Tag Archives: Tax free weekend

Sales tax free weekend in South Carolina this Friday thru Sunday

This weekend, the 6% state sales and use tax, and any applicable local sales and use tax, will not be imposed on clothing, clothing accessories (e.g., hats, scarves, hosiery, and handbags), footwear, school supplies (e.g., pens, pencils, paper, binders, notebooks, books, bookbags, lunchboxes, and calculators), computers, printers and printer supplies, computer software, and bath wash clothes, blankets, bed spreads, bed linens, sheet sets, comforter sets, bath towels, shower curtains, bath rugs and mats, pillows, and pillow cases.

The sales tax holiday, however, does not apply to sales of jewelry, cosmetics, eyewear, wallets, watches, furniture, rental of clothing or footwear, items for use in a business, or items placed on layaway or similar deferred payment and delivery plans.

This may or may not be the best time to purchase your back to school items.  Some retailers may not put the best prices on their wares this weekend, relying instead on the feeding frenzy that is sales tax free weekend to drive sales.  Once the sales taxes are back in place, retailers have to once again compete for your business by giving you the best price.

However, tax free weekend may be an excellent time to purchase products that have their prices set on a nationwide basis, such as computers or other goods purchased online.  Next weekend, after the sales tax holiday has ended, may produce better overall prices as retailers seek to sell their remaining inventory but the selection may be limited as items may be picked over at that point. The trick is to know the true cost of your intended purchase and only buy if its a good deal or you are not really concerned about getting the best possible price.

Remember, if your goal is to get the best possible price, avoiding sales taxes may not be the best way to get there.  If you end up having to pay sales taxes but still get a lower overall price, that, my friends, is still a victory in the retail wars.

Happy shopping!

Annual Sales Tax Holiday in South Carolina is August 2 – 4

Columbia, SC (July 17, 2013) — The popular Sales Tax Holiday weekend in South Carolina will take place Friday, August 2 at 12:01 am and continue through Sunday, August 4 at midnight.

During the 14th Annual Sales Tax Holiday, shoppers will benefit from an exemption of the 6% state sales tax and any applicable local taxes on the purchase of school supply items. In addition to shoppers saving approximately $3 million over the course of the weekend, the Sales Tax Holiday also benefits in-state businesses by encouraging taxpayers to do their back-to-school shopping in South Carolina.

During this time, taxes will not be imposed on items such as clothing, shoes, school supplies, book bags, computers, printers, bedspreads and linens.

Nonexempt items during the weekend include the sale of jewelry, cosmetics, eyewear, furniture, or items placed on layaway. With the growing popularity of computer tablets, portable devices that have computing functions which allow users to access multiple software applications are considered computers and are therefore tax-exempt, provided they do not allow users to make telephone calls.

For more information about this year’s Sales Tax Holiday, including a sample list of exempt and nonexempt items, visit the SC Department of Revenue website, www.sctax.org, under the “What’s New” section.

South Carolina tax free weekend begins today

In case you forgot about it, this is the weekend to purchase school type supplies tax free in South Carolina today thru Sunday at midnight.  This can be particularly beneficial for those big ticket items such as computers, ipads and laptops.

Officially known in South Carolina as the Sales Tax Holiday, you are allowed to purchase many items that you might not think of as school supplies without incurring the normal state sales tax of 6% or the additional local sales taxes.

Click here to view a list of items eligible for the sales tax exemption. (PDF)

Click here to see FAQ on the South Carolina sales tax holiday. (PDF)

Tax On Wheels, LLC can be reached at 803 732-4288

First weekend in August: South Carolina “Sales Tax Holiday”

Columbia, SC — Less than a month away in South Carolina is the annual Sales Tax Holiday – the state’s popular three-day sales and use tax break on traditional back-to-school purchases.

The 13th annual Sales Tax Holiday, which was implemented in 2000, will begin Friday, August 3 at 12:01 a.m. and tax-exempt purchases can be made through Sunday, August 5 at midnight. While providing taxpayers with an exemption on the 6% statewide sales tax as well as any applicable local taxes, the tax-free weekend also benefits in-state businesses by urging taxpayers to do their back-to-school shopping in South Carolina.

During this time, taxes will not be imposed on clothing, shoes, school supplies, book bags, computers, printers, bedspreads and linens, and more. Nonexempt items during the weekend include the sales of jewelry, cosmetics, eyewear, furniture, or items placed on layaway. Portable devices whose function is primarily used for telephone calls, listening or downloading music, watching videos, or reading books, are not exempt during the tax-free weekend. However, with the growing popularity of computer tablets, portable devices that have computing functions and allow users to access multiple software applications are considered computers and are therefore tax-exempt, provided they do not allow users to make telephone calls. More information on the exemption of computer tablets can be found at www.sctax.org.

The popularity of the tax-free weekend has made it the third busiest shopping period of the year, surpassed only by the weekends after Thanksgiving and before Christmas, as South Carolina shoppers save approximately $3 million during the tax-free weekend.

For more information about this year’s Sales Tax Holiday, including an example list of exempt and nonexempt items as well as a listing of frequently asked questions, visit the SC Department of Revenue website, www.sctax.org, under the “What’s New” section. 

If you need assistance planning your tax free weekend shopping please feel free to call Tax On Wheels, LLC at 803 732-4288.