10 Strangest Ways States Tax You (And Don’t)

NEVADA: THE SOFTER THE MUSIC, THE LOWER THE TAXES

Entertainment venues pay a business tax to the Silver State ranging from 5% to 10% on admissions fees (and food, drink and merchandise sales) whenever there’s live entertainment going on.

There are exemptions, however, including this one, for businesses that provide “ … Instrumental or vocal music, which may or may not be supplemented with commentary by the musicians, in a restaurant, lounge or similar area if such music does not routinely rise to the volume that interferes with casual conversation and if such music would not generally cause patrons to watch as well as listen.”

So your piano player can play “Feelings” softly and even crack a few jokes, tax-free, for your business. Just make sure they’re not funny enough to attract attention.

WEST VIRGINIA: TURNING A TOLL ROAD INTO A FREEWAY (ALMOST)

The West Virginia Turnpike has tolls. (They’re low by East Coast standards: $6 for all 88 miles, if you pay cash.) But the Mountain State tries to ease even this modest bite—for its own residents, at least. If they sign up for an E-ZPass transponder, the toll rate drops by one-third. What’s more (and this is where it becomes a tax issue), the state allows residents paying via E-ZPass to deduct the tolls they’ve paid for non-commercial travel.

The fine print: The tolls to be claimed must total at least $25 but no more than $1,200. But taxpayers can “look back” into previous tax years and claim any tolls paid in those years that exceeded the applicable limit.