So this is an area where I have some hard won knowledge. What has likely happened is that you have MULTIPLE SAW (Secure Access Washington) user ids that have been created either inadvertently or on purpose. I had a lot more nerd-speak here that I deleted because it's nerd-speak. Bottom line, it's easy to do this with SAW. And if you use a password manager, it can mask the issue, making it worse.
My recommended approach would be to get to the point where you have the opportunity log into saw. At that point select the "forgot my user id" option. It will send you an email with ALL the user ids associated with your email address. Then, if there is more than one user id, you can cycle through all of them until you find the right one. I can't verify at the moment, but I believe (upper or lower) case matters.
Thank you Brother! That is indeed exactly what happened. I had a SAW account for accessing the DOR for many years. Then when buying license tabs for my truck a couple of years ago the DOL ended up with a different SAW account. For some reason the PDC also decided to use SAW recently (but I've not had any trouble at all with it, so that must be the good one.)
The steps you suggest make a great deal of sense, and I'll do that!
And I guess that sort of makes my point. DOR could have simply made these easy instructions available, but that seems to be beyond their procedure.
As for the broader policy, exempting the smallest of businesses from the tax, I do think that is solid. As a tax on gross receipts instead of net receipts, it can be really harmful to small businesses just starting out and not yet showing a profit. This policy helps with that in my view.
Keep in mind, the different accounts will have different accesses. The fun never ends! I also support the exemption policy (including having to file), but I do think we are still at a point where they need to provide a non-punitive paper-based method. I don't WANT us to still need that, but we are not at the point where everyone can be expected to have the IT access (or knowledge) to do things electronically. I think we'll be there soon, but not yet.
I agree. But of course the really funny thing is (to my mind at least) that they do provide a paper-based method. The forms are widely available. But, they tell you that you can't use them! 😁 That's just so odd to me. They spend money creating these complex forms each and every year, they take time to distribute those forms, online and off, and then they spend more money telling you not to use them if you use them! 🐿 That's more than a bit nuts. Just another example that if a bureaucracy grows too large, and too entrenched, it can no longer act in a rational manner. Most likely, the folks who make and distribute the forms, never ever interact with the folks who say that you can't use the forms, so neither group has any idea what the other group is doing.
Well, golly:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratatoskr
Pnut might just be more than he seems!
Cameron,
So this is an area where I have some hard won knowledge. What has likely happened is that you have MULTIPLE SAW (Secure Access Washington) user ids that have been created either inadvertently or on purpose. I had a lot more nerd-speak here that I deleted because it's nerd-speak. Bottom line, it's easy to do this with SAW. And if you use a password manager, it can mask the issue, making it worse.
My recommended approach would be to get to the point where you have the opportunity log into saw. At that point select the "forgot my user id" option. It will send you an email with ALL the user ids associated with your email address. Then, if there is more than one user id, you can cycle through all of them until you find the right one. I can't verify at the moment, but I believe (upper or lower) case matters.
Thank you Brother! That is indeed exactly what happened. I had a SAW account for accessing the DOR for many years. Then when buying license tabs for my truck a couple of years ago the DOL ended up with a different SAW account. For some reason the PDC also decided to use SAW recently (but I've not had any trouble at all with it, so that must be the good one.)
The steps you suggest make a great deal of sense, and I'll do that!
And I guess that sort of makes my point. DOR could have simply made these easy instructions available, but that seems to be beyond their procedure.
I've been there. With the EXACT same use case! Literally, filing to not pay B&O tax.
I really appreciate your instructions!
As for the broader policy, exempting the smallest of businesses from the tax, I do think that is solid. As a tax on gross receipts instead of net receipts, it can be really harmful to small businesses just starting out and not yet showing a profit. This policy helps with that in my view.
Keep in mind, the different accounts will have different accesses. The fun never ends! I also support the exemption policy (including having to file), but I do think we are still at a point where they need to provide a non-punitive paper-based method. I don't WANT us to still need that, but we are not at the point where everyone can be expected to have the IT access (or knowledge) to do things electronically. I think we'll be there soon, but not yet.
I agree. But of course the really funny thing is (to my mind at least) that they do provide a paper-based method. The forms are widely available. But, they tell you that you can't use them! 😁 That's just so odd to me. They spend money creating these complex forms each and every year, they take time to distribute those forms, online and off, and then they spend more money telling you not to use them if you use them! 🐿 That's more than a bit nuts. Just another example that if a bureaucracy grows too large, and too entrenched, it can no longer act in a rational manner. Most likely, the folks who make and distribute the forms, never ever interact with the folks who say that you can't use the forms, so neither group has any idea what the other group is doing.
Violent criminals allowed to run free, indeed.
How ridiculous....
In the State of Washington, over five years from 2019 to 2023:
-The murder rate increased 80%
-Violent crime rates have increased 19.6%
-Aggravated Assault rates have increased 27.3%
-Auto thefts (admittedly this is most often not a violent crime, but it can be) have increased 110.2%.
-Robbery rates have increased 19.8%.
These figures are taken from the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. Data from other States will of course be different.