Connecticut’s Tax Free Week 2015

If you’re getting ready to send your kids back to school in the great state of Connecticut, don’t forget to take advantage of the state’s Tax-Free Week, August 16-22, 2015. It’s a great time to save on all of your kids’ back-to-school wear for the new school year, both in-store and online.

Connecticut’s Tax-Free Holiday Guidelines

Connecticut’s Tax-Free Holiday rules are:

  • Clothing and shoes under $300 per item are tax exempt.
  • The following items are not exempt:
    • Clothing or footwear primarily designed for and normally not worn except when used during an athletic activity (for example, football cleats are not exempt, but basketball shoes are).
    • Accessories like jewelry, handbags, luggage, umbrellas, wallets, watches, and other items “not worn on the body in the manner characteristic of clothing.”

You can find the state’s entire declaration about the upcoming holiday at the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services website.

Shopping Online during Connecticut’s Tax-Free Week

Head online to your favorite stores, and combine Back-to-School deals and coupons while saving an extra 6% in taxes for the ultimate discount on your purchases.

According to Connecticut law, shipping and handling is not included as part of the purchase price of your product, which means you can order a coat that costs $299.99 with a $25 shipping cost and the item will still be considered exempt because it comes in under the $300 threshold.

Layaway Now, No Tax Later

One of the most generous guidelines under Connecticut’s tax-free holiday laws is the layaway provision: if you put an item on layaway and make the first payment during tax-free week, none of the payments on the item will include tax. That means you can take advantage of tax-free shopping even if you’re light on cash right now. Retailers who operate in Connecticut and offer layaway services include Kmart, TJ Maxx, and Marshalls.

Saving During Tax-Free Week

Knowing that there are savings built in to every purchase might tempt you into a shopping spree, but don’t go crazy. The sales tax rate in Connecticut is 6.35% (additional local taxes may or may not be exempt, depending on your city or county laws), so that’s how much you’ll be saving. It’s possible – and perhaps even probable – that you’ll be able to find better sales either before or after the holiday. To get the best deals, combine tax-free shopping with Back-to-School savings for coupons and deals that you can stack.