Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week, August 9 – 15

Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot is encouraging shoppers to take advantage of Maryland’s Tax-Free Week which begins Sunday, August 9th and runs through Saturday, August 15th.

During this week, any single, qualifying article of clothing or footwear priced $100 or less – regardless of how many purchased – will be exempt from the state’s six percent sales tax.

“Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week is a great opportunity to get deals on back-to-school clothes or to refresh a tired wardrobe,” Franchot said. “During these tough economic times, having a break from the six percent sales tax on shoes and clothing can make a real difference for families, enabling them to save more of their hard-earned money. Retailers also benefit with a boost in revenue. The savings can really add up for families, putting more money in their pockets.”

Back-to-school shopping is known as the second biggest shopping season for retailers.

“Tax-Free Week has become a welcomed opportunity for consumers to save on clothing and footwear as they prepare for the new school year, and also for adults looking to buy something from the new fall clothing lines,” said Tom Saquella, a spokesperson for the Maryland Retailers Association. “Tax-Free Week is a wonderful gift provided every year to Maryland taxpayers and you can count on Maryland retailers to do their part with great sales and promotions.”

Resulting from legislation passed in the 2007 Special Session of the Maryland General Assembly, a tax-free week will occur every year during the second week in August, until the legislature decides to revisit the issue. During Tax-Free Week, each qualifying article of clothing or footwear selling for $100 or less is exempt from sales tax, regardless of how many items are purchased at the same time.

Businesses selling items that are not eligible for inclusion in the tax-free week can still participate in Shop Maryland. Under “Sellers Privilege,” other unqualified merchandise can be sold tax-free but the retailer is responsible for paying the sales tax owed to the state.

For more information on qualifying items, visit the Comptroller of Maryland’s website at www.marylandtaxes.com.

About Sonya Burke

Sonya Burke is the Multimedia Manager at Montgomery Community Media (MCM). You can email story ideas at sburke@mymcmedia.org or reach her on Twitter @SonyaNBurke.

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