Legislation

Property Tax Rent Rebate Deadline Weeks Away!

If you haven’t applied for your 2021 2021 Property Tax Rent Rebate yet, make sure you do by the December 31st, 2022 deadline in two weeks!

Get up to $975 and a one-time 70% bonus rebate if:

• Your income is under $35,000 (Homeowners) or $15,000 (Renters)
• Note: half of Social Security is excluded!

AND you are:

• Age 65 or over as of December 31, 2022
• A widow/widower age 50 or over, or 
• Disabled and age 18 or over

You can apply online at Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program (pa.gov) or contact our office and we will submit the application to the PA Department of Revenue for you! Make your appointment at 412-364-0469 (Ross), 724-224-2131 (Harrison) or [email protected]. 

Avoid Holiday Financial Scams 

With the holiday shopping season upon us, the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities (DoBS) and the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) are warning consumers about fraud and scams.

Five typical scams to watch out for are:

1. Hacked Account Scam – A scammer may use technology to make it seem like your financial institution is calling you to inform you that your card or account have been compromised. They may have details like the last four numbers of your card or listing of recent purchases. This is an attempt to establish credibility and create an urgency to prevent additional fraudulent activity, while seeking additional sensitive financial information. Your financial institution will not call you unsolicited and ask for details such as your Social Security number, account or credit card numbers, or password.
2. Unbelievable Price on Hard-to-Find Items – Everyone enjoys a bargain, but if the item you’re looking to purchase is showing for significantly less than compared to every major retailer, it is likely fraudulent. The scammer will try to sell you a plausible, but ultimately fictional, reason for the price difference. Fraudsters will tell you there are multiple people interested, but they’ll let you buy it if you send payment immediately. Once you send the money, you’ll receive bogus shipping information or never hear from them. Always contact your financial institution directly using the phone number from your statement, bank card, or their website to verify any calls from the institution. 
3. Bank Deposit Holiday Hustles – Having your checking or savings account information used for depositing mystery shopper checks or other deposits whose funds you don’t know the source of can lead to financial loss and difficulty reestablishing banking services. When you endorse or sign a check, you are vouching for the legitimacy of those funds being available. A scam artist may send you a check for an amount to buy certain items to send somewhere, allowing you to keep a portion for yourself. If that check or funds are fraudulent, you will be liable for the entire balance.  
4. Copycat Websites – Identity theft can occur despite taking precautions. Consumers can help reduce the chance of having their personal or financial information stolen by practicing safe online shopping. Malicious emails can appear to be from legitimate retail stores. Do not click on these links. Instead, bookmark the URL for your favorite stores to ensure you are accessing the appropriate site. If purchasing items online, be sure to monitor your accounts after for fraudulent or unauthorized charges.
5. Gift Cards – Gift cards can be a versatile and practical holiday gift but remember that no government agency will ever ask you to pay a fine, fee, or penalty with a gift card. If you receive a call telling you to pay a debt or some other cost via gift card, that is a red flag of a scam. Hang up immediately. Once a scammer has the codes and pins from a gift card, it is extremely difficult to recover any funds.  

Five strategies that can protect you from these scams and others include:

1. Monitor Your Accounts. Frequently check your financial accounts for any debits or withdrawals you do not recognize.
      
2. Never follow links in unsolicited emails. Check that any emails you receive are from a correct email address.
      
3. Type the website directly into your browser. Pay attention to your spelling and double check that it is a U.S. domain – like dot-com rather than an international domain – before entering any sensitive information.
      
4. Be wary of any transaction involving checks. Never send anything via Western Union or prepaid cards.
      
5. When in doubt, hang up. Never provide credit card info as part of an unsolicited phone call and think twice if you’re being pressured to donate “right now.” 

If you are the victim of a scam, contact your financial institution and your local police. You can also file a complaint with the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).

Anyone can contact DoBS at 1-800-PA-BANKS or 1-800-722-2657 to ask questions or file complaints about financial transactions, companies, or products. 

In addition, the free, See Something, Send Something smartphone application enables people to report suspicious activity. Consumers are encouraged to capture photographs, screenshots, and other information and send directly to the PSP. Tips can also be sent to [email protected]. 

Give the Gift of Education - PA 529!

The holiday season is the perfect time to save for the future with the PA 529 College and Career Savings Program. Give a gift to the child in your life that truly lasts a lifetime – the gift of education.There’s no minimum deposit to open an account, and contributions of as little as $1 can be made any time.

Friends and family can easily contribute to a child’s PA 529 account with a Ugift code.  If you already have a PA 529 account for your child, you can access and share your Ugift code by logging in to your account at pa529.com/ugift and then emailing the code to people who want to contribute to your child’s education savings. These gift contributions may be PA state income tax deductible!

If you want to learn more about starting to save with PA 529 accounts, head to pa529.com for all of the details. There are two plans to help families save, including the PA 529 Investment Plan, with earnings tied to financial markets, and the PA 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan, where earnings are tied to tuition inflation. Families can choose the plan that best meets their savings goals.

Have questions? Contact the Pennsylvania Treasury at [email protected] or 800-440-4000.

Tarentum Winter Night Market

Support local merchants and get your last minute holiday shopping done at Tarentum’s December Night Market this Friday, December 16th. It may be cold, but all vendors will be placed on 6th Ave! 

Christmas Toy Giveaway in Larimer!

The Larimer Consensus Group (LCG) and Habitat for Humanity are partnering for LCG’s Annual Toy Giveaway! Saturday, December 17th, 10:30 am until the toys are GONE!

Hampton’s Neighborhood Santa Tour

Santa Claus will be visiting Hampton Township streets compliments of the Hampton and North Hampton Fire Departments on Saturday, December 17th and kids can check a “Santa Tracker” to see Santa’s route! 

For additional information including the Santa Tracker link go to Neighborhood Santa Tour | Hampton Township, PA - Official Website (hampton-pa.org)