Property Tax Rebate for Seniors Program

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1 Page 1 Property Tax Rebate for Seniors Program Frequently Asked Questions Application Deadline: Postmarked by December 31, 2018 Question 1: I have not heard of the program before now. Why is the program not more widely advertised? Answer: The Property Tax Rebate for Seniors Program is advertised through the Department of Seniors Publication and with various senior programs throughout the province. The program also appears on the Department of Community Services and Service Nova Scotia websites. Question 2: If I do not send in an application for the rebate before the program ends, and I am eligible, can I apply for this year s rebate when the program starts again next year? Answer: No. If you do not submit your application by December 31 of the current year, you will not be eligible to apply for the current year s rebate. Question 3: My spouse/partner recently passed away and I have an application in their name. What should I do? Answer: If you meet the requirements of the program yourself, you can contact our office to have a new application sent to you, or you can pick one up at your local Access Nova Scotia. To locate an Access Nova Scotia Site or have an application mailed to you, please call or You may also download an application at: If the 2017 property bills are in the name of your spouse, but you have since put the property into your own name for 2018 and qualify for the rebate, please include copies of both bills with your application. The rebate will be calculated based on 2017 taxes.

2 Page 2 If you do not qualify for the rebate yourself, an Executor or Administrator may apply on behalf of the estate of the deceased. Please refer to the following question for more information. Question 4: I received an application in the mail for an applicant who has passed away, and I do not meet the program requirements myself. Can I apply to receive the rebate on behalf of the estate? Answer: An Executor or Administrator can apply on behalf of the estate, if the deceased: Received the 2017 Property Tax Rebate for Seniors Was eligible to receive the Guaranteed Income Supplement or the Allowance in January 2018 Was the owner of the property until they passed away Did not co-own the property with an individual who also qualifies for the rebate Applications must be submitted with proof of death, proof of 2017 property tax paid, and an updated mailing address. Question 5: My spouse/partner and I each received an application in the mail. Can we both apply? Answer: The Property Tax Rebate for Seniors is issued for the taxes paid at one civic address and is only issued once per program year, per civic address. If you and your spouse/partner both received an application or you each picked up an application, please only submit one. Question 6: I sent in my application and received a letter back indicating more information was needed to process my claim. Unfortunately, I misplaced the letter and now the program is over for the year. Can I still send in the information and receive my claim?

3 Page 3 Answer: When we receive an application that is incomplete, we will send you a letter advising what information is required. You must submit the outstanding information before the program closes at the end of the year. The information must be received by December 31 or your claim will be closed for that year and cannot be reopened. Question 7: The property taxes are not in my name but I live in the house and am responsible for the property taxes. Do I qualify for the rebate? Answer: No. To be eligible for the Property Tax Rebate for Seniors, you must provide proof that the property taxes are in your name or include your name and were paid in full for the previous calendar year. Question 8: I own multiple properties. Can I apply for the rebate for each property? Answer: No. You may only receive the rebate for one civic address per program year. Question 9: I am not currently residing at my property, but I maintain ownership and intend on reoccupying this property upon my return. Am I eligible for the rebate? Answer: If you resided at this property prior to your absence, and meet all other program requirements, you are eligible to receive the rebate. Question 10: I no longer reside in my home and do not intend on reoccupying it, but I currently maintain ownership of the property. Or, I no longer reside in my home and no longer own the property. Am I eligible for the rebate? Answer: You are eligible for one final rebate at this property if you received the rebate last year, meet all the program requirements, and have not purchased a new property. Your rebate will be calculated based on 2017 taxes paid. If you have purchased a new property, please refer to the following question.

4 Page 4 Question 11: I sold my home and bought a new house at a new address. Can I submit half the taxes from my previous address and half from my new address for this program year? Answer: No. If you have purchased a new home, you may only submit an application for the portion of the 2017 taxes paid at the address of your newly purchased property. Question 12: I have a Power of Attorney handling my affairs. Do I need to send in any additional information with my application? Answer: A copy of the legal document clearly showing Power of Attorney must be sent with your application. If you included this document with a previous year s application and your Power of Attorney has not changed, please make a note on the current application to let us know you provided the legal document in a previous year. Question 13: Do I have to apply for the Property Tax Rebate for Seniors each year? Answer: Yes. A person s situation may change from year to year, so it is necessary to apply each year. Question 14: Will I receive an application in the mail next year (2019)? Answer: If on the application, you signed Section 2 for consent for information exchange, we will mail you an application automatically next year, providing you receive the Property Tax Rebate for Seniors this year, and are still receiving the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) or the Allowance in January Question 15: I have not always received an application automatically, some years I had to call in to have one mailed to me. Why did this happen?

5 Page 5 Answer: If there has been a disruption in your claim for Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) or the Allowance, or it has been stopped for any reason, you may not get an application. You may still be eligible, depending on your situation and are encouraged to call or in Metro at For information on GIS call Service Canada at Please provide proof that you were receiving GIS or the Allowance in January 2018 with your application. Please do not provide a copy of your grant letter showing eligibility from July 2018, this is not acceptable. Question 16: I lost my application form. Where can I get a new one? Answer: You can download an application online at: you can have one mailed to you, or you can pick up an application at your local Access Nova Scotia Centre. To locate an Access Nova Scotia Centre or to have an application mailed to you, please call or Access Nova Scotia Centres can also be located by visiting: Question 17: Do you offer any other programs for seniors? Answer: There are many programs in place for seniors. To request a copy of the Department of Seniors Publication listing these programs, please call the Department of Seniors toll free at or in Metro. Question 18: How do I find out if I am eligible for the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) or the Allowance? Answer: Please contact Service Canada at Question 19: How long after I send in my application can I expect to receive my rebate cheque?

6 Page 6 Answer: As we receive thousands of applications each year, it can take up to 8 weeks before you receive your rebate cheque. Question 20: The rebate I received is half of what I expected. What do I do? Answer: As we receive so many applications and the tax information varies, sometimes a rebate is issued on the interim tax amount in error. If this happens or you suspect this may have happened, please call us at or We would be more than happy to review the application and re-issue any balance owing. Question 21: Do I need to cash my rebate cheque within a certain amount of time? Answer: Yes. You must cash your rebate within six months of the date on the cheque. Question 22: Is the entire tax bill eligible for a rebate? Answer: No. There are some amounts appearing on your tax bill that are not included in the rebate amount. These are Resource Forest, Resource Land, and Commercial. Question 23: Are there any other reasons I would receive a rebate less than I expected? Answer: Many municipalities in Nova Scotia offer qualified seniors a discount or rebate at the municipal level on the residential taxes. If you received a rebate from your municipality, this amount is deducted before we calculate the rebate issued by the province. Question 24: Can I receive my rebate by Direct Deposit?

7 Page 7 Answer: Currently, the Property Tax Rebate for Seniors program does not offer direct deposit. However, direct deposit is being considered for payments for the next program year. If you currently receive your income tax refund through direct deposit, you will receive your 2019 Property Tax Rebate through direct deposit. If not, you will receive a cheque in the mail. You can contact CRA to set up Direct Deposit by calling or by visiting Question 25: Can you show me examples of how my rebate is calculated? Answer: