Maine Schedule PTFC Property Tax Fairness Credit

Schedule PTFC Property Tax Fairness Credit
2023 Schedule PTFC/STFC (Form 1040ME)
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Property Tax Fairness Credit
Sales Tax Fairness Credit

SCHEDULE PTFC/STFC
Form 1040ME

2023

Attachment
Sequence No. 3

For MAINE RESIDENTS and PART-YEAR RESIDENTS ONLY.
See instructions. Enclose with Form 1040ME.
For more information, visit www.maine.gov/revenue/tax-return-forms.

Your Social Security Number

Name(s) as shown on Form 1040ME

Enter your	
date of birth	

MM	

DD	

99

*2302205*

If married, enter your
spouse’s date of birth

YYYY

MM	

DD	

YYYY

Physical location of property where you lived during 2023 (if different from your mailing address):	
	
TOTAL INCOME - Complete line 1 or line 2 below, but not both. Complete line 1 if you do not file federal Form 1040 or Form
1040-SR. Complete line 2 if you do file federal Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR. Then go to line 3.

DO NOT ENTER $ signs, commas, or decimals.

IF YOU DO NOT FILE FEDERAL FORM 1040 OR FORM 1040-SR, ENTER:

1.	 (a)	 Social security benefits and railroad retirement benefits. (See instructions.)....................................	1a.

	

.00

	

(b)	 Interest and dividends. (See instructions.).........................................................................................	1b.

	

.00

	

(c)	 Pensions, annuities and IRA distributions. (See instructions.)...........................................................	1c.

	

.00

	
	
	

(d)	 Wages, salaries, tips, etc. (See instructions.)....................................................................................	1d.

	

.00

(e)	 Other income. (See instructions.)......................................................................................................	1e.

	

.00

2. 	 (a)	 Federal total income. (From federal Form 1040, line 9 or Form 1040-SR, line 9.)
		
(If filing Schedule NRH - see instructions.)........................................................................................	2a.

	

.00

	
(b)	 Social security benefits not included on line 2a above. (Federal Form 1040, line 6a minus
		
line 6b or Form 1040-SR, line 6a minus line 6b) and railroad retirement benefits not included
		
on line 2a above. (See instructions.)..................................................................................................	2b.

	

.00

	

(c)	 Interest not included on line 2a above. (If filing Schedule NRH - see instructions.)..........................	2c.

	

	

(d)	 Loss add-backs. (See instructions.)...................................................................................................	2d.

	

.00

3.	 Total Income. Add lines 1a through 1e OR lines 2a through 2d above....................................................	3.
	
Note: See instructions for the maximum income limitations.

	

.00

	

.00

	

.00

Yes	

No

OR, IF YOU DO FILE FEDERAL FORM 1040 OR FORM 1040-SR, ENTER:

PROPERTY TAX FAIRNESS CREDIT (lines 4 through 15):
4.	 Enter the property tax you paid on your home in 2023. (See instructions.)..............................................	 4.
	
If you paid no property tax in 2023, skip to line 5a.
5.	 (a)	 Enter the rent you paid on your home in 2023. (See instructions.)....................................................	5a.
		
If you paid no rent in 2023, skip to line 6.
	
(b)	 Does the rent entered on line 5a include heat, utilities, furniture, or similar items?...........................	5b.	

.00

	
(c)	 If line 5b is yes and you know the amount paid for heat, utilities, furniture, or
		
similar items, enter that amount on line 5c. If yes, and you do not know the amount paid,
		
multiply line 5a by 15% (.15) and enter the result on line 5c. If line 5b is no, enter “0” on line 5c.....	5c.

	

	

(d)	 Line 5a minus line 5c.........................................................................................................................	5d.

	

.00

	

(e)	 Multiply line 5d by 15% (.15)..............................................................................................................	5e.

	

.00

	

.00

	
(f)	 Landlord’s name and telephone number:
		
6.	 Add lines 4 and 5e....................................................................................................................................	 6.

