Lifestyles

Do You Qualify for a Property-Tax Rebate?

By Arthur Vidro
ON CONSUMERISM
For those of us who are not wealthy, our property taxes are quite a burden to bear.

But some possible relief is at hand.

This is the time of year when New Hampshire property owners can file an application for a partial rebate of their property taxes.

To qualify, you need to pay property taxes, you need to have lived in your New Hampshire property as of April 1, 2022, and you need to have filed your 2022 federal income tax return.

Also, your 2022 adjusted gross income needs to be under $47,000 for married couples or heads of household, or under $37,000 for a single person.

Here’s how it works.

The state form you must fill out and submit is called a DP-8. To get the form, either phone (603) 230-5920 and request it, or else dig it up on the Internet. If you lack Internet access at home, there’s always the public library. If you are not computer-literate but you are polite, a kindly librarian (is there any other type?) can likely print out the documents for you.

I accessed the application by going to “revenue.nh.gov” and then clicking on “Forms and Instructions” and then clicking on “All Department Forms & Instructions” and then clicking on “DP-8.” There are two choices for the DP-8; one (called “print”) is a standard printout for you to fill in by hand; the other (called “fillable”) allows you to fill in the information on your computer screen. The fillable version also performs all the necessary math.

As expected, you must include your name, address, phone number, and Social Security number. Also, the map number and lot number and assessed value of your property (all of which is found on your property tax bill).

The full printout is eight pages – a two-page form to be filled out and six pages of instructions.

This program runs two months each year, and now is the time. All electronic applications must be received between May 1 and June 30. All paper applications must be postmarked during that time frame.

You must also include the first two pages of your federal tax return, and a copy of the year-ending 2022 property tax bill. After all, this is a rebate for taxes paid in 2022.

Frankly, I couldn’t figure out how to sign the form (or attach the corroborating documents) on screen. I filled in all the other boxes, though, and printed it out, and am now mailing it in to: NH DRA; Taxpayer Services Division; P.O. Box 299; Concord, N.H. 03302-0299.

If I did everything correctly, then the missus and I will, later this year, receive from New Hampshire a check for $34 and change as our property tax relief. Guess that means we’re poor enough to qualify for a smidgen of aid, but not poor enough to qualify for significant aid.

But some of you probably qualify for a much larger chunk of aid.

So, property owners, why not check to see if you, too, qualify for some property tax relief from the state of New Hampshire?

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