OnlineSalesTax

Amazon has offered a $300 million investment and the promise of 5,000 jobs in the state of Texas in exchange for a reprieve on collecting sales tax on purchases made by Texans. It's just one of many similar deals being offered by the e-commerce giant, and Texas is said to be considering it.

If you're planning a major purchase via the Internet, you might want to do it quickly. Congress is expected to introduce a bill this week that would require Amazon.com, L.L. Bean, Cabela's and other online merchants to collect sales tax on all online purchases and return that money to the state in...