Low Income UP Residents Eligible for Tax Refunds

From the City of University Place:

All City of University Place low income households are eligible to apply for a utility tax refund of $56, with an additional $9 refunded for gas utility customers for utility taxes paid through December 31, 2012. Households that qualify can apply for a refund by obtaining an application form and submitting it no later than June 30, 2013. 

Information Sheet 

Application Form

Who is eligible?
In order to be eligible for a Utility Tax Refund, you must be a low income household as defined by the following and have lived within the incorporated city limits of University Place for nine months or more in 2012.
 

Low income: Means a household earning less than 50 percent of median income as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

You are eligible if:

• You lived within the incorporated limits of the City of University Place for nine months or more in 2012
• You paid electric and/or gas utilities, which are in your name, in 2012
• The annual gross income (from all income sources) of your household in 2012 did not exceed the following: 

Number of people in household Maximum annual gross income One Person $25,100 Two Persons $28,700 Three Persons $32,300 Four or more Persons $35,850

What is “Gross Income of Household”? 
This is the income received in the 2012 tax year by EVERY member of your household (related or not) who was at least 18 years old (on or before January 1, 2012). This includes, but is not limited to: wages, salaries, bonuses, tips, gross amounts of pensions and annuities, retirement benefits, Social Security benefits, life insurance benefits, interest, capital gains, gifts, inheritances, third-party income, and other assets.

How much is the refund? All eligible low income households will receive a refund of $56.00, with an additional $9.00 refunded for gas utility customers. What documents are required to prove income?For all members of your household with an income we require:A U.S. Individual Tax Return Form 1040 (if one was filed); 
orBank statements for November and December 2012 (if no income tax return was filed); and documentation for all sources of income not included in bank statements or on IRS Form 1040.

What other documentation must be provided?

• Fully completed City of University Place Utility Tax Refund Application.
• Proof of residency. To fulfill residency requirements please provide copies of utility bills (electric or gas) showing nine months of University Place residency. For example, if you lived in University Place for all of 2012, please attach a copy of a January 2012 and December 2012 utility bill. If you lived less than a year, but more than nine months, please submit a beginning month and ending month to prove nine month residency. Residents residing in University Place for less than nine months in 2012 are not eligible for a refund.
• If you are also requesting a refund for your natural gas utility tax, you must provide a copy of one natural gas bill from 2012.

What is the application deadline? Applications must be received by June 30, 2013. Applications received after this deadline will be returned. 

When should I expect to receive my tax refund check? Refund applications are processed in the order in which they are received. To expedite your refund, please follow the directions outlined and submit an orderly and complete packet. Incomplete applications will result in a much delayed refund. Due to staffing levels and normal processing time, we expect refunds to take approximately 8-10 weeks from the time you submit your completed packet. 

Where do I apply? Submit a completed application and all required documentation by mail or in person to:

University Place City Hall

3715 Bridgeport Way W. Ste. B-1

University Place, WA 98466-4456 

Questions?

We’re here to help you, and are happy to do so! Please contact the City of University Place Finance Department at 253.460.2547. Regular business hours are Monday – Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. However, if we miss your call, please leave a message with your name and phone number and your call will be returned.