In May of this year our governor, Charlie Crist, signed House Bill 483, the Back to School Sales Tax Holiday. For 3 days, Florida families will not be charge sales taxes on many school supplies and clothing. This year, the tax-free week occurs on August 13th through August 15th, just in time for the start of school.
Know what is tax-free and what is not tax-free
Some qualify book bags and backpacks as tax free items. Others say book bags are taxable but backpacks are exempt. States have different guidelines on which items qualify for the sales tax holiday. Review publication #10A01-04 to know what does and does not qualify.
Identify Dollar Limits
Dollar limits usually apply to each item you buy, as opposed to your entire purchase having to fall under a certain amount.
Make a List
Print out a copy of the our school supply list for this year and write your list for clothing that will be needed. Check to see if the items you listed are eligible. Just because school supplies are on the list of nontaxable items doesn't mean all school supplies will actually qualify. Checking your list against the state's list ensures you're not losing pennies on the dollar with every purchase.
Compare Prices
Look for the hottest deals. Use the sales circulars from the St. Petersburg's Times to compare prices on the items you wish to buy. Also, visit the web sites of several stores where you usually shop. For example, if you tend to buy your kids' jeans at Old Navy, visit their web sites during tax free week to find out which store is offering the better deal. Do the same for items such as school supplies, computers, and even sneakers.
