While some school districts have already welcomed students back to the classroom, Texas families still have one more chance to stretch their back-to-school budgets during the state’s annual Sales Tax Holiday this weekend.
The three-day event runs from Friday, Aug. 8, through midnight Sunday, Aug. 10, and allows shoppers to purchase a variety of qualifying items without paying state or local sales tax. Most clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks priced under $100 are included in the exemption.
Shoppers can take advantage of the savings whether they buy items in person, online, over the phone or by mail. A full list of tax-free items is available at TexasTaxHoliday.org.
According to the Texas Comptroller’s Office, shoppers are expected to save an estimated $133.2 million in state and local sales tax this year alone. Since the first Sales Tax Holiday in 1999, Texans have saved more than $2 billion.
“We’re glad to be able to help families stretch their hard-earned dollars,” Hancock said.
The tax break also applies to layaway purchases. Items placed on layaway or final payments made on existing layaway purchases during the holiday are tax-free, provided the individual item price is below $100.
If a retailer mistakenly charges sales tax on a qualifying item, customers can request a refund directly from the seller. More information about sales tax refunds is available on the Texas Comptroller’s website.