PORTLAND, Maine — State authorities say only about half of the estimated 200,000 Maine households eligible apply for a property tax or rent refund that last year averaged nearly $500.
Overall participation in the Maine Resident Property Tax and Rent Refund Program last year was nearly 10 percent lower than it was three years before the recession hit, according to Maine Revenue Services.
Experts told The Portland Press Herald people don’t apply for the tax relief program because they don’t know it exists, assume they don’t qualify, find the application form too complicated or don’t want to deal with Maine Revenue Services.
Maine’s program provides partial refunds to residents for property taxes or rent paid the previous calendar year for people whose property taxes or rent represents a disproportionate amount of their income.
I applied for this a couple of months back. Every time I go to check the status online I get a message that says: “Mine will be delayed for at least 12 weeks as I owed them money previously”!
I have gotten refunds on my income tax for the last couple of years and feel they would have taken that if I truly “owed” them any money. To the best of our knowledge we do not owe them anything!
I believe that they are just unwilling to part with the money. I believe they would be happiest if NO ONE applied for , and got any money out of this fund.
That way they get to keep it all!
So why don’t you call and ask what the problem is? My refund to less than 2 weeks.
I agree. I had the same experience and found the staff very receptive – settled my issue on the phone in 10 minutes and I had my rent refund in 2 weeks . Most people really only need to know TWO figures… their income tax adjusted gross income and what they paid in rent or property tax .
You can go to maine.gov and sign up online–or go to your town or city office to pick up an application.
Only if you have a computer ($$$), a phone and internet service ($$$), and the knowledge of how to use them.
If one doesn’t have the facilities that you mentioned public libraries all over the State have public facilities available along with someone who may be willing to help.
Crapola..
Program is junk..state works harder at making it harder to qualify and yet easier for them to keep the money.
People are aware of it, they don’t “assume they don’t qualify” they know they are not going to, we use our brains and read the guidelines, laugh at them and move on
I applied and received my $30.00 refund within two weeks…was very easy. Last year my refund was $300.00 because I made less money and my rent was the same….in this economy every bit helps…People just like to complain….
This application is one of the very easiest to fill out. Might take 5 minutes.–You can get an application on-line, or at the Eastern Area on Aging office. You can also go to any library and get this info. You won’t know if you qualify until you inquire. If you only get back a few dollars, it’s worth the small amount of time to check it out.—In this state, every penny counts!!
Perhaps if the program could send someone out door to door to fill out the forms for the people
I didn’t know that there was a renter’s refund.. Is there an I work hard so you can stay home on your lazy butt refund?
Well angry person,, lots of working people get it too if they meet the guide lines. If you are over the guide lines you are making enough to live on so why do you complain if someone under the guide lines gets it??
If you own property and pay property taxes you can apply for a refund. Don’t be so obtuse.
I was bummed that I only got $120, but every penny does help.
Good God, Maine, stop begging people to take our tax dollars!!!!!!
Just asking …But are you aware of how this program is funded ?? Also… most folks who benefit from this program invest back in the local economy and it circulates 2-3 times and benefits local merchants , grocery stores and gas stations…. you know … the nuts and bolts people in most communities.
Makes far more sense to either not charge taxpayers for it in the first place or to spend the money paying off the state’s debts.
Or they rent without a lease