.00

Continue on Schedule PTFC/STFC Form 1040ME, page 2
1

2023 Form 1040ME, Schedule PTFC/STFC, page 2

*2302206*

00

DO NOT ENTER $ signs, commas, or decimals.

7.	 Enter the amount shown in the table below for your filing status and the number of qualifying children
	
and dependents on Form 1040ME, line 13a:............................................................................................	7.
	
	

	

.00

8.	 Benefit base. Enter the smaller of line 6 or line 7......................................................................................	8.

	

.00

9.	 Multiply line 3 by 4% (.04).........................................................................................................................	 9.
	
(a)	 Is the amount on line 8 more than the amount on line 9? If yes, go to line 10 below. If no, you do not
		
qualify for the property tax fairness credit. Go to line 16 below to apply for the sales tax fairness credit....	9a.	

	

.00

Yes	

No

10.	 Subtract line 9 from line 8.........................................................................................................................	10.

	

.00

11.	 Were you or your spouse (if married filing jointly) at least 65 years of age during the tax year?..............	11.	

Yes	

No

(a)	 If yes, enter $1,500. If no, enter $1,000.............................................................................................	11a.

	

.00

12.	 Enter line 10 or line 11a, whichever is smaller..........................................................................................	12.

	

.00

13.	 Are you or your spouse (if married filing jointly) rated 100% permanently and totally disabled by the
	
United States Department of Veterans Affairs?.........................................................................................	13.	

Yes	

No

	
(a)	 If yes, enter the amount from line 12. Enclose a copy of your VA Rating Decision Letter
		
or your VA Benefit Summary Letter. If no, enter $0............................................................................	13a.

	

.00

14.	 Add lines 12 and 13a................................................................................................................................	14.

	

.00

15.	 Enter line 14 or line 6, whichever is smaller, here and on Form 1040ME, line 25d.................................	15.

	

.00

16.	 See the table on page 18 for your filing status. Enter the amount shown for your total income from
	
line 3 and the number of qualifying children and dependents. If you are filing Schedule NR or
	
Schedule NRH, go to line 16a. Otherwise, enter this amount on Form 1040ME, line 25e.............................16.

	

.00

(a) 	 PART-YEAR RESIDENTS FILING SCHEDULE NR OR SCHEDULE NRH - You must prorate the sales
	
tax fairness credit. Schedule NR: Multiply line 16 by the Maine-source income ratio (1.0000
	
minus Schedule NR, line 7). Schedule NRH: Multiply line 16 by the Maine-source income ratio
	
of your income (1.0000 minus Schedule NRH, line 7, column C).
	
Enter the result here and on Form 1040ME, line 25e.......................................................................	16a.

	

.00

If your Filing Status is:



	

Form 1040ME, line 13a is:

AND

OR

0

OR

1

more than 1

Your maximum benefit base is:

Single

$2,300

$2,300

$2,300

Head of Household

$3,000

$3,000

$3,700

Married filing Jointly or
Qualifying surviving spouse

$3,000

$3,700

$3,700

SALES TAX FAIRNESS CREDIT (lines 16 and 16a):

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SCHEDULE PTFC/STFC – Property Tax Fairness Credit & Sales Tax Fairness Credit Instructions
(Form 1040ME, lines 25d and 25e)
Who is eligible? You may qualify for the refundable Property Tax Fairness Credit up to $1,000 ($1,500 if you are 65 years of age or older)* if you
meet all of the following:
•	 You were a Maine resident during any part of the tax year;
•	 You owned or rented a home in Maine during any part of the tax year and lived in that home as your principal residence during the year;
•	 Your total income during 2023 was less than the amount shown in the table below for your filing status and the number of qualifying children and
dependents you claim:
If your Filing Status is:

Form 1040ME, line 13a is:

AND



0

OR

1

OR

more than 1

Your income must be less than:

