Middle Class STAR Rebate Deadline Approaching

Legislative column by Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (R,I,C,WF-Sag Harbor)

December 10, 2008

December 31, 2008 is the deadline to apply for a property tax relief under the Middle Class STAR Rebate Program. If you are an eligible property owner and you have not received a rebate check, you must apply before the December deadline. If you are eligible, you should have received a 2008 Middle Class STAR rebate check, a notification letter and application, or correspondence from the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance.

Basic STAR recipients who applied for rebates in 2007 and whose property remains the same do not have to apply again this year. Property owners who did not apply in 2007 or whose property has changed can apply by one of two ways; one way is to mail in the application that the Department of Taxation and Finance mails out to all homeowners, or you can fill out an on-line application located at www.nystax.gov. If you are submitting a request for reconsideration of a rebate, it must by submitted by March 31, 2009. Taxation and Finance strongly encourages recipients to apply only once because additional applications will only cause a lag in the receipt of your rebate. For the majority of homeowners, the Basic STAR rebate checks will be the same as last year.

Enhanced STAR recipients will, once again, receive their rebates automatically and do not have to fill out an application. If you received the Enhanced STAR benefit on your school tax bills than you will receive a rebate check.

If you believe you are eligible and did not receive a check, notification letter, or other correspondence from the Department of Taxation and Finance, you should contact the Department at 518-457-2036 or 866-358-2511. You can also contact me at my district office by calling (631) 537-2583 or by e-mail at thielef@assembly.state.ny.us.

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