How do I determine NJ use tax to report on out of state purchases if I don't have receipts for such? And how do I enter it into TurboTax?

[thesimroths]

In past years, the NJ resident income tax return instructions had a table that could be used to estimate use tax due on out of state purchases (for purchases <$1000) based on gross income.  The NJ income tax return instructions no longer have that table but I did find a similar table on a NJ Division of Taxation Web Page (https://www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/su_10.shtml).  Using that table, I can estimate tax due but then am wondering how to enter into TurboTax which just asks for what was purchased, date of purchase, price paid, and sales tax paid.  But since this table is for various purchased on various dates, I'm trying to figure out how best to handle.  I've back calculated what $ purchase would be required at the NJ sales tax rate to equal the estimated use tax I'd owe from the table then have entered that amount, along with a purchase description of "various" and a date of 12/31/18 (had to enter a specific date to avoid getting error message when running review in TurboTax).  Does this seem proper or does anyone know of better way to handle?

[rjs · Accepted solution]

What you did is exactly the right way to do it. The only thing that actually goes on your NJ tax return is the amount of use tax. The purchase description and date that you enter don't matter.