Apple reveals US tax holiday rules for six states

AppleInsider

The annual tax holiday prior to the start of the school year begins soon, and Apple has detailed exactly what products are eligible for tax exemption and other rules for six states.

Tax holiday

Tax holiday perks and limitations vary from state to state. So, each year Apple provides a list of eligible products and specific rules to help customers shop.

The Apple tax holiday sale page in now available for the annual back-to-school sale, first spotted by MacRumors. It lists qualifying products and dates for Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Missouri, Tennessee, and West Virginia.

This sale is separate from Apple's back-to-school promotion, and the website could gain more states as the tax-free weekends approach. Many states across the US offer tax-free weekends to promote back-to-school shopping from July to August.

Alabama

Alabama's tax holiday is from July 21 to 23.

The total sale price of all exempt items cannot exceed $750. Computers and computer accessories like Macs, iPads, keyboards, the Apple Pencil, monitors, printers, storage media, and third-party software are eligible.

Arkansas

Arkansas' tax holiday is from August 5 to 6.

There isn't a price limit for exempt items. Any Mac, iPad, iPhone, and product accessory qualifies.

Florida

Florida's tax holiday is from July 24 to August 6.

The total sale price of all exempt items cannot exceed $1,500. Macs, iPads, accessories, and AppleCare qualify.

Missouri

Missouri's tax holiday is from August 4 to 6.

Computers and hardware cannot exceed $1,500, while software cannot exceed $350. Eligible products include Macs, iPads, and accessories, including Apple TV.

Tennessee

Tennessee's tax holiday is from July 28 to 30.

Computers and select accessories that qualify cannot exceed a total sales price of $1,500. Macs, iPads, and any accessory sold with a qualifying computer qualifies. Accessories not sold with a computer do not qualify on their own.

West Virginia

West Virginia's tax holiday is from August 4 to 7.

Only iPads under $500 are eligible for this state's tax holiday.

While these are the only states listed at the time of publication, be sure to check Apple's website for more states' info as it becomes available.

Read on AppleInsider

ihatescreennames

I used to live in Massachusetts and for years there was a tax holiday in August. I took advantage of it maybe twice but felt it only made sense if I was already planning to buy something expensive. One year we were looking at furniture and as long as each piece was under $2500 we would save the tax on the entire purchase. Nice. 

However, every year the malls would be jam packed. Parole were out shopping like there was no tomorrow. To me, buying small things here and there just wasn’t really worth the time and minimal amount saved. 

Then I realized the ridiculousness of the whole thing when it occurred to me that people were only saving 6%. SIX PERCENT!! If a random store in the mall at any other time put up a sign saying, “This weekend only save 6%” people would likely walk by without giving it a second glance. But tell them it’s tax-free and they lose their minds. 

fred1

It seems extremely restrictive.  

kestral

Taxation is theft.

chadbag

So for those states with $ limits, if the computer exceeds that amount, the whole computer is then due for sales tax, right?  It’s not take the first $750 or $1500 off and tax the remainder.  

For those states with lower values, especially, seems rather pointless as many of the desirable for school  computers or iPads don’t qualify.  

chadbag

ihatescreennames said:

I used to live in Massachusetts and for years there was a tax holiday in August. I took advantage of it maybe twice but felt it only made sense if I was already planning to buy something expensive. One year we were looking at furniture and as long as each piece was under $2500 we would save the tax on the entire purchase. Nice. 

However, every year the malls would be jam packed. Parole were out shopping like there was no tomorrow. To me, buying small things here and there just wasn’t really worth the time and minimal amount saved. 

Then I realized the ridiculousness of the whole thing when it occurred to me that people were only saving 6%. SIX PERCENT!! If a random store in the mall at any other time put up a sign saying, “This weekend only save 6%” people would likely walk by without giving it a second glance. But tell them it’s tax-free and they lose their minds. 

6% is real money. Of course when I lived in mass it was only 5%, and then I got smart and moved to NH and 0% sales tax.  

6% of $1500 is $90.  That is real money.  

ihatescreennames

chadbag said:

ihatescreennames said:

I used to live in Massachusetts and for years there was a tax holiday in August. I took advantage of it maybe twice but felt it only made sense if I was already planning to buy something expensive. One year we were looking at furniture and as long as each piece was under $2500 we would save the tax on the entire purchase. Nice. 

