Property tax/rent rebate program application deadline extended

MARSHALLS CREEK - State Rep. John Siptroth, D-Monroe/Pike, reminds area residents that the deadline to apply for Pennsylvania’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program has been extended to Dec. 31. The Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program provides state rebates to income-eligible senior citizens and other Pennsylvanians of up to $500 based on the property taxes or rent they paid the previous year. To qualify, a resident must be 65 or older, a widow or widower 50 or older, or 18 or older with a permanent disability. Household income cannot exceed $15,000, but applicants may exclude half of their Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, or federal Railroad Retirement Tier 1 benefits when determining their eligibility. “Older homeowners who are on a fixed income need programs like this to meet rising costs across the board,” Siptroth said. “This extension will give folks who were not aware of their eligibility time to come visit my office and sign up for a rebate.” Residents who received a property tax or rent rebate last year should have received a new application form in the mail this year. New applicants may visit or call Siptroth’s Marshall’s Creek office for an application and for assistance completing it. Siptroth’s office is at 1A Jay Park, Dartmouth Drive, in Marshalls Creek; phone 570-223-2636 or toll free 866-604-5578. Siptroth said he also supported an expansion of the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program that will help even more senior citizens. The law, signed this June, expands the income eligibility limits for homeowners under state’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program from $15,000 to $35,000 to include an additional 400,000 households. It also increases the maximum rebate for homeowners and renters in the program from $500 to $650. “Next year, many more senior households will be eligible for a rebate under this new law,” Siptroth said. “This is great news for older Pennsylvanians who could use that extra help paying their property taxes, and it establishes a concrete foundation for future property tax relief.” The state will begin mailing out rebate checks for this year’s successful applicants after July 1. Recipients can have their rebates deposited directly into their checking or savings account. To check on the status of a claim, residents should call the Department of Revenue’s FACT and Information Line at 888-PATAXES (888-728-2937 after July 1. Touch-tone telephone service is required. Callers will need their Social Security number and the amount of their rebate. People without touch-tone telephone service should call 888-222-9190 between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. for help.