Correll Company, which operates a mail-order clothing business, is physically located in State L. This year, the firm shipped $18 million of merchandise to customers in State R. State R imposes a 6 percent sales and use tax on the purchase and consumption of retail goods within the state. Required:
a. Do State R residents who purchased Firm L merchandise owe use tax on their purchases?
b. If State R could legally require Firm L to collect a 6 percent tax on mail-order sales made to residents of the state, how much additional revenue would the state collect? Explain the reasoning behind your answer.

Correll Company

a. Yes State R residents who purchased Firm L (out-of-state) merchandise owe use tax on their purchases.

b. State R would collect $1,080,000 additional revenue ($18 million * 6%) if Correll was required to collect the use tax at the point of sale and then remit the tax collected to State R.

Explanation:

a) Data and Calculations:

Cost of merchandise to customers in State R = $18 million

State R's sales and use tax on the purchase and consumption of retail goods within the state = 6%

Amount that Correll could collect for State R = $1,080,000 ($18 million * 6%)

b) Note that Correll (Firm L) collecting the State R use tax does not affect State R residents' legal liability to pay the use tax.  Unfortunately, not many people actually remit their self-assessed use tax.