Deadline nears for property tax relief applications

Pennsylvania’s seniors and disabled residents are coming up against a hard deadline for applying for property tax and rent rebates. Applications must be postmarked by December 31 for standard rebates ranging from $250 to $650.

Maia Warren, a spokeswoman with the Department of Revenue, said anyone interested can find application forms online at the Department of Revenue’s website.

“Or they can also go to get applications and assistance at no cost at the Department of Revenue’s district offices, local Areas on Aging, senior centers, and state legislators’ offices,” said Warren.

Pennsylvanians age 65 and older are eligible, as are widows and widowers age 50 and older, and adults with disabilities.

The cap on annual income is $35,000 for homeowners and $15,000 for renters, and only half of Social Security income is counted.

There is additional relief available, which could bring a single rebate total to $975 for some.

The supplemental rebates were created in 2006 (the original relief program dates back to 1971). They’re available to seniors with annual incomes of less than $30,000 who live in Philadelphia, Scranton, and Pittsburgh. The additional sums are also available to seniors statewide who pay more than 15 percent of their income in property taxes. The expanded portion of the rebate program is funded by slots gaming revenue; the standard rebates are funded with proceeds from the Pennsylvania Lottery.