People tend to shudder at the mention of taxes. But sometimes the word tax is a good thing, for instance when it is paired with the word rebate.

It’s time again for the Maine Residents Property Tax and Rent Refund Program, which provides tax relief for homeowners or renters of any age who live in Maine. However, to receive a refund, you must meet these qualification guidelines for the general program:

. You were a Maine resident for the entire 12 months of 2005.

. You owned or rented a home in Maine for all of 2005 and lived in it for at least six months of that year.

. You lived alone and had a total household income in 2005 of up to $77,000, or you lived with a spouse or dependent and had a total household income in 2005 of up to $102,000.

. You had a 2005 property tax bill that was more than 4 percent of total household income, or you paid rent in 2005 that was more than 22 percent of total household income. This requirement does not apply to those who were age 62 or older by Dec. 31, 2005, and had an income below $12,700 for one, or $15,800 for two.

“This refund program helps many seniors by putting money back in their pockets, which can help with rising fuel and utility costs,” said Val Sauda, director of outreach at EAA. “The Maine Revenue Service wants to help as many Maine seniors who are eligible get this refund.”

Eastern Agency on Aging has the form available, and consultants are trained to help any person age 60 or older complete it.

If you filed income tax in 2005, bring a copy of your federal and Maine return and a copy of your property tax bill for the period covering April 2005, or rent receipts.

If you did not file a tax return for 2005, you will need your bank statements for 2005, the 1099 form that reports your 2005 Social Security earnings, papers that show any other earnings and a copy of your property tax bill or rent receipts.

While Eastern Agency on Aging will be holding clinics for the next few months, the actual deadline for filing has been extended to May 31, 2007.

If you filed for a refund last year, your 2005 application will be mailed to you.

Once you’ve shipped off your tax and rent application you can expect to see a check, providing you qualify, in four to six weeks. The Maine Revenue Service will figure the exact amount of your refund.

“Some folks complete the application themselves – it is just one page front and back – and want us to review it before it is sent, and we are happy to do that,” said Sauda.

“We can also talk seniors through the process on the phone or, if they prefer, we’ll sit down with them and complete the application together,” she said. “In the event they are unable to get into our office, we are happy to make home visits. Eastern Agency is eager to provide assistance.”

EAA is currently taking appointments for Tuesdays and for Friday afternoons.

Remember, time is money. The sooner you apply, the sooner you may have a little extra cash.

A very special thank you goes out to the folks at the Brewer Dollar Tree and their customers who donated food to the Furry Friends Food Bank, an organization that provides seniors in need with pet food free of charge. In one weekend, the store gathered two and a half cartloads of pet food for FFFB. Their generosity is very much appreciated.

Carol Higgins is director of communications at Eastern Agency on Aging. For information on EAA, call 941-2865, e-mail info@eaaa.org, or log on www.eaaa.org. For TTY, call 992-0150.