Senior tax and rent assistance available

The senior citizen's property tax/rent assistance program is open through April 30.

Refunds are between $5 and $500 and are mailed by Aug. 15.

Refunds are calculated from income and property taxes or rent paid. They are adjusted for factors such as other people living in their home, if utilities were included in rent and if the person is in a full-care facility.

For an application or more information, call the Carson City Assessor's Office at 887-2130. If you do not live in Carson City, call the assessor in your county.

The water/sewer rebate refund is the same application as the senior citizen's application. For mobile homes, the applicant must own the land as well as have their name on the home's Carson City utility account. Applications are forwarded to the utilities department.

If you have already applied for the program and did not get a pre-printed application by Feb. 15, call the Nevada Division for Aging Services, Senior Tax Program at 687-4826 or in-state toll free 1-866-212-7600 for another application.

To qualify for the program, an applicant:

1. Must be 62 years or older by June 30 of the first year they apply.

2. Must not have a combined income with their spouse of more than $27,863

according to their 2007 income.

3. Must have lived continuously in Nevada and paid rent and/or property taxes from at least July 1, 2007, until the time of filing of an application.

4. Must not have liquid assets combined with their spouse of more than $150,000.

5. Must not have a residence or their spouse cannot of residence of an assessed value of more than $200,000.

6. Must not own property, other than the home they live in, with an assessed value of more than $30,000.

7. Must be a Nevada resident when applying.

- Also, anyone, including seniors, has to file a tax return to receive a a federal tax rebate.