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In the midst of the frenzy of the pandemic, upcoming elections and the day-to-day concerns of families and businesses, news of a consumer windfall may be lost.
While the start of the new school year is fraught with uncertainty, one thing is sure: This weekend, Aug. 7-9, is Florida’s annual back-to-school sales-tax holiday, when many items of clothing and school supplies, including computers and related equipment, are exempt from the state and local sales taxes. Some merchants often sweeten the deal for shoppers by discounting items during the tax-free shopping period.
Perhaps best of all for adults, they can get the same tax break when buying items for themselves, as well as for their children.
In general, clothing and shoes priced under $60 are exempt from sales tax. Clothing includes shirts, blouses, dresses, trousers, socks, jeans, jackets, uniforms, underwear, and even swimsuits, martial-arts attire and bicycle helmets. Purchases of baby clothes and diapers are also free of sales taxes this weekend.
To the dismay of bibliophiles, books are not on the tax-free list, but a host of other merchandise comes with savings this weekend.
Items such as book bags, notebooks, notebook paper, crayons, pencils, pens, rulers, calculators and lunchboxes are exempt from sales taxes, if the items are priced less than $15.
The sales taxes are waived for the first $1,000 in the price of computers — desktop, laptop and tablets — and for the first $1,000 in the price of most computer accessories for personal or noncommercial use.
For a complete list of what is tax-exempt and what remains subject to sales taxes, visit www.floridarevenue.com.
