| PA'S EXPANDED
PROPERTY TAX/RENT REBATE PROGRAM Pennsylvania's Property Tax and Rent Rebate (PTRR) Program has undergone a $200-million expansion -- the largest expansion in the program's 35-year history. The income eligibility guidelines for the PTRR Program were more than doubled for Pennsylvania homeowners 65 and older, widows and widowers 50 and older, and disabled adults. The new guidelines allowed hundreds of thousands of additional Pennsylvania households to qualify for the program. The maximum property tax or rent rebate under the program was also boosted from $500 to $650. In the first year of the program's expansion, literally millions in added dollars were pumped back into the pockets of hard-pressed Berks County seniors as 17, 165 received rebate checks. Nearly three times as many Berks County senior citizen homeowners -- a total of 11,831 -- received "2006 tax year" property tax rebates in 2007, an increase of 7,514 over the prior year. In fact, Berks County was one of the top counties in the state to take advantage of the expanded program in the first year of the expansion. Applications are now available for "2007 tax year" property tax and rent rebates. The application deadline is June 30. The first rebate checks for property taxes and/or rent paid in 2007 will be mailed out after July 1, 2008. Program Expansion Details The income eligibility limit for qualifying homeowners was increased from $15,000 to $35,000* and the maximum rebate was increased from $500 to $650. New PTRR Income/Rebate Schedule
*IMPORTANT NOTE: 1/2 of Social Security, Supplemental Security and/or Railroad Retirement Tier 1 benefits are excluded from the income eligibility calculation. Supplemental AssistanceBeginning this year, a rebate supplement of up to an additional $325 (or 50% of the base rebate) will be paid to eligible PTRR homeowner claimants whose household incomes are under $30,000* and who spend more than 15 percent of their income on property taxes. The Department of Revenue estimates that more than 4,800 Berks County senior citizens will qualify for the supplement which, for some seniors, could boost their total property tax rebate to $975. As long as you've applied for the base rebate, the Department of Revenue will calculate whether you qualify for the supplement and, if you do, automatically mail it to you. PTRR FORMS FOR "2007 TAX YEAR" CLICK HERE.
Before filing a rebate claim, please read the instructions carefully and include all required forms and documentation as they may pertain to you.
-- Claim form is signed;
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