Parents and guardians can take advantage of a state sales tax holiday on school purchases tomorrow and Saturday. Purchases of school uniforms, school supplies and educational equipment required by a school are eligible for the 4 percent state sales tax exemption during the two-day tax holiday. (American Press)
Editorial: State tax holiday welcome relief for residents
Last Modified: Wednesday, August 01, 2012 5:47 PM
Parents and guardians can take advantage of a state sales tax holiday on school purchases Friday and Saturday.
Purchases of school uniforms, school supplies and educational equipment required by a school are eligible for the 4 percent state sales tax exemption during the two-day tax holiday.
The exemption applies to the first $2,500 of the purchase price of each eligible item. The sales tax exemption does not apply to sales taxes levied by parishes, municipalities, school boards, and other political subdivisions of the state.
A customer will be eligible for the sales tax exemption if during the tax holiday they buy and accept delivery of the eligible property, place property on layaway, acquires property that was previously placed on layaway or places an order for immediate delivery, even if the delivery must be delayed.
The sales tax exemption does not apply to vehicles subject to license and title, meals prepared for consumption on premises or to-go or taxable services such as hotel occupancy, laundry services, printing services, telecommunication services, leases or rentals of tangible personal property or repairs to tangible personal property.
Consumers should also be mindful that school supplies, school uniforms, tuition and educational equipment may be eligible for a series of state tax breaks known as the Louisiana School Tuition & Expense Deductions.
Deductions for purchases this year may be claimed on 2012 Louisiana Individual Income Tax Returns due by May 15, 2013. To claim the deductions, the consumer must be able to claim the student as a dependent on their state individual income tax return, and they must be able to document the expenses.
The Deduction for Elementary and Secondary School Tuition applies to 100 percent of tuition and fees paid to a nonpublic elementary or secondary school, up to $5,000 per dependent. It also applies also purchase of school uniforms required by schools for general day-to-day use, textbooks, curricula, or other instructional materials required by schools and school supplies required by schools.
The Deduction for Certain Educational Expenses for Home-schooled Children applies to 50 percent of eligible expenses, up to $5,000 per dependent. Eligible expenses include textbooks and curricula necessary for home-schooling.
More information can be obtained by visiting www.revenue.louisiana.gov/schooldeduction
This is also as good a time as any for parents and guardians to taken inventory of their children’s’ school uniforms and supplies and consider donating those gently used items to be recycled and available for families who are hard-pressed to purchase them. Many churches and other organizations will accept the items for redistribution.
With a report earlier this week that Louisiana has the third highest sale tax rate in the nation, the upcoming state tax holiday
is an ideal opportunity for consumers to temporarily escape the grim tax reaper. This editorial was written by a member of the American Press Editorial Board. Its content reflects the collaborative opinion of the Board, whose members include Bobby Dower, Ken Stickney,
Jim Beam, Dennis Spears, Crystal Stevenson and Donna Price.
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