Parents and educators in Illinois will benefit from a tax break from Aug. 5–14, the first in more than a decade, on many back-to-school school supplies.
The state’s sales tax on school supplies and other school-related purchases will decrease from 6.25 percent to 1.25 percent on Friday.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker submitted a $1.8 billion tax relief plan late in the spring legislative session and the general assembly adopted it with the “Back to School” tax holiday included. The tax break comes at a time when the cost of gasoline, groceries, and utilities has risen significantly.
The state believes that families in Illinois may save up to $50 million on school supplies during the 10-day tax break. The following are some examples of things that are eligible for the lower rate of sales tax: School uniforms, coats, sneakers, book bags, calculators.
During the period when there is no sales tax on these things, anybody may buy them. Nevertheless, the tax holiday is an excellent opportunity for instructors to stock up on supplies such as blackboard chalk, binders, index cards, and notebooks. When it comes time to file their taxes the following year, teachers will be eligible to get an income tax credit of up to $250 for the classroom items they have personally bought.