Supreme Court Says Caskets Subject To Taxation

The State Supreme Court says caskets come under the state sales tax. But the Court says the burial vaults they are placed in are not. The Court says caskets are personal property, thus subject to the tax. But vaults are not tangible personal property, and are therefore tax exempt. A St. Louis funeral home had argued that it should not have to charge sales taxes because the customer does not own the casket until it is placed in the ground.