Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting:

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Back-to-school Sales Tax Savings for 2017 (Graphic: Business Wire)

What:

Sixteen states offer sales tax holidays where state sales tax charges are temporarily dropped on back-to-school items and other qualifying products — according to each state’s tax holiday rules. The holidays can be brief, ranging from as little as two days to as long as a week. Sales tax holidays timed for back-to-school shopping began as early as July 21 in Alabama this year and ended on July 23, but for the other fifteen states the tax holidays take place from the end of July to the end of August, with most falling on the first weekend of August. These temporary tax exemptions only apply to specific items outlined by each state.

Why:

A number of states have revised the specific requirements for their programs over the years – including Florida, Maryland, Missouri and Connecticut – and some, like Georgia, have dropped its tax holiday program entirely.

List of States Offering Back-to-school Sales Tax Holidays:

But back-to-school season isn’t the only time certain states offer sales tax holidays. Some states such as Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Texas, and Virginia include items for hurricane and severe weather emergency preparation as part of their sales tax holidays, such as portable generators and batteries. Certain Energy Star appliances and WaterSense products, washers, ceiling fans, dehumidifiers, dishwashers, light bulbs, programmable thermostats and refrigerators may be eligible for tax breaks during sales tax holidays held in Maryland, Missouri, Texas and Virginia. Louisiana and Mississippi also have sales tax holidays for firearms and ammunition.

Who:

Expert Analyst Available for Interviews: Carol Kokinis-Graves, JD, is an attorney and senior state tax analyst for Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting, specializing in tracking, analyzing and reporting issues regarding state and local sales and use taxes. She is also an expert in e-commerce transactions involving state taxes.

Kokinis-Graves can discuss specific sales tax holidays for each state, including:

• 2017 effective dates
• All qualifying items (school supplies, clothing, computers, software, etc.)
• Dollar limits
• Residency requirements
• How much shoppers may save, depending on how much they spend

When:

Kokinis-Graves is available for phone interviews to provide in-depth background and analysis on the sales tax holidays that may benefit regional audiences.

Contact:

Members of the media interested in arranging an interview with Carol Kokinis-Graves or need more information may contact:

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170726005928/en/