HARRISBURG, December 13, 2011 – Sen. Wayne D. Fontana is urging eligible senior citizens to make sure they file their state property tax/rent rebate application by the Dec. 31 deadline.
“If you are a senior, related to a senior or friends with a senior, please remind them to make sure they get their application in on time,” Fontana said. “In these difficult economic times, a rebate check can be a great help.”
Fontana said qualifying seniors can receive up to $975 from the program. He added that applications and free filing assistance are available at Department of Revenue district offices, local Area Agencies on Aging, senior centers and his local district offices.
Property Tax/Rent Rebate claim forms (PA-1000) and information are also available online at www.PaPropertyTaxRelief.com or by calling 1-888-222-9190, between 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The rebate program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians age 65 and older; widows and widowers age 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older. The income limit is $35,000 a year for homeowners and $15,000 annually for renters. Fontana said seniors should keep in mind that only half of Social Security income is counted in determining eligibility.
The maximum standard rebate is $650, but supplemental rebates for qualifying homeowners can increase rebates to $975.
Fontana said the state is providing $776.2 million in property tax relief this year, including expanded rebates from the state’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate program and general property tax relief for all homeowners distributed through school districts last summer. As a result, he said school property tax bills were completely eliminated for about 120,000 residents statewide this year.
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