Milford Lawmaker: Upcoming Tax-Free Week a Great Opportunity for Back-to-School Shopping

From Senator Gayle Slossberg:

HARTFORD, CT – August means back-to-school shopping for many Connecticut families. Senator Gayle Slossberg (D-Milford) today reminded people that from Sunday, August 21 to Saturday, August 27, Connecticut will be holding its annual, week-long sales tax holiday.

“Sales tax-free week has been an annual tradition for many years now, helping families outfit their children for school and increasing business at Connecticut’s retailers,” said Senator Slossberg. “A savings of 6.35% can certainly add up when you consider the hundreds of dollars that most families spend on back-to-school shopping. Sales tax-free week is a great occasion to get all that shopping done so you can save some money and then go back to enjoying what remains of the summer.”

During Sales Tax-Free Week, most individual items of clothing and footwear priced under $100 are exempt from Connecticut's sales tax. There are no limits on how many items you can buy, so long as each individual item is priced at less than $100. Items that are placed on sale are also tax-free, so long as the reduced sale price is less than $100.

There are some limitations on which clothing and footwear items are tax-free. For example, special clothing or footwear designed primarily for athletic activity--such as goggles, shin guards, cleats or protective equipment--are not exempt from the sales tax.

Connecticut is one of just 16 states that offer a tax-free holiday for back-to-school clothing and footwear purchases. According to the National Retail Association, the average family with children in grades K-12 plans to spend $630 on back-to-school shopping while the average college student or college family will spend $899 on back-to-college shopping. That means Connecticut residents can expect to save about $4.5 million in sales taxes next week.

Connecticut’ sales tax-free week begins every year on the third Sunday in August and runs through the following Saturday.

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