High property taxes can be hard on retirees living on fixed incomes.

This puts state officials and lawmakers in the unusual position of trying to figure out how to more effectively give money back to taxpayers in the most recent application period, which began in August and runs through May of next year. Be sure to read the instructions for Line 7 to determine the correct box to check for your situation. In fact, officials in Augusta say more than 100,000 Maine residents who qualify for a tax rebate are doing just that. You may get the discount for the license plate fee for one vehicle per household. High property taxes can be hard on retirees living on fixed incomes. If you owe any money to us, we will send you a bill.

Your grant is figured by a formula using the amount you paid in property tax or mobile home tax and the amount of your total income. Participation in the program jumped almost 50 percent after the changes, but it still remains far below what it could be. As their tax bills increase, they fear they will no longer be able to afford to stay in the homes where they raised their families. Be sure to check this week's iHerald, an interactive partnership between the Portland Press Herald and MaineToday. Before the 1987 tax cuts, the state's top rate was 13.

If you live in a nursing home or public housing unit that is subject to property tax, you may be eligible for a grant. He said Yarmouth's plan gave a rebate that equaled 50 percent of the state rebate to any resident who qualified under the state program. And that is what is unfair about the home exemption. But the town ended the program out of concern that it might face a court challenge. Because all homeowners get the basic exemption, the rich and poor alike benefit. If you have questions, concerns or ideas about the reader comments on this or any other article, e-mail us. You must attach proof of your qualified additional resident Schedule B. If you send us your completed Form IL-1363 after May 1, we will issue your grant in approximately 10 weeks.