State refund program applications accepted

AUGUSTA – The state says applications for Maine residents’ property tax and rent refunds, as well as the low-cost drug card program for the elderly and disabled, may be filed starting Thursday.

The refund program is for people who were Maine residents for all of 2001.

The portion of the program for the elderly is open to people who were 62 in 2001 or were disabled and at least 55 in 2001. For those living alone in 2001, household income cannot have exceeded $11,600. For people living with a dependent or spouse, income cannot have exceeded $14,400.

The nonelderly part of the program is open to Maine residents of any age whose 2001 income was not more than $29,100 for people living alone and $45,100 for individuals living with a spouse or dependent.

To qualify for the nonelderly refund, property tax must have been more than 4 percent of household income or rent must have been more than 22 percent of household income in 2001.

Applications for both programs are available at Maine Revenue Services’ Taxpayer Service Center on Sewall Street in Augusta, state Department of Human Services’ field offices, area agencies on aging and community action agencies. The applications also may be obtained by calling 624-7805 or by visiting www.maine.gov/revenue.

For information, call Maine Revenue Services’ Income-Estate Tax Division at 626-8475.