State treasury to provide rebates to seniors
The Pennsylvania Treasury is expected to process 590,000 Property Tax/Rent Rebates (PTRR) providing almost $191 million in relief to low-income seniors and individuals with disabilities across the state.
“Treasury processes each one of these payments knowing that hundreds of thousands of low-income Pennsylvanians are depending on every dollar,” said state treasurer Joe Torsella. “These are our family, friends and neighbors. These are the grandparents struggling to choose between rent and medicine. The person with disabilities trying to live an independent life.”
The rebate program benefits eligible residents 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, and half of Social Security income is excluded.
“They use it very prudently,” said Gwedolyn Ridgley, Fayette County Supervisor for Southwestern Pennsylvania Area Agency on Aging (AAA).
According to Ridgley, between 60 and 70 people apply for the rebates each year. “Some use it to help pay their current year’s taxes or replace a hot water tank or maybe a car repair,” she said.
Ridgley said she hopes that those eligible are aware of the rebate applications, which AAA files free of charge.
Administered through the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, the PTRR program has provided more than $5.9 billion in property tax and rent relief since its inception in 1971.
The program is supported by the Pennsylvania Lottery and gaming funds.
“While we continue to look for additional ways to lessen the burdens of property taxes, many constituents on fixed incomes within my district benefit from the program,” said State Rep. Matthew Dowling R-Uniontown.
He said as a free service his offices provide assistance in filling for the rebates. “We have the opportunity to meet and assist, first-hand, some of the individuals who benefit from this program. I can tell you that some of these people really count on this program to be able to afford their homes,” Dowling added.
The treasury department issued 390,000 checks this month to those that applied, and the remaining 200,000 payments will be processed electronically through direct deposit. Payments processed are applicable to the 2016 calendar year.
The treasury processes 20 million payments per year with the PTRR program accounting for three percent of the 2016 calendar year.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, the maximum owner rebate is $650 for an annual household income of up to $8,000; $500 for incomes of $8,001-$15,000; $300 for $15,001 to $18,000 in income and $250 for $18,001 to $35,000.
Rent rebates are $650 for an income up to $8,000 and $500 for $8,001 to $15,000 in income.
The latest figures from the revenue department broken down by county show that in 2015, Fayette distributed 10,265 rebates totaling $4,417,422. Of those figures, 6,736 were owners and 3,529 were renters.
In Greene, 1,956 people received $853,823; 1,167 that were homeowners and 789 renters.
Washington distributed 10,049 rebates totaling $4,183,621 amounting to 6,857 owners and 3,192 renters.
In Westmoreland, figures show that 21,232 people received $8,665,273 in rebates, 15,488 were owners and 5,744 renters.
Applicants can confirm the status of their rebate application and receive the rebate amount online, or by calling 1-888-PATAXES.
Eligible residents can obtain a rebate application form online, or by calling 1-888-222-9190.