MARYLAND — As you get ready for classes to start again, Maryland parents can save money on back-to-school items during this year’s sales tax holiday, which runs from Aug. 14-20.
Sales tax holidays are intended to help families save money on school essentials like supplies, clothes, shoes, backpacks and more.
During Maryland's tax-free week, any single qualifying article of clothing or footwear priced at $100 or less — regardless of how many items are purchased in the same transaction — will be exempt from the state's 6 percent sales tax. The first $40 of any backpack purchase is also tax free.
“Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week is the annual reminder that summer is drawing to an end and kids will soon return to classrooms," Comptroller Peter Franchot said in a news release. "I encourage all Marylanders to take advantage of reduced prices and support local retailers throughout our great state."
The National Retail Federation notes the holidays are especially important during a year when more families are tightening budgets because of inflation.
This year, 18 states will hold sales tax holidays, according to Bloomberg Tax, just one state shy of the record set in 2010.
While school uniforms, shirts, shoes, flip-flops, athletic socks, caps and hats, bathing suits, gloves, mittens and underwear are tax exempt, you might be surprised that fishing vests, pajamas and bathrobes are also exempt.
Many medical items such as adult and baby diapers (both disposable and cloth) and braces are exempt, along with golf clothes, bowling shoes and shirts, martial arts uniforms and sports uniforms.
Among the items that will still be taxed are diaper bags, bow ties, fishing boots and bike helmets.
The full list of which items are free of sales tax, and which are not, is on the state website.
The week is particularly critical to locally owned retailers who count on increased sales to make it through the slow summer season. Many stores offer additional discounts on top of the tax savings to entice more customers.
"Tax-free week is an excellent time to save extra on clothing, footwear and backpacks," said Cailey Locklair, president of the Maryland Retailers Association, in a news release. "Stores will be offering excellent deals you won’t want to miss. We cannot stress enough the importance of supporting your local brick and mortar stores who employ Marylanders, provide much needed tax revenue to our state and stabilize our communities."
Even though the Maryland tax holiday falls during the back-to-school rush, there are some school-related items that aren't included in the list of exempt purchases. The folks at Offers.com suggest parents make the most of tax-free shopping by remembering a few tips:
Maryland Tax-Free Week includes online purchases, as long as you order and pay for your item during the tax-free period, according to Offers.com. So skip the stores and have your items delivered to your door. Find promo codes to your favorite stores with back-to-school coupons and sales.
Total back-to-school spending in the United States is expected to match 2021’s record high of $37 billion, according to the National Retail Federation. Families with children in elementary through high school plan to spend an average of $864 on school items, approximately $15 more than last year.
Back-to-school spending has increased dramatically since the onset of the pandemic, as families adjusted to changes from virtual and hybrid learning. Compared to 2019, back-to-school shoppers are expected to spend $168 more on average, according to the National Retail Federation.
According to the state comptroller, the Maryland legislature established the tax-free week as an annual observance from the second Sunday of the month to the subsequent Saturday.
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