formulabasics
How Reverse Sales Tax Works
The complete guide to working backwards from a tax-included total to find the original pre-tax price. Includes the formula and step-by-step examples.
Read guide →Sales Tax Guides
Practical guides on how sales tax works, how to calculate it forwards and backwards, and what rates apply where. Written for clarity.
how-toformula
How to Remove Tax From a Total Price
Step-by-step walkthrough of removing sales tax from any total. Includes a quick-reference divisor table for common US tax rates.
Read guide →referencerates
Sales Tax Rates by State (2024)
A complete reference of state and average combined sales tax rates for every US state. Includes links to official tax authority sources.
Read guide →formulamath
Reverse Tax Formula Explained
A focused breakdown of the reverse tax formula—why it works, worked examples at multiple rates, and edge cases like partial exemptions.
Read guide →VATinternational
VAT vs Sales Tax: What's the Difference?
VAT and US sales tax are both consumption taxes, but structured very differently. This guide explains both clearly and shows how reverse calculation works for each.
Read guide →consumerbasics
Why Your Receipt Total Looks Higher Than Expected
In most US states, shelf prices don't include tax. Here's exactly what's happening when your total at checkout doesn't match what you expected.
Read guide →Looking for a Specific Calculator?
Our guides explain the concepts, but if you just need a quick answer, head to one of these tools:
- Reverse Sales Tax Calculator — find the original price before tax
- VAT Calculator — add or remove VAT from any price
- Discount Calculator — find the sale price after a percentage off
- State Tax Calculators — pre-loaded rates for every US state