No Tax Relief for Back to School Purchases
As back to school looms on the horizon, and back to school sales are inundating our newspapers and mailboxes, Seattle budgets can easily get stretched to the breaking point.
While many states have tax-free shopping days to provide a little relief for shoppers, Washington State does not.
Our sales tax rate remains at the base rate of 6.5%, with cities and towns allowed to add increments to that base. In Tacoma the sales tax, with all increments, is 8.8%, and in Seattle it climbs to 8.9%. Food and prescription drugs are exempt from sales tax.
If you’ll be doing some traveling during this back to school season, you may want to consider taking advantage of some of the tax free days around the country. You can find a full list of states and areas offering tax free shopping opportunities here.
Photo credit: SXC
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In Washington DC and Virginia, there is tax free shopping on “back-to-school” items, including clothing and accessories under $100.
http://www.thedctraveler.com/shop-tax-free-in-dc/