Tax system simplification and a workforce-boosting program are going into effect.
2 Measures Alabama Small Business Owners Should Know About
Owning and operating a small
business in Alabama is getting a bit easier, thanks to two new measures, one
beginning January 2017 and one already effective.
Business Personal Property Tax
Online Filing
As of Oct. 1, 2016, Alabama
businesses will be able to report equipment, tools, machinery, and other
business personal property through the Optional Personal Property Assessment
Link (OPPAL) online system. OPPAL is an optional, free, reporting-only portal,
and it will be available each year from Oct. 1 to Jan. 31 of the following
year. Visit www.oppal.alabama.gov/
to learn more.
This is the first step toward
simplification of the business personal property tax system, which NFIB/AL has
promoted for years.
Apprenticeship Program
During the 2016 legislative
session, lawmakers voted to pass apprenticeship legislation. Rules and
specifics are currently being finalized for the program, but it will provide
employers the tools—as well as a tax credit—to use apprenticeships to develop a
highly skilled workforce, which will help grow their businesses. The program
will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2017, and more details will be announced closer
to that date.