Sales taxes are one of the first things that you have to pay while you buy retail products. These taxes make things more expensive, even if it is just by little, but have you ever wonder if there is a way to not pay them? Luckily, in some states, a Tax-Free weekend can occur.
Also known as Sales Tax Holidays, these are available for residents and non-residents of the US, and it benefits the consumer because the sales tax does not apply. In other words, you can buy your personal items without worrying about paying taxes.
However, this event is just for one or two days depending on the state you are in. It is just for a certain period of time, so if you are living in Massachusetts, it is important to know the details about the Tax-Free weekend and when the event takes place.
Tax-Free Weekend across the states
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Retailer stores are open for some days where you can spend your money on retail items without the sales tax. Normally, your respective state’s Department of Revenue or government website announces when the next Tax-Free weekend will happen.
If you need to prepare for this Sales Tax Holidays, it is important to check out the information related to your state. In the case of Massachusetts, you can visit Mass.gov for information about this event.
Tax-Free exemptions
The sales tax of Massachusetts is 6.25% of the products you buy for personal use (this is not local-wide; this applies to the entire state). That percentage is what is going to disappear once the tax holidays start, but you have to know the restrictions to this event.
Your Department of Revenue has a list of Tax-Free items, so this means that you cannot just buy whatever you want. The next list of products and services does not qualify for exemptions:
- Motor vehicles and motorboats
- Basic resources like gas, electricity, and steam
- Meals
- Tobacco, marijuana, and alcoholic beverages
Other than that, you can buy personal items for less than $2,500 if you do not want to pay for sales taxes. Keep in mind that this applies for a single purchase, so it does not matter if you purchased 20 things and the accumulated bill is more than $2,500, if any of those items does not surpass that limit, you are fine.
➡LEARN MORE: Do you Charge Sales Tax on Items Shipped Out of State?
When does it take place?
Unfortunately, we have to tell you that this year’s Tax-Free weekend is over. The exact date that this event happened was on August 14 and 15, so you have to wait for the Department of Revenue of Massachusetts to announce the new date, but there is a way to deduct when will it happen.
It can happen at any time of the year, but normally, the perfect time for the Tax-Free weekend is when schools start to work again. In certain states, there are special exemptions for school supplies, so this is when most families want to buy a lot. Try to think that the 2022 Sales Tax Holiday will occur between July and August.
Things that can happen after Tax-Free weekend
Like we said above, this is a limited-time event, so be sure to buy everything you need without worrying about sales. Although, once it is over, be sure to check how much did you spent during the Tax-Free weekend because you do not know if you might have been charged a sales tax by mistake.
Things like this can happen so do not worry, you just have to back to the store where you bought the product and ask for a refund of the tax amount. Be sure to provide any type of evidence that can support your claim, for example, the receipt.
If this information is not enough, you can always call the Massachusetts Tax Department at (617) 887-6367, or use their toll-free at (800) 392-60899 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
