Sales Tax Holiday Is This Weekend

The Arkansas Sales Tax Holiday is right around the corner beginning on Saturday August 7th and ending Sunday August 8th at midnight. This will be the 10th year that Arkansans can take advantage of this break from state and local sales tax on certain purchases. Act 757 of 2011 provides this holiday in Arkansas during the first weekend of August each year. Included in this exemption is most school supplies such as: book bags, binders, paper, crayons, pencils, and rulers. Clothing less than $100 per item as well as clothing accessories less than $50 per item. Beginning this year, due to the passing of Act 944 in the most recent legislative session, sales tax will not be collected on electronics such as: Calculators, desktop computers, cell phones, e-reader, laptops, monitors, printers, keyboards, and tablets. It’s important to note that this holiday does not extend to online purchases nor does it include video game systems or televisions. The National Retail Federation estimates that this year the average family will spend more than $780 getting their children the necessary supplies and clothes to go back to school. The sales tax holiday was created to help reduce the financial burden on families during this time.