Taxes and Surcharge calculations

[bamarsha]

Please explain your surcharge, taxes, and other fees in more detail that what is listed on your "Tax and Surcharge Estimator" because the estimator is spitting out nonsense. I have my plan, my phone payment, and surcharges/fees laid out in Excel trying to make things match (or at least get close) but can't do it. Verizon offers no explanation and just talks circles in the other threads on this topic.

Admin charge: Fixed ($1.23)

Reg charge: Fixed ($0.17)

OK Univ Service Fee: 0.8809% of what value??

Fed Universal Service Charege: 5.1174% of what value?

State and City tax: 8.6250% of what value?

OK State 911 Fee: Fixed ($0.75)

[boringusername]

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@bamarsha wrote:

Please explain your surcharge, taxes, and other fees in more detail that what is listed on your "Tax and Surcharge Estimator" because the estimator is spitting out nonsense. I have my plan, my phone payment, and surcharges/fees laid out in Excel trying to make things match (or at least get close) but can't do it. Verizon offers no explanation and just talks circles in the other threads on this topic.

Admin charge: Fixed ($1.23)

Reg charge: Fixed ($0.17)

OK Univ Service Fee: 0.8809% of what value??

Fed Universal Service Charege: 5.1174% of what value?

State and City tax: 8.6250% of what value?

OK State 911 Fee: Fixed ($0.75)

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Their estimator is off when it comes to state sales tax and USF fee. And you're not going to get an answer on that. Just look to see what it is on your bill. the good news is the actuall taxes/fees ar enot as high as the estimator. But I wonder how mnay potential customers are turned away by high fees that don't exist.

The USF fee. Is 44 cents( or somewhere in there ) per line.

[bamarsha]

My point is that their estimator is completely worthless. It did not match up with my bill at all. I was looking at switching plans and trying to calculate the final cost... I am afraid that a "$30" plan increase will end up more like a "$50" overall increase.

[bamarsha]

Also, if their estimator doesn't work at all, how are we to know that their billing software works? Verizon could be skimming money from us all and we are clueless.

[mama23dogs]

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@bamarsha wrote:

Please explain your surcharge, taxes, and other fees in more detail that what is listed on your "Tax and Surcharge Estimator" because the estimator is spitting out nonsense. I have my plan, my phone payment, and surcharges/fees laid out in Excel trying to make things match (or at least get close) but can't do it. Verizon offers no explanation and just talks circles in the other threads on this topic.

Admin charge: Fixed ($1.23)

Reg charge: Fixed ($0.17)

OK Univ Service Fee: 0.8809% of what value??

Fed Universal Service Charege: 5.1174% of what value?

State and City tax: 8.6250% of what value?

OK State 911 Fee: Fixed ($0.75)

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The percentages are based on the highest value in your state, which would mean your estimate is likely less than those calculated with those numbers. 

Using the values for my state, I pay less than the values calculated.  

[bamarsha]

Admin charge: Estimate = $1.23, Bill = $3.69 (assume estimate times # of lines)

Reg charge: Estimate = $0.17, Bill = $0.51 (assume estimate times # of lines)

OK Univ Service Fee: Estimate = 0.8809% of what value?? Bill = $0.48

Fed Universal Service Charege: Estimate = 5.1174% of what value? Bill = $1.74

State and City tax: 8.6250% of what value? Bill = $4.83 (right percentage in estimator, but of what? Nothing in the bill times this percentage is 4.83)

OK State 911 Fee: Estimate = $0.75, Bill = $2.25 (assume estimate times # of lines)

What is taxed is likely to affect alternate plan pricing the most. What is taxed here??? Those fees likely won't change much, though the 5% might.

[bamarsha]

Tax = $4.83

12 XL Plan, $80 * 8.625% = $6.90 - No, high

Per line charge, $20 * 8.625% = $1.73 - No, low

All 3 lines charge, $60 * 8.625% = $5.18 - No, high

Total Plan and lines, $140 * 8.625% = $12.08 - No, high

Total phone payments, $36.38 * 8.625% = $3.14 - No, low

These aren't even in the same ballpark.

[vzw_customer_support]

bamarsha, we understand your concern regarding taxes and surcharges. I assure you our billing software does work adequately. The tool offered online is an estimation and may differ from what is reflected on the bill due to different features and services you may have. You mentioned you were looking into changing your plan you can send us a private message or contact us here http://spr.ly/6606Eb0D8 and we can provide a more detailed estimate of the new plan.

TionnaB_VZW

[boringusername]

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@mama23dogs wrote:

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@bamarsha wrote:

Please explain your surcharge, taxes, and other fees in more detail that what is listed on your "Tax and Surcharge Estimator" because the estimator is spitting out nonsense. I have my plan, my phone payment, and surcharges/fees laid out in Excel trying to make things match (or at least get close) but can't do it. Verizon offers no explanation and just talks circles in the other threads on this topic.

Admin charge: Fixed ($1.23)

Reg charge: Fixed ($0.17)

OK Univ Service Fee: 0.8809% of what value??

Fed Universal Service Charege: 5.1174% of what value?

State and City tax: 8.6250% of what value?

OK State 911 Fee: Fixed ($0.75)

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The percentages are based on the highest value in your state, which would mean your estimate is likely less than those calculated with those numbers. 

Using the values for my state, I pay less than the values calculated.  

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The point is there is nowhere to base the pecentages on. If i was with a another carrier and I see my taxes and fees on Verizon would be much  much higher( even though they wouldn't be ) because of the estimator so I don't switch to Verizon that really doesn't help Verizon.