On September 23, 2010, Jones Walker will host a state and local tax seminar in Houston, Texas, titled "Louisiana State & Local Tax for Texans." The all-day seminar will be taught primarily by members of Jones Walker's State & Local Tax team, and is designed to provide attendees with the latest information regarding the hottest topics in Louisiana state and local taxation. The seminar will also provide guidance in navigating those murky waters of Louisiana state and local taxation, particularly for those who counsel Texas entities doing business in Louisiana.

The program will focus on important tax issues facing businesses today. Using the case-study method, the speakers will highlight the most pressing sales/use tax issues that businesses face in Louisiana. At the seminar, Jones Walker's SALT team will guide the participants through an interactive discussion of the problems and suggested ways to address the "hot" Louisiana sales/use tax issues presented in the problems, thus allowing the participants to apply the fundamental sale/use tax rules to real life situations. At lunch, Belton Didier and Timmy Hulin of Didier Consultants will address the nuances of managing an audit and the auditor, along with issues to address and pitfalls to avoid. During the afternoon sessions, the Jones Walker faculty will update the class on the latest developments in Louisiana tax credits and incentive programs. The speakers will address the trickiest procedural aspects of Louisiana state and local taxation and update the class on how to avoid procedural pitfalls and protect claims.

The program aims to help participants learn how to:

• Identify issues surrounding the inter-jurisdictional commerce and sourcing of sales around tangible personal property;
• Classify property as moveable or immovable for sales tax purposes; Practice sound auditing techniques and use best practices;
• Evaluate procedural options for handling audits, responding to proposed and formal assessments, administrative appeals, judicial appeals, as well as protecting claims, and address differences between state and local tax procedures; and
• Understand the sales and use tax aspects of electronic commerce.
  

For more information on the program, or to register to attend, please view the seminar brochure.