Who doesn’t like a little retail therapy?!  I know I do!  I tend to keep things pretty minimalist in my house (less stuff = less chores and laundry and I’m all about that – ha!), but even I love a good shopping trip now and then.  What I love even more is when there’s a discount involved!  Last week, I received an email from the WI Department of Revenue.  Yep, I’m a geek.  I get, and actually read, emails from the government about financial stuff.  It’s okay.  You can laugh.  Anyhoo, I thought it only natural to share this information with my fellow Cheeseheads!!  Come August 1st, we’re going to be experiencing a Sales Tax holiday!  Yippee!  Take a peek at the list of items that will be exempt from Sales Tax in WI from August 1st through August 5th.  If you live in WI (or will be visiting our great state in early August), consider delaying that wardrobe splurge, the purchase of a new computer, and definitely, definitely wait to get those school supplies for your kiddos.  That last one I love – it not only saves you 5.5% on those pesky crayons, protractors and loose-leaf paper, it also encourages those of us procrastinators to check it off our back to school to-do list a little earlier than normal.   😜

WAIT!  There’s more good news!  You can also get a bonus sales tax rebate RIGHT NOW if you claim one or more kiddos as dependents on your 2017 WI income tax return.  $100 per child!  The application is quick and easy to complete.  In a few weeks, the WI DOR will send you your rebate moola and you can do something fun with it.  Or be extra savvy, save it and use it for a wardrobe update in August.

Sales of the following are exempt from Wisconsin sales and use tax from August 1-5, 2018:

  • Clothing – $75 or less per item
  • School supplies – $75 or less per item
  • Computers for personal use – $750 or less per computer
  • School computer supplies for personal use – $250 or less per item

Wisconsin’s Sales Tax Holiday information is available on the department’s website at https://www.revenue.gov/Pages/Individuals/SalesTaxHoliday.aspx.

Wisconsin Child Sales Tax Rebate – Wisconsin is also giving a one-time sales tax rebate to persons with dependent children in Wisconsin. This sales tax rebate is unrelated to the Sales Tax Holiday. Persons with dependent children in Wisconsin can apply for the sales tax rebate from May 15, 2018 through July 2, 2018 at https://childtaxrebate.wi.gov/.