Middle Class STAR Rebates: How Much Will You Get Back?
Louise Hoffman Broach | Wayuga Editor
Wednesday, July 25 2007
ALBANY - The Department of Taxation and Finance has started mailing letters to homeowners about applying for their property tax rebate check, with people being encouraged to do it on line.
“This new rebate program will provide direct relief to middle class New Yorkers who need it most, and is a critical component of our ongoing effort to reduce the property tax burden shouldered by New York’s seniors and hard-working families,” said Gov. Eliot Spitzer. “This $1.3 billion tax cut, deliberately targeted to the middle class, is the largest in state history and will provide much-needed tax relief to homeowners across the state.”
Rebates vary depending on school district residency and income. In Wayne County, for those with a combined household income of up to $90,000, rebates range from a low of $271 for residents of Wolcott in the Red Creek school district to a high of $522 for Gananda school district residents.
More than 94 percent of all homeowners across New York are eligible to receive additional tax relief under the governor’s Middle Class STAR program, with four out of every five homeowners qualifying for the maximum benefit, a 60-percent additional benefit in 2007/08 growing to an additional benefit of 80 percent in 2009/10.
Rebate checks will be calculated on a sliding scale based on income, with the maximum benefit going to all upstate homeowners earning $90,000 or less, and all New York City metropolitan region homeowners earning $120,000 or less. The difference in threshold levels corresponds to the difference in average regional incomes and cost of living. The benefit gradually diminishes as income exceeds these thresholds until a homeowner’s income reaches $250,000. Taxpayers earning more than $250,000 are not eligible for new relief, but will continue to receive their current STAR benefit.
Seniors 65 years or older who receive the enhanced STAR exemption do not need to apply. These homeowners will receive their STAR rebate check automatically.
On July 16, the Tax Department began mailing letters with applications to New York City homeowners who need to apply, and will continue mailing out notices at a rate of approximately 50,000 to 60,000 each business day. On Aug. 1, the tax department will mail letters with applications to homeowners in the city of Yonkers. These letters are going out first because New York City’s and Yonkers’ tax assessment rolls are updated earlier than other localities. In mid-August, as other localities’ tax rolls are updated and sent to the Tax Department, letters will be mailed to STAR-eligible homeowners throughout the rest of the state.
All letters will be sent out by the end of September to give ample time for taxpayers to fill out the application prior to the Nov. 30 deadline. Staggering notifications will also allow the tax department to manage homeowner telephone inquiries and applications.
Once a homeowner receives a notice, enrollment can be submitted by mail or online. The rebate checks will be mailed to homeowners as their applications are processed. Online applications take less time to process, though generally people may expect their check several weeks after they submit their application. Enrolling online at www.nystax.gov will be the fastest way to receive a rebate check.
To receive a rebate check, homeowners will have to verify the property information provided on the application; enter the names, social security numbers, and all required information for all resident property owners and their spouses; verify the mailing address and submit the application.
The department will provide updated information on the department website, www.nystax.gov, as well as through the department’s call center, creating a special hotline at 1-877-6-STAR-NY (1-877-678-2769). Spanish speakers will be able to receive assistance through the call center.
Homeowners can go online or use the call center to find out when their notice and application will be mailed, see a sample application and instructions, view a list of frequently asked questions, and find out how much they will most likely receive in their rebate check.
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