Area sales taxes take a holiday

Hamilton Place stores and other retailers throughout Tennessee and Georgia will be ready for the sales tax holiday on clothing, computers and school supplies this weekend.
Hamilton Place stores and other retailers throughout Tennessee and Georgia will be ready for the sales tax holiday on clothing, computers and school supplies this weekend.

Did you know?

Georgia also has a sales tax holiday on energy-efficient and water-efficient products Sept. 30-Oct. 2. These products, bearing Energy Star and WaterSense labels, include air conditioners, ceiling fans, clothes washers, dishwashers, refrigerators, dehumidifiers, doors, windows, fluorescent light bulbs, bathroom faucets, high-efficiency toilets and urinals, showerheads and irrigation controllers. The exemption applies only to items purchased for noncommercial home or personal use.

Maybe the best thing about going back to school is getting to buy all new supplies. New crayon smell, anyone?

That task will be cheaper this weekend as both Tennessee and Georgia have declared sales tax holidays on school gear and clothing.

In Georgia, the tax reprieve lasts 48 hours, from midnight Saturday, July 30, through midnight Sunday, July 31. Tennessee shoppers get an extra day, with the freeze starting at midnight, Friday, July 29.

Alabama, meanwhile, will hold its sales tax holiday the following weekend, from midnight Friday, Aug. 5, to midnight Sunday, Aug. 7.

In Georgia, sales tax exemptions apply to clothing and footwear priced at less than $100, school supplies costing less than $20 and computers and software under $1,000. In Tennessee, the limits are $100 on clothing, $100 on school supplies and $1,500 on computers. In Alabama, clothing must be priced less than $100, computers less than $750 and school supplies less than $50 to be tax-free.

In all three states, sales tax will still be charged on items such as jewelry, purses, umbrellas, wallets and watches.

To see the full list of taxable and nontaxable merchandise, visit each state's Department of Revenue site:

* Tennessee: www.tn.gov/revenue/article/sales-tax-holiday

* Georgia: https://dor.georgia.gov/press-releases/2016-04-27/2016-sales-tax-holidays

* Alabama: http://revenue.alabama.gov/salestax/salestaxhol.cfm

Numbers at a Glance

* Tennessee: clothing, $100; school supplies, $100; computers, $1,500

* Georgia: clothing, $100; school supplies, $20; computers, $1,000

* Alabama: clothing, $100; school supplies, $50; computers, $750

Back-to-School Outreach

What’s even better than tax-free school supplies? Completely free school supplies. Two Chattanooga churches have announced plans to help the next two weekends.› Saturday, July 30: Celebration Church, a nondenominational Christian organization affiliated with ICCM World Ministries (International Congress of Churches & Ministers) at 6425 Lee Highway, will give away supplies during a cookout for area families from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Free school supplies and backpacks will be available to all children, but families must register to assure sufficient quantities. Call 423-296-8215 or email info@iccmworldwide.org. The event also will include live music, games and prize drawings.› Saturday, Aug. 6: A Back to School Bash organized by Menlo Park Community Outreach will be held from 10 a.m. to noon at Greater Emmanuel Church, 400 Tunnel Blvd. The event will provide free school supplies to children in kindergarten through 12th grade. Families will be entertained with free food, water rides, free haircuts, manicures, face painting, bounce houses and backpack giveaways.

Still time to Stuff the Bus

The United Way of Greater Chattanooga is accepting donations of school supplies to help students in need. There are several ways to contribute to the cause:› Text “4supplies” to 41444.› Donate at any local Publix store through Thursday, Aug. 18.› Bring supplies (or monetary donations) to Chattanooga Market on Sunday, Aug. 14.› Visit UnitedWayCHA.org/StuffTheBus for more information.

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