State-by-state tax-free shopping guide for back-to-school supplies

State-by-state tax-free shopping guide for back-to-school supplies

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Looking to save on school supplies and perhaps other necessities? Once again, several states are easing the burden on consumers by offering tax-free shopping in the coming days and weeks for various items.

Here is a state-by-state list of many of the upcoming sales-tax holidays, according to information supplied by the Federation of Tax Administrators and the state websites.

Arkansas, Aug. 6-7: Tax-free (state and local) shopping on certain electronic devices, school supplies (including art supplies), school instructional materials and clothing.

Connecticut, Aug. 21-27: Tax-free shopping on clothing and footwear items that cost less than $100 apiece.

Florida: Tax-free shopping on qualifying children’s books (through Aug. 14) and on clothing, footwear and certain accessories that cost $100 or less per item; certain school supplies costing $50 or less per item; and personal computers and certain computer-related accessories costing $1,500 or less (through Aug. 7).

Illinois, through Aug. 14: Sales tax at a reduced rate on certain clothing and school-related items.  

Iowa, through Aug. 6: Tax-free shopping on select clothing and footwear.

Maryland, Aug. 14-20: Tax-free shopping on clothing and footwear on items that cost $100 or less each; no tax on the first $40 of any backpack or book bag purchase.

Massachusetts, Aug. 13-14: Tax-free shopping on retail items up to $2,500 (with some exceptions) purchased for personal use.

Missouri, through Aug. 7: Tax-free shopping on clothing items that cost $100 or less apiece, school supplies (not to exceed $50 per purchase), personal computers (not to exceed $1,500) and computer software ($350 or less), among other items.

New Jersey, Aug. 27-Sept. 5: Tax-free shopping on computers costing less than $3,000, school computer supplies on items costing less than $1,000, school supplies (including art supplies), school instructional materials, and sport or recreational equipment.

New Mexico, through Aug. 7: Tax-free shopping on clothing and footwear items costing less than $100 apiece, school-supply items costing less than $30 apiece, computer purchases up to $1,000 and computer hardware up to $500.

Ohio, through Aug. 7: Tax-free shopping on clothing items costing $75 or less apiece and school-supply and school-instructional items costing $20 or less apiece.

Oklahoma, through Aug. 7: Tax-free shopping on clothing and footwear items costing less than $100 apiece.

South Carolina, through Aug. 7: Tax-free shopping on a range of items (with some exceptions). Items include clothing and accessories; footwear; school supplies; computers, software, and printers; and certain bed and bath supplies.

Tennessee, through Aug. 31: Tax-free shopping on food and food ingredients.

Texas, through Aug. 7: Tax-free shopping on most clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks, so long as items cost less than $100 apiece.

Virginia, through Aug. 7: Tax-free shopping on qualified clothing and footwear costing $100 or less per item and qualified school supplies costing $20 or less item; also, tax-free shopping (with price caps) on a range of hurricane and emergency-preparedness products and Energy Star and WaterSense products.

West Virginia, through Aug. 8: Tax-free shopping on certain clothing items (costing $125 or less apiece), certain school-supply items ($50 or less apiece), certain school-instruction materials ($20 or less apiece); certain laptop and tablet computers ($500 or less apiece) and certain sports-equipment items ($150 or less apiece).  

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