| We are now in our 12th annual celebration of the consumer's best holiday of the year. It's the weekend when apparel purchases are sold to consumers without the state & municipal govts. imposing(extorting) a tax of 8-10% in most locales. The more disciplined consumers are beginning to catch on and save their scheduled shopping until the annual holiday. In preparation for the event, the Oklahoma Tax Commission has published a set of frequently asked questions. We've posted them in this article, at the bottom of the page. Imagine the impact on global markets when the US Dollar spikes in money market exchanges by nearly 10%. The national economy gets a boost but exports suffer, as a result. This event has no such downside except in it's impact on sales prior or after the tax holiday weekend. Some of the floor debate over the 2007 law was based on the cost of back-to-school shopping, which had gotten outrageous when many public schools mandated a dress code which required school uniforms without exception. |  |
Poor families were pressed to shop at specialty uniform shops and pay high mark ups, plus a very regressive tax.
It's no secret that big business lobbyists at the capitol offend argue for higher sales taxes while they argue for an end to income taxes. It's a turf war and empowers the Democrats with a powerful debate point. Our state is awash in corporate welfare while taxing the poor at the same rates as the wealthy.
And then there's the massive college subsidies to OU, OSU and several dozen other higher-ed institutions which benefit the wealthy families who send their kids off to cheap college at the expense of single-parent families who probably never went to college and have no realistic plans to. This is why a transition to state PAL grants is a better way to target those needing help the most and rescuing our private colleges(TU, ORU, OBU, SNU, SWU, etc) from the predatory tactics of our state govt.
So before your family jumps in the car, heading to the shopping centers this weekend, ask yourself if it can wait for next week, when your dollar goes further.
It's no secret that big business lobbyists at the capitol offend argue for higher sales taxes while they argue for an end to income taxes. It's a turf war and empowers the Democrats with a powerful debate point. Our state is awash in corporate welfare while taxing the poor at the same rates as the wealthy.
And then there's the massive college subsidies to OU, OSU and several dozen other higher-ed institutions which benefit the wealthy families who send their kids off to cheap college at the expense of single-parent families who probably never went to college and have no realistic plans to. This is why a transition to state PAL grants is a better way to target those needing help the most and rescuing our private colleges(TU, ORU, OBU, SNU, SWU, etc) from the predatory tactics of our state govt.
So before your family jumps in the car, heading to the shopping centers this weekend, ask yourself if it can wait for next week, when your dollar goes further.
| 1. What is a sales tax holiday? A sales tax holiday is a period of time when retail sales taxes are not collectible or payable on a specific class of purchases. 2. Why is Oklahoma having a sales tax holiday? The Oklahoma Legislature passed Senate Bill 861 during the 2007 Legislative Session to benefit both consumers and retailers in the state by providing sales tax exempt shopping. This will help businesses by providing a boost in the economy and the consumer by allowing them to save money when shopping for clothing and shoes. 3. When is the Oklahoma sales tax holiday? For 2019, the holiday begins at 12:01 am on Friday, August 2, 2019 and ends at twelve midnight on Sunday, August 4, 2019. 4. What items are exempt from sales tax during the sales tax holiday? Sales of any article of clothing or footwear designed to be worn on or about the human body and the sales price of the article is less than one hundred dollars ($100) are exempt. This does not apply to the sale of any accessories, special clothing or footwear primarily designed for athletic activity or protective use that is not normally worn except when used for athletic activity or protective use, or to the rental of clothing or footwear. 5. What items are not exempt from sales tax during the sales tax holiday? Any special clothing or footwear that is primarily designed for an athletic activity or protective use that is not normally worn except when used for athletic activity or protective use for which it is designed. Accessories including jewelry, handbags, luggage, umbrellas, wallets, watches, and other similar items carried on or about the human body, without regard to whether worn on the body in a manner characteristic of clothing are considered taxable. The rental of clothing or footwear is also taxable. 6. Who may make sales tax-exempt purchases? Under the special holiday law, if an item is tax exempt, anyone may make the purchase tax-free. 7. Are all retailers required to participate? Yes, retailers may not charge tax on items that are tax-exempt during the sales tax holiday weekend. 8. Is there a maximum price before an item becomes taxable? Yes, if an eligible item is less than $100 it is sales tax exempt during the sales tax holiday. An item that is $100 or more is taxable.Top of Oklahoma Sales Tax Holiday Questions 9. What if a retailer has a “bogo”—buy one, get one free sale? The total price of items in the “bogo” cannot be averaged to qualify both items for the exemption. The exemption depends on the actual price paid for each item. | 10. What if the retailer or purchaser has a coupon that reduces the purchase price of an item to less than $100? If a retailer offers a discount to reduce the price of an eligible item to less than $100 the item will qualify for the sales tax exemption. This applies to all discounts even if a retailer’s coupon or loyalty card is required to secure the discount. If a retailer accepts a coupon that entitles the retailer to third-party reimbursement, such as a manufacturer’s coupon, the discount provided by the coupon does not reduce the item’s sales price for purposes of determining whether the item is eligible for the exemption. 11. How is an exchange of merchandise handled? If a customer buys an eligible item during the sales tax holiday and later exchanges it for the same item in a different size or color, tax is not to be charged even if the exchange is made after the sales tax holiday. If a customer buys an eligible item during the sales tax holiday and returns the item after the tax holiday period for credit on the purchase of a different item, sales tax applies to the sale of the newly purchased item, even if it would have been eligible for the exemption during the sales tax holiday. If a customer buys an eligible item before the holiday period, but returns the item during the sales tax holiday period and receives credit on the purchase of a different item of eligible property, no sales tax is due on the sale of the new item. 12. Do items placed in layaway qualify for an exemption from sales tax? Yes, eligible items will qualify for the exemption when final payment on the layaway is made and the item is given to the customer during the exemption period. 13. I am ordering items online. Will these qualify for the sales tax holiday? Eligible items sold to purchasers by mail, telephone, email or internet shall qualify for the sales tax exemption if the customer orders and pays for the item and the retailer accepts the order during the exemption period for immediate shipment, even if delivery is made after the exemption period. 14. What if a retailer runs out of an item and offers a raincheck. Will the transaction still be sales tax exempt? Eligible items purchased during the sales tax holiday using a previously issued raincheck qualify for the exemption. If a raincheck issued during the sales tax holiday is redeemed after the sales tax holiday, the purchase is not tax exempt. 15. On the sales tax report form, where do retailers report the exempt sales made during the sales tax holiday? Sales of eligible items exempted by the sales tax holiday should be reported on line 3g, “Other Legal Sales Tax Exemptions” of the Oklahoma Sales Tax report. 16. Is there a listing of items that are exempt? “Clothing” means all human wearing apparel suitable for general use. A nonexclusive list of clothing that is exempt from sales and use taxes follows: |
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