I know taxes vary by state, so if anyone from Pennsylvania happens to know anything about this, I would greatly appreciate any info you can provide. Our venue charges the price pp, a 21% service charge, and 6% PA sales tax.
I was under the impression that this meant the following:
$10,000 total venue cost (this is just an example)
+ $2,100 (service charge)
+ $600 (tax)
------------------
$12,700
The coordinator at the venue is telling us this:
$10,000 total venue cost
+ $2,100 (service charge)
------------------
$12,100
+ $726 (tax)
------------------
$12,826
I was under the impression that the service charge would not be taxable, but our coordinator is telling me that it is. I know the $126 difference in my example isn't really all that much of a difference, but there is quite a difference when I run the numbers for the actual costs. If she's right, that's fine. We have no problem paying it. I just want to know if she's trying to screw us out of several hundred dollars.
Re: Is a service charge taxable?
$63 base charge per person
18% service fee (18% of 63)= $11.34
6% sales tax (6% of 63)= $3.78
Total cost per person=$78.12
So I guess the short answer is, no our service fee is not taxed. I might post this on your local board and see what the norm/law is in Pennsylvania.
[QUOTE]Thanks - I just posted on my local board as well as the Philly board. Also, I found an e-mail address for the Pennsylvania Chamber of Commerce and sent a quick e-mail to them. It just doesn't make sense to me. When we go out to eat<strong>, we get a total bill plus tax and we leave a separate tip. There is no tax on the tip.</strong> <strong> The service charge at our venue is essentially a tip, so I don't understand why it would be taxed</strong>.
Posted by lls31[/QUOTE]
If you eat at a place that automatically adds gratuity, is that taxed?
I'm pretty sure I paid tax on my service charge.
I'd also contact your state's Department of Revenue, since that's where they pay the taxes the collect from you, they might know better about the tax code for this circumstance.
http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/061/chapter60/s60.4.html
Part (c) (2) (ii)
Seems to be saying that service charges like you're talking about are taxable.
Now this is old but I have a feeling is still correct. Not 100%. Doesn't seem right to me as a logical thing since it's suppose to be a tip IMO but you pay sales tax on other labor services such as carpet cleaning and construction.
Hope this helps! Keep us (or at least me because you've really intrigued me with this and I've thought of it before but never to look into) updated!
PS I hate legal jargon as I don't understand most of it...
So I went to my state's (CA) BOE and found that when the service charge is MANDATORY (as in, I have no choice as to whether or not I'll pay it as a "tip") then it is taxable. If I voluntarily give them some gratuity on my own accord, then that is NOT taxable.
Seems pretty stupid, IMO, but at least now I know before I get a big surprise!