Property tax, rent relief deadline nears

    AUGUSTA – State Reps. Henry Joy (R-Crystal) and Tyler Clark (R-Easton) are alerting area residents that the application period for Maine’s Property Tax and Rent Refund Program ends May 31 for taxes and rent paid during 2008. Under this program, commonly known as the “circuit breaker,” Mainers who qualify are eligible for refunds of up to $1,600. It is the state government’s primary program to provide property tax relief.
    Under the guidelines, applicants may qualify for a refund if they do not have a spouse or dependents and their 2008 income was $61,400 or less. For those with a spouse or dependents, income can be up to $81,850 in 2008 to qualify. Also, to receive a refund, the 2008 property tax must have exceeded 4 percent of the applicant’s income.
    Renters qualify if the rent they paid in 2008 exceeded 20 percent of their income. Seniors do not have to meet the property tax or rent requirements if their household income was below $13,900 for those living alone or below $17,200 for those living with a spouse or dependent.
    The application is available online through the Maine Revenue Services (MRS) website at http://www.maine.gov/revenue/taxrelief/homepage.html. In addition to a copy of the paper application, which can be printed out and mailed to MRS, there is a link to the online application site. Online applications automatically perform all necessary calculations.