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What you need to know for the upcoming Massachusetts sales tax holiday

BOSTON — The state’s sales tax holiday for 2022 will be held on Saturday, August 13, and Sunday, August 14.

On these two days, Massachusetts shoppers do not have to pay the state’s 6.25% sales tax on most goods less than $2,500.

The purchases of cars, motorboats, food, alcohol, tobacco products, marijuana products, and telecommunications services such as prepaid calls, natural gas, steam, and electricity are excluded from the sales tax holiday.

Shoppers who are looking to purchase clothing next weekend can expect to pay sales tax on an item over $175.00.

The annual sales-tax-free weekend was made permanent by a 2018 law, in an effort to boost small businesses around the state by getting people out to shop.

As part of the “grand bargain” law, retailers in 2018 dropped their push for a ballot question lowering the 6.25 percent sales tax to 5 percent. That law also raised the minimum wage will rise from $11 to $15 an hour over a five-year period, phased out time-and-a-half pay for workers on Sundays and holidays over that same period, and solidified the launch of a paid family and medical leave program overseen by the state government and backed by a payroll tax.

For more information, visit the state’s website.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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