Apple promoting savings with back-to-school sales tax holidays in US
Apple on Tuesday launched an updated informational page, and corresponding email campaign, detailing how consumers in nine U.S. states can take advantage of back-to-school sales tax holidays for substantial savings on Macs and iOS devices next month.
During the promotional period -- which varies on a state-by-state basis -- Apple will automatically lower sales tax charges for eligible purchases made both in-store and online. Tax-free purchases are also eligible for Apple's own "Back to School" promotion, compounding consumers' return with the addition of an Apple Store gift card for Macs, iPhones, and iPads. Tax holidays occur in:
It should be noted that most states place a cap on the portion of each purchase that is exempt from sales tax -- the limit is set at $750 in Alabama and Florida, $1,000 in Georgia and New Mexico, $1,500 in Tennessee, $2,500 in Massachusetts, and $3,500 in Missouri. There is no such cap in South Carolina.
The sales tax holiday period runs from Aug. 1 to Aug. 3 in every state but Georgia -- where it ends on Aug. 2 -- and Massachusetts, where it has yet to be set by the legislature for 2014. While consumers in North Carolina could take advantage of the sales tax holiday in past years, that law has now been repealed.
During the promotional period -- which varies on a state-by-state basis -- Apple will automatically lower sales tax charges for eligible purchases made both in-store and online. Tax-free purchases are also eligible for Apple's own "Back to School" promotion, compounding consumers' return with the addition of an Apple Store gift card for Macs, iPhones, and iPads. Tax holidays occur in:
- Alabama
- Florida
- Georgia
- Louisiana
- Massachusetts
- Missouri
- New Mexico
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
It should be noted that most states place a cap on the portion of each purchase that is exempt from sales tax -- the limit is set at $750 in Alabama and Florida, $1,000 in Georgia and New Mexico, $1,500 in Tennessee, $2,500 in Massachusetts, and $3,500 in Missouri. There is no such cap in South Carolina.
The sales tax holiday period runs from Aug. 1 to Aug. 3 in every state but Georgia -- where it ends on Aug. 2 -- and Massachusetts, where it has yet to be set by the legislature for 2014. While consumers in North Carolina could take advantage of the sales tax holiday in past years, that law has now been repealed.
Comments
Of course NYS would never do this. NYS is the tax king!
It has to be. Corporations don't pay tax in NY, so the workers have to subsidize them.
Gotta love Apple. They do know a good tax strategy when they see one!
Apple has nothing to do with this. These are state issued tax breaks. Apple would be insane to not participate due to the tons of bad PR it would create, if they even have the option.
Of course NYS would never do this. NYS is the tax king!
New York State used to tax all clothing and had tax holidays twice a year. Instead of the tax holiday, the sales tax has been entirely repealed on all clothing and shoes priced under $100. And basic food (produce, meats, fish, bread, etc.) has no sales tax either.
Sales tax throughout the United States is generally 6% to 9%. It's 8.875% in NYC, 8% in Woodstock, NY, 9% in Los Angeles, 8.75% in San Francisco, 8.25% in Dallas, 8% in Atlanta, 7.63% in Colorado Springs, 9.25% in Chicago, etc. It just doesn't vary that much anymore from location to location because almost all suburbs and non-urban areas have their own local sales taxes.
Would you like to eliminate local sales taxes and have a 20% VAT instead, like they have in Europe? I didn't think so.
However, what NYS does try to do is force you to pay sales taxes on items purchased elsewhere and brought into NYS. You're supposed to declare that on your NYS tax return. Ridiculous and bogus. And NYS is one of the many states that demanded that online retailers charge sales tax in NY if they had an affiliate in NY, even if the consumer didn't order through the affiliate, which is also bogus.
What profits? They didn't make any *wink wink*
I'm not sure what you mean... corporations definitely pay tax on profits in New York.
I think what he was trying to say was that large corporations "cook their books" so that they don't show profits and therefore, don't pay corporate income taxes in New York or they put their headquarters in New York but legally register their corporation overseas.
Meanwhile, everyone else gets screwed. Freelancers and the self-employed have to pay a New York City unincorporated business tax and a regional commuters tax (even though I live in NYC) and that's in addition to both NYS and NYC income taxes.
Gotta love Apple. They do know a good tax strategy when they see one!
Exactly, and rightly so. Their corporate tax strategy saves money for shareholders, as it should. This sort of thing saves money for consumers, as it should.