Top 10 accounting firm Forvis Mazars has launched SALT Explorer, a sales and use tax estimation platform for its construction industry clients navigating their state and local tax (SALT) challenges.
SALT Explorer provides sales and use tax estimates for incorporation into project bids, helping reduce the risk of sales and use tax exposure and enhancing financial performance, the firm says in a media release.
Developed by EDGE, the innovation lab of Forvis Mazars, the web-based platform was created to equip construction companies—especially those working across multiple states—with a digital-first strategy to streamline and accurately create project estimates. SALT Explorer provides guided project setup, sales and use tax estimates, curated local knowledge, and access to the accounting firm’s SALT advisors.
“Contractors, builders, architects, and leaders in the construction industry have faced an evolving backlog issue that’s growing in complexity. SALT Explorer eases this burden by delivering a platform that provides fast, highly accurate tax estimates—critical for reducing financial risk and improving efficiency,” Jason Myers, national industry leader for construction and real estate at Forvis Mazars, said in a statement. “By streamlining the integration of these historically complicated tax regulations into reliable project estimates, our clients can save time while helping ensure they maintain compliance. This balance of speed and precision is crucial for making informed decisions and driving project success.”
SALT Explorer’s project setup form guides estimators through essential variables necessary for creating accurate bids by:
- Locating the relevant tax jurisdiction using the project’s address or GPS coordinates, and
- Walking users step by step through details such as contract type and project costs, like materials and labor.
In addition, SALT Explorer uses the latest state and local tax codes and rates to generate up-to-date sales or use tax liability estimates, as well as:
- State tax rates;
- City, county, and special district tax rates;
- Detailed state guidance; and
- Information on each state’s treatment of construction contracts.
“Many of our construction industry clients rely on outdated PDF guides, often thousands of pages long, to navigate complex tax regulations, or they invest in specialized SALT teams to provide estimates—both of which are time-consuming and expensive,” said Tommy Varnell, managing director with the SALT consulting team at Forvis Mazars. “This platform, part of our existing Forvis Mazars SALT service line, offers a streamlined solution tailored specifically for the construction industry, with plans to expand into other sectors in the future.”
More information about SALT Explorer can be found here.
