Sales Tax Holiday This Weekend
By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter
EAST TEXAS – Even though some school districts are still figuring out the best way to re-open because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it appears all school districts throughout the state will start the 2020-2021 school year sometime in August or September.
This means students will need supplies and there will be no better weekend than this weekend to buy these items because it’s a sales tax holiday weekend!
According to Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar shoppers they can save money on clothes and school supplies during the state’s sales tax holiday on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 7-9.
The Comptroller’s Office stated the law exempts “… sales tax on qualified items — such as clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks — priced below $100, saving shoppers about $8 on every $100 they spend. The date of the sales tax holiday and list of tax-exempt items are set by the Texas Legislature.”
Hegar stressed while there is still a tremendous amount of uncertainty about the start of school “… the sales tax holiday is a perfect opportunity to save money on school supplies and other tax-free items at a time when many Texans are carefully monitoring their family finances. Online shopping is covered, so I encourage all Texans to shop online or practice social distancing when making in-store purchases. We want folks to stay safe while saving money.”
Apparel and school supplies that may be purchased tax-free are listed on the Comptroller’s website at www.TexasTaxHoliday.org.
To promote social distancing, the Comptroller’s office wants all taxpayers to know that during the annual sales tax holiday, qualifying items can be purchased online or by telephone, mail, custom order or any other means (including in-store purchases) tax free, when either:
- The item is both delivered to, and paid for by, the customer during the exemption period; or
- The customer orders and pays for the item, and the seller accepts the order during the exemption period for immediate shipment, even if delivery is made after the exemption period ends.
Texas’ sales tax holiday weekend has been an annual event since 1999, allowing Texans to save millions of dollars in state and local sales taxes each year. Last year’s holiday generated an estimated $102.2 million in savings for Texas taxpayers.
Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].
