Take advantage of the Sales Tax Holiday Aug. 5-7

Better Business Bureau

BBB offers advice for consumers shopping this Tax Free Weekend
With the new school year right around the corner, Tax Free Weekend is a great opportunity to stock up and save on some of your back-to-school shopping needs.
This year’s Sales Tax Holiday is Aug. 5-7. Tax Free Weekend means that items like school supplies, clothing and footwear are tax free. For example, if you spend $100, you save $8. Texas shoppers are expected to save an estimated $92 million in state local sales tax during this year’s holiday.
According to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, all sales of qualifying items made during the holiday period qualify for the exemption, including items sold online, by phone or mail, and with layaway. A list of qualifying items can be found here.
According to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey, families with children in grades K-12 plan to spend an average of $673 on back-to-school shopping. Total spending for K-12 and college is expected to reach $65.8 billion, an increase from last year.
To make the most out of Tax Free Weekend this year, Better Business Bureau serving Central, Coastal, Southwest Texas and the Permian Basin recommends shoppers:

Know the difference between “back-to-school sale” and tax free items. Retail stores may advertise back-to-school sales because they know consumers are buying items for the upcoming school year. Certain discounts will still have taxes applied to them unless the item appears on the state comptroller’s tax free list.
Read the fine print. Retailers aren’t required to collect state and local sales or use tax on most clothing and footwear that are sold for less than $100 during Tax Free Weekend. The exemption applies to items that sell for less than $100, regardless of how many items are sold on the same ticket.
Save your receipts. You’ll need them if you want to make an exchange or return an item. Remember some items are non-refundable or have a 30-day return period.For more back-to-school tips, visit bbb.org/backtoschool.


Take advantage of the Sales Tax Holiday Aug. 5-7 Better Business Bureau BBB offers advice for consumers shopping this Tax Free Weekend With the new school year right around the corner, Tax Free Weekend is a great opportunity to stock up and save on some of your back-to-school shopping needs. This year’s Sales Tax Holiday is Aug. 5-7. Tax Free Weekend means that items like school supplies, clothing and footwear are tax free. For example, if you spend $100, you save $8. Texas shoppers are expected to save an estimated $92 million in state local sales tax during this year’s holiday. According to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, all sales of qualifying items made during the holiday period qualify for the exemption, including items sold online, by phone or mail, and with layaway. A list of qualifying items can be found here. According to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey, families with children in grades K-12 plan to spend an average of $673 on back-to-school shopping. Total spending for K-12 and college is expected to reach $65.8 billion, an increase from last year. To make the most out of Tax Free Weekend this year, Better Business Bureau serving Central, Coastal, Southwest Texas and the Permian Basin recommends shoppers: Know the difference between “back-to-school sale” and tax free items. Retail stores may advertise back-to-school sales because they know consumers are buying items for the upcoming school year. Certain discounts will still have taxes applied to them unless the item appears on the state comptroller’s tax free list. Read the fine print. Retailers aren’t required to collect state and local sales or use tax on most clothing and footwear that are sold for less than $100 during Tax Free Weekend. The exemption applies to items that sell for less than $100, regardless of how many items are sold on the same ticket. Save your receipts. You’ll need them if you want to make an exchange or return an item. Remember some items are non-refundable or have a 30-day return period.For more back-to-school tips, visit bbb.org/backtoschool.
2016 Alice Business Today - August 2016