Apple announces US sales tax holiday for select states

Several states in the U.S. offer sales tax holidays around the start of back-to-school season to help parents save money on required purchases. This Tuesday Apple announced that they would be honoring these sales tax holidays not only in the retail locations, but also online.

There are obviously some caveats to the promotion. First, you have to live in one of the nine states with sales tax holidays during the back-to-school season. Those states are:

• Alabama

• Florida

• Georgia

• Louisiana

• Massachusetts

• Missouri

• New Mexico

• South Carolina

• Tennessee

If you make your purchase in the store, the sales tax will be automatically deducted for you. Ordering online, the sales tax will appear on your bill during checkout, but the corrected tax amount will be reflected on your email order confirmation.

During the sales tax holiday, Macs, iPads, and common accessories like keyboards and mice are eligible for the discount. Depending on your state laws, iPhones and educational software may also be eligible. That eligibility changes from state to state, so look into the rules for your particular state before making any major purchases.

Act quickly; the sales tax holiday is from August 1 through August 3 in every state except Georgia and Massachusetts. Georgia's holiday ends on August 2, one day less than other states, while Massachusetts hasn't set the dates yet for this year's sales tax holiday.