Time to apply for refund

    State Rep. Peter Edgecomb (R-Caribou) has announced that the application period for Maine’s Property Tax and Rent Refund Program will begin August 1 for taxes and rent paid during 2007.
     He encouraged Maine homeowners and renters to take advantage of this under-utilized program, which provides cash to help residents cover their property taxes.
    The Property Tax and Rent Refund Program, also known as the “circuit breaker,” is the state’s primary tax assistance program. Mainers who qualify may be eligible for refunds of up to $2,000.
    Under the guidelines, you may qualify if you do not have a spouse or dependents and your 2007 income was $60,000 or less. If you have a spouse or dependents, you could have made up to $80,000 in 2007 and still qualify.
    To receive a refund, your 2007 property tax must have exceeded 4 percent of your income. Renters qualify is the rent they paid in 2007 exceeded 20 percent of their income.
    Seniors do not need to meet this property tax or rent requirement if their household income is below $13,600 for those living alone or below $16,800 for those living with a spouse or dependent.
    According to Edgecomb, thousands of Mainers who could have received refund checks in the past did not even apply. Maine Revenue Services estimates that approximately 200,000 Maine households qualify for the program.
    The deadline for applications for refunds on property taxes paid in 2007 is June 1, 2009.