ELLINGER BELL
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    • Stephanie S. Bell
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State and Local Tax (SALT) 

Overview

For business entities and individuals, tax liabilities in the form of assessments or property value increases can have a substantial negative financial impact on your bottom line, sometimes a devastating, business-ending impact.  Our SALT practice involves a number of activities and skill sets, depending on the client, the nature of the tax issue, the government agency imposing the tax, and the stage of the proceedings.  In some cases, tax avoidance through tax planning is the client’s goal.  Most often, however, the client’s need is a reactive one – notice of a tax audit or valuation increase, an actual assessment, or a collection action necessitates a challenge to the action.  Negotiation and litigation are the most common responses. 

Our attorneys have over 60 years combined experience in consulting, negotiating and litigating State and Local Tax matters in Missouri.  This includes sales tax, use tax, property tax, special purpose taxes, State income tax, and tax incentive and credit programs.  Through our representations in this area, we have gained an appreciation of the different agencies involved and an understanding of their processes.  We have also gained an understanding of the relationship of tax compliance with other business operations approvals, such as retail tax licenses, liquor licenses and other state and local approvals.
We have represented businesses, individuals, political subdivisions, and quasi-public entities that administer special purpose taxes.  Businesses we have represented include manufacturers, retailers, restaurants, convenience stores, service industry, wholesalers, property managers, appraisers, and tax consultants.  Political subdivisions and quasi-public entities include counties, county assessors, county collectors, cities and towns, fire protection districts, sewer districts, public water districts, and tourism commissions.  

​In the property tax area, our clients are primarily a variety of business-types that are valuated through the typical approaches to value – income, comparable sales and replacement cost.  In addition to the general businesses, we have represented a number of special use-type properties that often involve unique approaches to valuation, including hotels, restaurants, golf courses, theaters, low income housing developments, casinos, mixed use and impaired properties.  We have also been involved in charitable and governmental exemption cases, including mixed exempt and non-exempt properties, such as charitable hospitals owning for-profit doctors’ office buildings.

Our Clients

  • ​Sole Proprietorships
  • Partnerships
  • Corporations
  • Other For-Profit Business Entities
  • Not-For-Profit Corporations​
  • Individuals

Service We Provide

Sales and Use Tax representations include:
  • Tax clearance and no tax due letters
  • Retail tax license litigation
  • Audit preparation and response
  • Assessment appeals
    • Representation at Administrative Hearing Commission
    • Judicial review actions before trial courts and court of appeals
  • Exemptions
  • Payment plan negotiations
  • Abatement and forgiveness
  • Offer in compromise form preparation and negotiations
  • Tax Amnesty
 
Property Tax representations include:
  • Informal negotiations with Assessor’s office over valuations
  • Valuation appeals
    • Representation at Board of Equalization hearings
    • Representation before the State Tax Commission
    • Judicial review actions before trial courts and court of appeals
  • Exemptions (full and partial)
  • Personal property
  • Ratio (discriminatory assessment/uniformity assessment) challenges
 
State Income Tax representations include:
  • Audit preparation and response
  • Assessment appeals
    • Representation at Administrative Hearing Commission
    • Judicial review actions before trial courts and court of appeals
Miscellaneous tax representations include:
  • Special taxation district formation
  • Special tax authorization approval
  • Tax measure elections
  • Tax challenges – constitutional, statutory, procedural
  • Hancock Amendment litigation
  • Tax incentives and tax credits
  • Legislation drafting, legislative review and legislative strategy

Where We Represent Clients

  • Missouri Administrative Hearing Commission
  • Missouri State Tax Commission
  • State and Federal Trial and Appellate Courts
  • State Administrative Licensing and Regulatory Agencies

State and Local Tax Attorneys

Marc H. Ellinger
Thomas W. Rynard
Stephanie S. Bell
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The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements. Past results afford no guarantee of future results. Every case is different and must be judged on its own merits. ​
  • Home
  • Our Team
    • Marc H. Ellinger
    • Stephanie S. Bell
  • Practice Areas
    • Associations
    • Business Law >
      • Contracting Parties
    • Civil Litigation (Trial and Appellate)
    • Election Law >
      • Campaign Finance
    • Energy & Utilities
    • Environmental Law
    • Gaming Law
    • Government Relations
    • Professional Licensing
    • Public Procurement
    • State and Local Tax
  • Contact
  • News