However, every year the malls would be jam packed. Parole were out shopping like there was no tomorrow. To me, buying small things here and there just wasn’t really worth the time and minimal amount saved. 

Then I realized the ridiculousness of the whole thing when it occurred to me that people were only saving 6%. SIX PERCENT!! If a random store in the mall at any other time put up a sign saying, “This weekend only save 6%” people would likely walk by without giving it a second glance. But tell them it’s tax-free and they lose their minds. 

6% is real money. Of course when I lived in mass it was only 5%, and then I got smart and moved to NH and 0% sales tax.  

6% of $1500 is $90.  That is real money.  

Of course it is. My point is that any other day and people wouldn’t really pay much attention to 6% off and as I mentioned, it only really makes a difference if you plan to spend larger amounts of money. Saving $90 on a $1500 purchase is more worthwhile than $9 on a $150 purchase, even though they are both 6%. I wouldn’t be making a special trip out to the mall and deal with all those crowds to save $9, but buying multiple items of furniture and saving several hundred I would do.

davidw

ihatescreennames said:

I used to live in Massachusetts and for years there was a tax holiday in August. I took advantage of it maybe twice but felt it only made sense if I was already planning to buy something expensive. One year we were looking at furniture and as long as each piece was under $2500 we would save the tax on the entire purchase. Nice. 

However, every year the malls would be jam packed. Parole were out shopping like there was no tomorrow. To me, buying small things here and there just wasn’t really worth the time and minimal amount saved. 

Then I realized the ridiculousness of the whole thing when it occurred to me that people were only saving 6%. SIX PERCENT!! If a random store in the mall at any other time put up a sign saying, “This weekend only save 6%” people would likely walk by without giving it a second glance. But tell them it’s tax-free and they lose their minds. 

So are you saying that the State of MA is the one offering the tax holiday? For the whole State? If that's the case, that's a lot of sales tax revenue lost for the State. Even if for just one weekend. Everyone would just wait for the tax holiday to make their big purchases. And everyone in near by States would drive in to take advantage of it.

Here, like with most tax holiday sales, it's the retailer (Apple) that sponsors the tax holiday and the retailer (Apple) must still remit the sales tax they didn't collect from their customers, to the State. It's the retailer that takes the hit for the tax discount, not the State.

Here where i live in CA, every so often, a large retailer like Lowes, will have a tax holiday sale and in the CA county I'm in, that's nearly a 10% discount. I remember them (tax holiday sales) being more common when sales tax was 6.5% - 7%.

ihatescreennames

davidw said:

ihatescreennames said:

I used to live in Massachusetts and for years there was a tax holiday in August. I took advantage of it maybe twice but felt it only made sense if I was already planning to buy something expensive. One year we were looking at furniture and as long as each piece was under $2500 we would save the tax on the entire purchase. Nice. 

However, every year the malls would be jam packed. Parole were out shopping like there was no tomorrow. To me, buying small things here and there just wasn’t really worth the time and minimal amount saved. 

Then I realized the ridiculousness of the whole thing when it occurred to me that people were only saving 6%. SIX PERCENT!! If a random store in the mall at any other time put up a sign saying, “This weekend only save 6%” people would likely walk by without giving it a second glance. But tell them it’s tax-free and they lose their minds. 

So are you saying that the State of MA is the one offering the tax holiday? For the whole State? If that's the case, that's a lot of sales tax revenue lost for the State. Even if for just one weekend. Everyone would just wait for the tax holiday to make their big purchases. And everyone in near by States would drive in to take advantage of it.

Here, like with most tax holiday sales, it's the retailer (Apple) that sponsors the tax holiday and the retailer (Apple) must still remit the sales tax they didn't collect from their customers, to the State. It's the retailer that takes the hit for the tax discount, not the State.

Here where i live in CA, every so often, a large retailer like Lowes, will have a tax holiday sale and in the CA county I'm in, that's nearly a 10% discount. I remember them (tax holiday sales) being more common when sales tax was 6.5% - 7%.

It is a state tax holiday. There are some limits, such as items need to cost $2500 or less to be eligible (I think that means if I buy a $3000 item I pay tax on the full $3000, not on the $500 difference). You can read about it yourself if you like, the next one is coming up according to the MA State website.

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/sales-tax-holiday-frequently-asked-questions