Dish Billing Issues (Calculation of Sales Tax)

[Tampa8]

Any update? When I had my taxes done the Accountant said very likely the way the promotion is set up they are supposed to charge tax on full package price. He did say however state regulations are so different it isn't easy to tell without fully investigating.

 

[Claude Greiner]

Nice to see someone looking at both sides of the issue. This is a case of Dish interpreted Indiana's sales tax ruling one way while DirecTV interpreted it a different way. Is the presumption that Dish is collecting sales tax based on the pre-discounted price, knowing that's incorrect, and pocketing the money ?

I think any tax collected would be forwarded to the state.

 

[mike123abc]

Perhaps it is a distinction as to how Dish considers discounts verses DIRECTV.

 

[Rotryrkt]

UPDATE:
I have received a letter from the Indiana AG's office. It stated that they reviewed the case and have opened a file on the matter. Further, they stated that they were referring it to their mediators for resolution. Shortly after this I received a letter from the mediator assigned to the case stating that she had sent a letter to Dish about the matter. Magically, the following day I was contacted about the complaint from a representative of Dish Network's "executive resolution team" offering to credit my account for the amount of the tax on the $35 discount for the first year. I accepted their offer.
Obviously, this settles the matter for me. They maintain that the tax collected is correct and that the full amount is sent to the State. I don't doubt that they do so. However, this doesn't resolve the matter for everyone else who is paying this. The AG must have thought my argument had some merit or they would have simply told me I was incorrect and that would have ended it. I have contacted the Indiana Dept. of Revenue about this as well. I have not yet received a reply from them.
Dish has solved my issue and I am satisfied with the resolution. Admittedly it is a small amount of money to raise a stink over, but when it is a tax, I don't want the government to get a penny more of my money than necessary. I will report back when I hear from the IDOR.

 

[Hall]

Dish is giving this same credit to everyone in Indiana that's eligible too, right ?

 

[Rotryrkt]

Dish is giving this same credit to everyone in Indiana that's eligible too, right ?

I doubt it unless you call to complain. I talked to the ERT before I contacted the AG and they refused to do anything. When they got the letter from the AG all of a sudden they called me and offered the refund. The squeaky wheel gets the grease as they say.
Can you say class action lawsuit? Not really worth it for such a small amount. The only ones who get rich are the lawyers and Dish would just raise their rates to cover the costs. So who loses? We do.

 

[mike123abc]

Good to hear that you got your tax issue fixed. I wonder how your next bill will be, will the tax still be calculated the same way or will they make the adjustment...

 

[JM42]

Good to hear that you got your tax issue fixed. I wonder how your next bill will be, will the tax still be calculated the same way or will they make the adjustment...

This type of thing drives tax guys crazy. Assuming Dish is forwarding all the collected taxes, it's in Dish's best interest to keep the overall bill as low as possible when dollars are not going to the bottom line. Wouldn't surprise me if Dish asked for an opinion at some point and were told to tax it. Now the AG comes in and asks why they are taxing it. Damned if they do, damned if they don't.

No disrespect to the OP - more power to him. Hopefully it will spur movement that will help everyone in the state.

 

[Rotryrkt]

Good to hear that you got your tax issue fixed. I wonder how your next bill will be, will the tax still be calculated the same way or will they make the adjustment...

They are deducting $2.46 from the top 250 price for 1 year. Tax is then calculated on the amount after the credit is applied. So, in effect, they are contradicting themselves by not computing the tax on the amount before the deduction. Makes no sense.