Single

$57,500

$57,500

$57,500

Head of Household

$75,000

$75,000

$92,500

Married filing Jointly or
Qualifying surviving spouse

$75,000

$92,500

$92,500

•	 You paid property tax on your home (principal residence) in Maine during the tax year that is greater than 4% of your total income or you paid rent
on your home (principal residence) in Maine during the tax year that is greater than 26.67% of your total income. Note: that the amount of property
tax or rent you can include may be limited. See line 7 on Schedule PTFC/STFC.
*If you or your spouse, if married, are a veteran of the United States Armed Forces who is rated 100% permanently and totally disabled as a result of one
or more service-connected disabilities by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, you may be eligible for a refundable property tax fairness
credit up to $2,000 ($3,000 if you are 65 years of age or older).
You may qualify for the refundable Sales Tax Fairness Credit up to $255, depending on the number of qualifying children and dependents on Form
1040ME, line 13a, if you meet all of the following:
•	 You were a Maine resident during any part of the tax year;
•	 Your total income during 2023 was not more than $29,800 if filing single; $46,950 if filing head of household; or, $58,600 if married filing jointly or
qualifying surviving spouse.
See the line 16 instructions below for more information.
You cannot claim either the Property Tax Fairness Credit or Sales Tax Fairness Credit if your filing status is married filing separately.
You cannot claim the Sales Tax Fairness Credit if you are claimed as a dependent on another person’s return.
SCHEDULE PTFC/STFC - SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS
social security benefits, social security disability benefits and supplemental
Step 1.	 Complete Form 1040ME according to the form instructions.
If you are a resident or part-year resident of Maine filing Form security income. Include the gross amount before Medicare is subtracted.
1040ME only to claim the property tax fairness credit and/or the This amount can generally be found on federal Form SSA-1099. (See also
sales tax fairness credit, you have no Maine income modifications federal Form 1040, line 6a or Form 1040-SR, line 6a). Also enter on this
on Form 1040ME, Schedule 1A or Schedule 1S, and you do not line the amount of railroad retirement benefits received. This amount can
file a federal income tax return, complete Maine Form 1040ME generally be found on federal Form RRB-1099 or RRB-1099-R.
Line 1b. Interest and dividends. Enter all interest and ordinary
according to the instructions below:
•	 Fill in your name, address, social security number, telephone number dividends you received. These amounts can generally be found on the
federal Form 1099 issued by the payer.
and, if married, your spouse’s name and social security number;
Line 1c. Pensions, annuities, and IRA distributions. Enter the
•	 Check Box A below your address;
amount of all pensions, annuities, and IRA distributions you received
•	 Enter your correct filing status on lines 3-7;
that would be included in federal total income if you filed a federal
•	 Enter your correct residency status on lines 8-11a;
•	 Check the applicable boxes on lines 12a through 12d if either you income tax return. These amounts can generally be found on the federal
Form 1099 issued by the payer.
or your spouse were 65 years or over or blind during 2023;
•	 Enter the number of personal exemptions for yourself and your Line 1d. Wages, salaries, tips, etc. Enter the total amount of wages, salaries
spouse, if married you can claim on line 13;
and other compensation that would be included in federal total income if you
•	 Enter the number of qualifying children and dependents you can filed a federal income tax return. This amount is generally reported in box 1
claim on line 13a;
of the federal Form W-2 or on the federal Form 1099 issued by the payer.
•	 Complete Schedule PTFC/STFC. See the Step 2 instructions below; Line 1e. Other income. Enter alimony received; business income (but
•	 Enter the amount from Schedule PTFC/STFC, line 15 on Form do not enter business losses); capital gains; other gains; any income
1040ME, line 25d;
from rental real estate, royalties, partnerships, S corporations, trusts,
•	 Enter the amount from Schedule PTFC/STFC, line 16 or line 16a, etc.; farm income; unemployment compensation; and any other income
whichever applies, on Form 1040ME, line 25e;
that would be included in federal total income if you filed a federal
•	 Enter the sum of Form 1040ME, lines 25d and 25e on Form income tax return. For more information on federal total income, see the
1040ME, lines 25f, 27, 28, 32 and 33b. Any refund will be mailed to federal income tax forms and instructions at www.irs.gov.
you. However, if you want your refund deposited directly into your
If you do file federal Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR:
checking or savings account, also complete lines 33c, 33d and 33e.
Line 2a. Federal Total Income. Enter your federal total income from
Step 2.	 Complete Schedule PTFC/STFC. Enter your name and social federal Form 1040, line 9 or Form 1040-SR, line 9. If filing Form 1040ME,
security number as shown on Form 1040ME. Also enter your date of Schedule NRH, enter the amount from Schedule NRH, line 1j, column B.
birth and your spouse’s date of birth, if married.
Line 2b. To the extent not already included in federal total income on
Complete EITHER lines 1a through 1e OR lines 2a through 2d. If you do line 2a, enter all payments received under the federal Social Security
not file federal Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR, complete lines 1a through Act and the amount of railroad retirement benefits received. See the
1e. If you do file a federal Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR, enter your instructions for line 1a above. If filing Form 1040ME, Schedule NRH,
income on lines 2a through 2d.
enter only those payments you received.
If you do not file federal Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR:
Line 2c. Enter only amounts not already included in federal total income
Line 1a. Social security and railroad retirement benefits. Enter all on line 2a. If filing Form 1040ME, Schedule NRH, enter your portion of
payments received under the federal Social Security Act, including regular the interest earned.
3

