Property tax/rent rebate rates expand to include more residents

Governor Josh Shapiro this week announced that hundreds of thousands of older adults and Pennsylvanians with disabilities are now eligible to apply for a rebate up to $1,000 through the Property Tax/Rent Rebate (PTRR) program. The maximum standard rebate is now $1,000 (up from $650) thanks to bipartisan legislation signed into law last year.

Eligible residents can apply for rebates on property taxes and rent paid in 2023.

According to the announcement, the program’s income limits have been increased to $45,000 and made equal for both homeowners and renters, allowing for nearly 175,000 additional Pennsylvanians to be eligible for the PTRR program. Previously the income limit was $35,000 for homeowners and $15,000 for renters. The income cap will also automatically increase based on inflation in the coming years.

The Department of Revenue (DOR) is encouraging everyone who is newly eligible for the PTRR program to submit their applications as soon as possible in an effort to “more quickly verify and process applications from first-time applicants, who are required to submit supporting documentation to verify their age and eligibility.” This is a step required to prevent fraud.

Once a rebate is confirmed, payments for the program are typically distributed starting on July 1. But due to the anticipated increase in applications, DOR warned that rebates for first-timers may take longer. DOR further explained that first-time filers who file by June 1 should expect to receive their rebates between July 1 and September 1, 2024. “Some rebates may take additional time if DOR needs to correct or verify any information on a rebate application. This time frame for first-time filers’ rebates is only for this year, due to the expansion resulting in a high number of new applicants,” the department added.

To streamline the process, eligible residents are encouraged to file as soon as possible through myPATH.pa.gov, and choose to receive payment via direct deposit. Applicants can also receive a paper application by calling 1-888-222-9190.

In preparation for the increase in applicants, DOR added more full-time staffers and aims to hire an additional 25 temporary staffers, stationed DOR staff at area agencies on aging and senior centers throughout the state for in-person support, made system improvements to the myPATH system, and changed myPATH to prevent common errors from being allowed when filling out the application.

The rebate program is for eligible Pennsylvanians age 65 and older, widows and widowers age 50 and older, and people with disabilities age 18 and older.