Bethlehem, PA – August 4, 2022– Senator Lisa M. Boscola (D-Northampton) applauded the Governor’s signature on legislation to increase the maximum rebate amounts and income limits for the Commonwealth’s popular Property Tax & Rent Rebate (PTRR) Program, administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, to include more Pennsylvanians over the age of 65 or who are permanently disabled.
“Too many Pennsylvania seniors and persons with disabilities are often faced with the threat of losing their home because of property tax increases,” Senator Boscola stated. “The new law signed today will increase the maximum rebates, increase income limits and also provide an annual COLA on the income limits so Social Security COLA’s can no longer kick a person out of the program.”
The new income limit is $45,000 for both homeowners and renters with the maximum rebate increased from $650 to $1,000.
“This legislative session, I introduced legislation seeking to raise the income limits to $50,000 and provide a much-needed annual COLA to those limits,” Boscola stated. “Income limits have not been raised since 2008 so these changes to the Property Tax Rent Rebate program are much needed. It was clear that too many seniors were losing out on the benefits of the program.”
In 2022, nearly 260,000 Pennsylvania homeowners were approved for property tax rebates for claim year 2021 down substantially from the high of over 400,000 homeowners in 2010 for claim year 2009. Overall claims for homeowners and renters have decreased from over 605,860 in 2010 to 429,137 in 2022.
“We must remember, however, while this important law will benefit hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians, we must address the inequity in our educational funding system that is caused by our over reliance on the local school property tax to fund our public schools,” Boscola stated. “We need to help all homeowners by moving away from school property taxes to a fairer system to fix the structural issues in our educational funding system. By doing do so, we will also ensure every child in Pennsylvania receives the public education our Constitution requires.”
The new rebate amounts and income limits will take effect for the 2023 PTRR program, which will open in early 2024. However, applicants can still apply for this year’s program, until December 31, 2023, by visiting mypath.pa.gov to file their rebate application online, or by calling Senator Lisa Boscola’s office at 610-868-8667. Along with meeting income requirements, eligible applicants must certify that they are 65 years old or older, a widow or widower age 50-64, or permanently disabled age 18-64.
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