Older adults and people with disabilities have until Thursday, December 31, 2020 to apply for rebates on property taxes and rent paid in 2019. The departments of Revenue and Aging are reminding Pennsylvanians that the rebates are available through the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program, which has delivered more than $6.8 billion to eligible applicants since the program's inception in 1971.  

"With the COVID-19 pandemic impacting many Pennsylvanians this year, it is especially important that all eligible applicants take advantage of the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program," Revenue Secretary Dan Hassell said. "Last claim year this program delivered nearly $244 million to older and disabled Pennsylvanians throughout the commonwealth. If you know anyone who might be eligible, please encourage them to fill out an application so they can benefit from the program."

"Most older Pennsylvanians want to age in place by staying in their homes for as long as they are able. Many of them live on fixed incomes, so they may benefit from the financial assistance provided by this program. The Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program is a great opportunity for seniors to get some money back on what they have paid out. I urge all older adults to take advantage of this program before the December 31 deadline," said Secretary of Aging Robert Torres.

Under Pennsylvania law, the initial deadline for the filing of applications for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program is June 30. The Department of Revenue, which administers the program, typically evaluates the program as the statutory June 30 application deadline approaches to determine if funds are available to extend the deadline to the end of the year.

However, the deadline was extended earlier than normal this year to provide eligible Pennsylvanians with extra time to submit their applications during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, Governor Tom Wolf in May signed Act 20 of 2020 into law, allowing rebates on property taxes or rent paid in 2019 to be issued earlier than normal to provide financial support to eligible Pennsylvanians during the pandemic. That allowed the Department of Revenue to issue more than 310,000 rebates earlier than the normal July 1 distribution date by working closely with the Treasury Department.

How to Apply

After checking eligibility requirements, you can file your rebate application online by visiting myPATH, the Department of Revenue's user-friendly online filing system. Submitting your application through myPATH is easy and does not require you to sign up for an account. Filing online gives you instant confirmation that your claim has been successfully filed. Claimants also will have access to automatic calculators and other helpful features that are not available when filing a paper application.

For those who wish to file via paper, download an application. Qualified applicants should keep in mind that they will need to include the required documentation for property taxes or rent paid for the claim year when filing their applications. This information will be needed whether you're filing online or on the paper application.

It's free to apply for a rebate, and applicants are reminded that free assistance is typically available at hundreds of locations across the state, including Department of Revenue district offices, local Area Agencies on Aging, senior centers and state legislators' offices. Applicants should call or email ahead to determine whether in-person appointments are being offered. Check the COVID-19 information page on the Department of Revenue's website for the latest information on availability at the department's district offices.

Visit the Property/Tax Rent Rebate page on the Department of Revenue's website for further information on the program and how to apply for a rebate.

About the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program

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, and 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 Department of Revenue automatically calculates supplemental rebates for qualifying homeowners.

The Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program is funded by the Pennsylvania Lottery and revenue from slots gaming.