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WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Now that application forms are available for eligible Pennsylvanians to begin claiming rebates on property taxes or rent paid in 2017, the state Department of Revenue is offering some helpful tips to address commonly asked questions about the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program.&#8226; What is the easiest way to determine the status of my Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program claim?The easiest way to check the status of your rebate claim is to visit the dedicated website that the Department of Revenue maintains &#8212; Where&#8217;s My PA Property Tax/Rent Rebate? You will need your Social Security number, claim year and date of birth to check the status of your claim.&#8226; Will filing my Property Tax/Rent Rebate claim early help me receive my rebate faster?No. By law, rebates cannot be mailed prior to July 1, the start of the fiscal year.&#8226; When will my claim be processed by the Department of Revenue?Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program claim forms (PA-1000s) are loaded into the Department of Revenue&#8217;s processing system in late April. There will be no information available on your claim until that time.&#8226; What is the fastest and easiest way to receive a rebate?File for direct deposit on your PA-1000. This is similar to how Social Security benefits are deposited for recipients. Under the Direct Deposit section on the PA-1000, check whether your bank account is checking or savings, and fill in the routing and account numbers.&#8226; Will my rebate be processed faster by calling the Department of Revenue or a tax professional?No. Some claimants believe that speaking directly to the Department of Revenue or calling their tax professional is the best way to find out when they will receive their rebate. However, the best way to check the status of your rebate is by visiting the department&#8217;s dedicated website &#8212; Where&#8217;s My PA Property Tax/Rent Rebate?The website will provide the same information available to Department of Revenue employees who answer telephone calls from claimants.&#8226; Are there other options available to determine the status of my rebate?If you provide a valid phone number on your PA-1000, you will receive an automated phone call confirming that your claim was received. You will receive another automated call advising when your rebate will be issued. Please note that these automated calls will not ask you to key in any numbers or to provide any additional information to the department.&#8226; Where can I go for help in filling out my rebate application?Property Tax/Rent Rebate application forms and assistance are available at no cost at Department of Revenue district offices, local Area Agencies on Aging, senior centers and state legislators&#8217; offices.&#8226; Do first-time claimants have to provide additional information other than their application forms?Yes. All new claimants must provide proof of their age and/or disability. See the Department of Revenue&#8217;s instruction booklet for a list of documents that are acceptable to submit in support of your claim. The department encourages applicants to send photocopies, because it cannot return original documents.Applicants may obtain rebate claim forms (PA-1000s) and related information on the Department of Revenue&#8217;s website or by calling 1-888-222-9190.The rebate program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians age 65 and older; widows and widowers age 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older. The income limit is $35,000 a year for homeowners and $15,000 annually for renters. Half of Social Security income is excluded.The maximum standard rebate is $650, but supplemental rebates for certain qualifying homeowners can boost rebates to $975.The program is funded by the Pennsylvania Lottery and gambling revenue.Emergency Rx refillbill signed by governorLegislation addressing prescription refills in emergency situations was signed into law by Gov. Tom Wolf this week as Act 8 of 2018.Senate Bill 542 eliminates a life-threatening loophole in the state&#8217;s emergency prescription refill law. Under current law, in the event of an emergency situation where a patient cannot obtain a doctor&#8217;s script for the refill of a prescription, a pharmacist could issue a 72-hour supply of that drug. Issues with the law arose with drugs that are not available in 72-hour supplies, such as insulin, and therefore could not be dispensed to the patient. This situation has resulted in fatalities in other states.With the signing of this legislation, pharmacists are now permitted to dispense up to a 30-day emergency supply as long as certain conditions are met, such as the drug is not available in a 72-hour supply, is not a controlled substance and is essential to maintain life.The act takes effect immediately.Gov. Wolf signs bill to protectvictims of sexual abuse crimesGov. Tom Wolf this week signed House Bill 631 into law, now Act 10 of 2018, the primary intent of which is to provide for greater public safety by ensuring convicted sexual offenders remain subject to registration requirements in the wake of recent court decisions impacting Pennsylvania&#8217;s implementation of the Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).The legislation would ensure that as many as 12,000 sexual offenders remain on Pennsylvania&#8217;s registry and subject to the regulations in place at the time of their offense &#8211; either a 10-year or lifetime registration.HB 631 provides guidance on Commonwealth v. Muniz, where the Pennsylvania Supreme Court held that the commonwealth&#8217;s sexual registration statute, commonly referred to as the Adam Walsh Act, could not be applied retroactively.Without this legislation, any person whose offense occurred prior to the enactment of SORNA in December 2012 would not be required to register as a sexual offender and those placed on the registry for offenses committed prior to that date would have been subject to removal.The bill also addresses gaps in supervision of sexual offenders by providing for a mandatory three-year probationary period at the completion of their maximum state sentence.Tax time offers opportunityto help PA military familiesIndividuals filing their 2017 Pennsylvania personal income taxes can help Pennsylvania&#8217;s military personnel and their families by donating part or all of their refund to the state&#8217;s Military Family Relief Assistance Program.The program, administered by the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA), provides grants of up to $3,500 to Pennsylvania members of the armed forces and their families who have a direct and immediate financial need as a result of circumstances beyond their control. The tax form includes instructions on how to donate.Since the program began in 2006, more than $1.78 million has been donated by individuals filing their Pennsylvania personal income tax returns and through private donations.Members of the armed forces who are residents of Pennsylvania are eligible to apply for assistance while they are serving on active duty for 30 or more consecutive days with the Army, Army Reserve, Navy, Navy Reserve, Air Force, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps, Marine Corps Reserve, Coast Guard, Coast Guard Reserve, or the Pennsylvania Army or Air National Guard.All members of the armed forces who were discharged for medical reasons are also eligible to apply for assistance for up to four years after a medical discharge.<style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Bill O&#8217;Boyleboboyle@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.</shirttailMeta></div>

State addresses questions about Property Tax/Rent Rebate program