The Missouri Department of Revenue has changed the required paperwork to file for property tax credit reimbursement for 2018.
Residents are required to have their landlord fill out Form 5674, which is a verification of rent paid. To claim the PTC in the past, all one had to do was bring a letter from the landlord or 12 months of rent receipts, explained Retired Senior Volunteer Program Director Jennifer Rosener.
The RSVP and AARP volunteers will begin preparing taxes Tuesday, Feb. 5, at the Twin Towers and will continue from 8-11 a.m. every Tuesday and Thursday until April 11.
Rosener suggests everyone have paperwork in order before they come in. While no appointment is necessary, the first few weeks will be extremely busy so one may want to wait until March to come for assistance, she stressed.
If proper documentation is not provided to the state, the person’s tax paperwork will be “kicked back” to them, Rosener said.
Rosener called the state department of revenue and “I was told the landlord letters with tax ID numbers from rental companies could be submitted. Our plan for those who rent from a company is to go ahead and submit the letter, but we are going to tell them” their paperwork may be returned.
She strongly suggests renters have Form 5674 completed and “we have forms here at the office” and they may be obtained online by visiting their website.
This year, Rosener and the volunteers are going to have a separate table only for renters.
“We will look at what paperwork they have, and say ‘this has changed,’” she said. “This will prevent them from waiting hours in line.
In years’ past, volunteers were able to call landlords to get the information needed, but this is not possible this year.
The form landlords are to fill out also asks if rent assistance is approved and how much of the rent actually goes to pay utilities. The form also asks if anyone else resides in the dwelling.
Anyone who gets Form MO-PTC online may also get the booklet for 2018. They may print it out or fill it out online. They also may file it online, Rosener said.
“If it is not filled out properly, the state will send it back delaying the process,” Rosener said.
Rosener also reminds others along with paid real estate or personal property receipts:
• Those who are 100 percent disabled will need their Social Security verification, as well as required rental information and forms like SSA 1099;
• Those who are 65 and older and disabled would not need to have disability verification but will need to bring verification of rent paid;
• Railroad retirees should bring RRB 1099 along with either rental Form 5674 or 2018 paid real estate or personal property receipts.
• Disabled veterans needs to bring veterans’ documents along with rental information or property tax receipts.
• A widow, whose husband died this year, needs to bring a copy of the death certificate along with rental or tax information;
• Those who own more than five acres of land or own a mobile home, filers will need an assessor’s form 948.
“Go to the assessor’s office and tell them you need a form for the PTC filled out by the assessor. They will know what you need. If you own a mobile home and rent the pad you can claim both of these,” she said.
If someone fills out their own paperwork and it is returned to them before April 11, Rosener said she and the volunteers will help them. They need to bring all tax documents, including the letter from the Missouri Department of Revenue.
Rosener reminds those planning to use the services provided at the Twin Towers, AARP will be filing federal and state taxes electronically. RSVP will provide paper copies of the PTC taxes.