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Need a budget break on back-to-school shopping? Ohio's Department of Taxation has one built in Aug. 7-9, with a sales tax holiday that should help.
Though there is no expanded holiday this year, for those three days, clothing priced $75 or less, school supplies priced $20 or less and school instructional materials priced $20 or less will be exempt from sales tax.
While most of us are capable of using common sense to sort it out, the department does note the sales tax holiday does NOT apply to "food in restaurants, boats/watercrafts, titled outboard motors, motor vehicles, alcohol, tobacco, vape products, or items with marijuana. It also does not apply to any other tangible personal property, taxable services, and items purchased for use in business."
But families still have plenty of questions, and most of them are answered at tax.ohio.gov/business/sales-and-use-tax/sales-tax-holiday.
For example: "A customer buys two shirts, two pairs of pants, a pair of shoes, and a jacket (each costing $70, total $420). The whole $420 would be exempt since each item is less than or equal to $75. The price of the individual item is what makes it qualify. Please note retailers are not permitted to split items that are normally sold together to get the purchase to qualify."
Other topics include discounts and coupons, refunds, layaway, subscription box services and more.
If you've been putting off the inevitable, now you can mark your calendar for back-to-school shopping that will take a little less out of your wallet. Given the expenses parents know pop up to surprise us throughout the school year, you're going to need it.