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West Virginia’s three-month Energy Star sales tax holiday is underway

September 3, 2010

Attention West Virginians! If you need a new refrigerator then you can pick one up anytime between now and Nov. 30 and not have to pay state sales tax on the appliance.

The Mountaineer State's third Energy Star Sales Tax Holiday began Sept. 1 and runs through Nov. 30.

MARIN CITY, CA - MARCH 26: An Energy Star label is displayed on a brand new washing machine at a Best Buy store March 26, 2010 in Marin City, California. Government investigators from the General Accountability Office has concluded that the Environmental Protection Agency and the Energy Department run Energy Star program is susceptible to fraud and abuse. Investigators attempted to get Energy Star certification for 20 fake products, including a gasoline powered alarm clock, which was approved along with 14 other phony appliances. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

During the three-month sales tax holiday, West Virginian shoppers won't have to pay the state's 6 percent sales and use tax on any appliance that:

  • Has been designated as an Energy Star product, 
  • Costs $5,000 or less, and 
  • Is for noncommercial home or personal use.

Watch out for purchase details: Shipping and handling charges, however, might be taxable. They also could determine whether the appliance you want is tax-free.

Delivery charges that are not counted in the price of the product are taxable if they are separtately stated on the bill. So if you buy a $4,975 refrigerator that has a clearly noted  $50 delivery charge, the ice box itself is sales-tax free, but you'll pay sales tax on the $50.

And don't try to get out paying tax on the shipping fee. It could cost you even more.

If that $50 delivery cost is not specifically delineated on your receipt or purchase order, it will be counted as part of the appliance's price.

But that then means that tax officials would view the fridge's overall cost as $5,025 and that makes it too expensive to qualify for the no-sales-tax treatment.

The delivery price taxation rules and other guidelines concerning the energy-efficient appliances tax holiday are included in the West Virginia Department of Revenue official notice.

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Not to spoil what you’ll find in that tax advice, but it does cover such things as tax deductions for charitable donations, investment moves that could reduce tax due, and ways to max out your tax-favored retirement savings. 

Finally, as the year winds down, things get hectic. There are lots of other things to occupy our time, like the much more fun upcoming holidays. But don’t lose sight of taxes, since timing is key. To be of use, most tax moves must be made by the end of the tax year. That’s Thursday, Dec. 31, which also is the last business day of the year. 

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