MOLINE, Ill. — After a hot and seemingly all-too-short summer, students across the Quad Cities area are heading back to the classroom.
The costs of sending a student to school are adding up this year due to the rising cost of clothing, shoes and school supplies. Families are expected to spend an average of $864 per student this year, according to the National Retail Federation, and the cost of school supplies and dorm essentials adds up to $1,199 on average for families with a college student.
The Sales Tax Holiday is a good time to save some money while stocking up the last back-to-school items on your list, and the tax-free days kicks off this Friday, Aug. 5 in both Iowa and Illinois.
Learn when to shop and what items qualify for reduced sales tax below:
Illinois' Sales Tax Holiday:
When:
The 2022 Sales Tax Holiday in Illinois goes from Friday, Aug. 5 through the close of business Sunday, Aug. 14, according to the Illinois Department of Revenue.
Qualifying items:
During the holiday, certain clothing and school-related items will have a reduced sales tax rate, down from 6.35% to 1.25% across the state.
Qualifying clothing and footwear must have a retail price of less than $125 per item. School supplies are not subject to the $125 limit, but expensive computers, cameras, cell phones and specialty art supplies do not qualify.
For a full list of what items qualify, click/tap here.
Iowa's Sales Tax Holiday:
When:
The 2022 Sales Tax Holiday in Iowa begins at midnight Friday, Aug. 5 and goes through 11:59 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6, according to the Iowa Department of Revenue.
Qualifying items:
Clothing and footwear purchased online or in-store with a selling price of less than $100 will be exempt from the state's 6% sales tax. Accessories, such as watches, jewelry and sporting equipment, and specialty clothing or footwear not intended for everyday wear do not qualify.
The exemption applies to all qualifying items priced individually at less than $100 regardless of how many of those items are sold on the same receipt.
Click/tap here for more information on what is taxable or exempt.
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