Page 4 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, February 16, 2024 Sen. Lewis promotes Senior Circuit Breaker Tax Credit before Tax Day Special to The Advocate S tate Senator Jason Lewis is encouraging Massachusetts residents who are 65 or older to explore whether they qualify for the Senior Circuit Breaker Tax Credit when filing their 2023 state tax returns. Created by the state legislature in 1999, the Circuit Breaker offers financial relief Gerry D’Ambrosio Attorney-at-Law Is Your Estate in Order? Do you have an update Will, Health Care Proxy or Power of Attorney? If Not, Please Call for a Free Consultation. 14 Proctor Avenue, Revere (781) 284-5657 Dan - 1972 We Sell Cigars & Accessories! ALL MAJOR BRANDS Singles * Tins * Bundles * Boxes * Travel Humidors * Desk Top Humidors * Many Types of Lighters * Ash Trays * Juuls * Vapes * Glass Pipes * Rewards Program * CBD Infused Products * GIFTS UNDER $30 - GIFT CERTIFICATES SMOKER’S DELIGHT! 15 HANDMADE CIGARS! 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Although the tax credit was previously capped at $1,200 for 2022 tax filing purposes, recent changes approved by the House and Senate and signed into law by Governor Healey last year have doubled the maximum tax credit to $2,590 for the 2023 tax year. “I strongly encourage all residents who are 65 or older to find out if they are eligible for the Senior Circuit Breaker,” said Senator Lewis. “This program has brought relief to many seniors struggling with high housing costs and is one of many important tools being used by the state to make housing more affordable.” The tax credit is available to Massachusetts residents who were 65 or older by December 31, 2023, and who own or rent residential property in Massachusetts that they occupy as their primary residence. For married couples filing jointly, only one person needs to be 65 or older by December 31, 2023, to qualify. The tax credit applies to residential properties with an assessed valuation (before residential exemptions but after abatements) of $1,025,000 or less as of January 1, 2023. Applicants must also meet certain income eligibility reCelebrating Our 52nd Year Chris 2024 the tax year. For renters, 25% of their annual Massachusetts rent must exceed 10% of their total Massachusetts income for the tax year. Seniors living in public or subsidized housing are not eligible for the Circuit Breaker. To claim the tax credit, appliJason Lewis State Senator quirements to qualify for the tax credit. Total annual income is currently capped at $69,000 for single individuals who are not the head of a household, $86,000 for heads of households and $103,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly. For homeowners to qualify, their Massachusetts property tax payments together with half of their water and sewer expenses must exceed 10% of their total Massachusetts income for cants must complete a Schedule CB (Circuit Breaker Credit) tax form and file it along with the standard Massachusetts Form 1 or Form 1-NR/PY income tax form. Applicants must file a Massachusetts state tax return to receive the tax credit, even if they do not owe taxes. For more details on the Senior Circuit Breaker or for copies of the required tax forms, go to www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-senior-circuit-breaker-tax-credit or contact the Department of Revenue’s Customer Service Bureau at 617-887-6367 (toll-free at 1-800-392-6089) between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. For additional help, please email Jason.Lewis@masenate. gov or call 617-722-1206. FEMA awards almost $6.8M to Cambridge Health Alliance for COVID staffing costs he Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will be sending nearly $6.8 million to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reimburse Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA) – also known as the Cambridge Public Health Commission – for the cost of contracting for additional staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. The $6,767,102 in Public Assistance grants will reimburse CHA, a health network affiliated with Harvard Medical School and serving communities north of Boston, for the cost of contracting for temporary staff to respond to the surge in patents caused by the pandemic between July 2021 and March 2022. During that time CHA increased staffing by contracting with several companies for additional staff in inpatient and surgical units, intensive care units, emergency departments, respiratory clinics, pharmacies and laboratories. “FEMA is pleased to be able to assist Cambridge Health Alliance with these costs,” said FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. “Reimbursing state, county, and municipal governments – as well as eligible non-profits and tribal entities – for the costs incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic is an important part of our nation’s ongoing recovery.” FEMA’s Public Assistance program is an essential source of funding for states and communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency. So far, FEMA has provided more than $2.7 billion in Public Assistance grants to Massachusetts to reimburse the Commonwealth for pandemic-related expenses. Additional information about FEMA’s Public Assistance program is available at https://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribaland-non-profit To learn more about the COVID-19 response in Massachusetts, please visit https:// www.fema.gov/disaster/4496
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