Editor’s Note: Rebates will be distributed beginning July 1. More information about Pennsylvania’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program may be found on the Pa. Department of Revenue site.
By Samuel O’Neal | Pennsylvania Capital-Star
Above, acting Pa. Secretary of Revenue designate Pat Browne discusses the Shapiro-Davis budget proposal to expand the Property Tax/Rent Rebate program to more Pennsylvanians at a press conference at Lehigh Valley Active Life on April 18, 2023 in Allentown. (Credit: Credit: PA Internet News Service)
The deadline for older adults and Pennsylvanians with disabilities to apply for rebates on rent and property taxes paid in 2022 has been extended from June 30 to Dec. 21, Acting Revenue Secretary Pat Browne said Monday.
“So far this year, we’ve already seen more than 50,000 of our rebate applicants use myPATH to file their applications online. This shows us that many of our customers are finding this online tool to be an easy way to make sure their applications are filed seamlessly and processed as quickly as possible,” Browne said in a statement.
The extension comes after Gov. Josh Shapiro called for a major expansion of the program in his proposed 2023-24 budget.
According to the proposal, the maximum standard rebate would increase from $650 to $1,000. The income limits for renters and homeowners would be made equal and both increase to $45,000.
The rebate program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians 65 and older, widows and widowers 50 and older, and people with disabilities 18 and older. The income limit is currently $35,000 a year for homeowners and $15,000 for renters.
Since the program was introduced in 1971, it has delivered more than $8 billion to older and disabled adults across the Commonwealth, according to the Department of Revenue.
The current maximum standard rebate is $650, but supplement rebates for certain qualifying homeowners can boost rebates to $975. The Department of Revenue automatically calculates supplemental rebates for qualifying homeowners.
Applicants must reapply for rebates every year, as rebates are based on annual income and property taxes or rent paid each year. Spouses, personal representatives or estates may file rebate claims on behalf of claimants who meet all eligibility requirements, according to the Department of Revenue.
Applying for a rebate is free, and assistance is available at multiple locations across the state, including Department of Revenue district offices, local Area Agencies on Aging, senior centers and state legislators’ offices.
