax Audits: Preparing the Case - January 26, 2012
Multistate Tax Issues - January 19, 2012 (9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.)
Domicile, Gift & Estate Tax Audits - December 9, 2011 (12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.)
Trusts & Estates Section Mid-Year Review - November 22, 2011
The Massachusetts Tax Expenditure Debate - July 21, 2011 (1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.)
The Uses and Abuses of Discretionary Authority - June 23, 2011 (8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.)
Business Lawyer's Guide to Taxation of Business Entities - June 22, 2011 (2:00 - 5:00 p.m.)
Massachusetts State and Local Tax Update - May 5-7, 2011
REIT Recent Developments - February 7, 2011
Annual State Tax Conference - January 13, 2011
Independent SALT Alliance (ISA) Winter Meeting 2011 - October 5, 2010 (2:00 - 5:00 p.m.)
The Codified Economic Substance Doctrine - September 27-28, 2010
Combined Reporting - July 22, 2010 (1:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.)
What Every Lawyer Needs to Know About the Taxation of Business Entities
Publications
- October 26, 2010
Capital Gain Exclusion Rate Increased to 100% for Qualifying Investments
Client Advisory