Line 2d. Loss add-backs. Enter on line 2d the amount of any negative
amount (net loss) included on federal Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR, line 7
and federal Schedule 1, lines 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8a through 8z. Enter the total of
the amounts as a positive number. If filing Form 1040ME, Schedule NRH,
enter only those amounts shown on Schedule NRH, column B, lines 1f, 1g,
1h, and 1i.
After completing line 3, if you are applying only for the Sales Tax
Fairness Credit, skip to line 16.
Line 4. Property Tax. If you owned your home in Maine and lived in that
home during 2023, enter the amount of property tax paid during 2023
on your house and house lot up to 10 acres. Include amounts paid by
the State to the municipality under the Property Tax Deferral Program.
If your house is on land that is more than 10 acres, call your town or
city assessor to get the tax on your house and the land up to 10 acres.
Part-year residents - enter only the property tax amounts you paid for
your home in Maine during the part of the tax year you were a Maine
resident. Note: You may be asked to provide proof of the property
tax paid before a refund is issued.
•	 Do not use the amount of property tax assessed; enter only the
amount of tax actually paid on your home during 2023.
•	 Do not include amounts paid for interest or special assessments.
•	 Do not include property taxes on property other than your primary
residence.
•	 Do not claim any property tax paid by others, except for amounts
paid by the State under the Property Tax Deferral Program. If the
home is jointly owned, enter only the property tax you paid. You
can claim the tax you paid on your home even if you have transferred
ownership to someone else under a legal agreement that allows
you to continue to live in the home, but you can claim the tax on the
home only for as long as you live in the home.
•	 Do not include taxes on any part of your home or property used
exclusively for business. For example, you owned a two-story
building. You lived upstairs and ran a store downstairs. You can
claim one-half of the property tax you paid. Do not include property
taxes claimed as a business expense on your federal tax return.
•	 Do not include taxes on any part of your home that serves as a
separate dwelling. Include only the taxes paid for the part of the
home you occupied as your primary residence. For example, your
primary residence is one unit located in a three-unit dwelling. You
can claim only one-third of the property tax paid.

Line 5a. Enter the total rent you paid for your home (principal residence)
in Maine during 2023. If you moved during the tax year, include the rent
you paid during the tax year to live in each home or apartment. Include
Workfare payments received from your town used to pay your rent.
Part-year residents - enter only rent amounts you paid on your home in
Maine during the part of the tax year you were a Maine resident. Note:
You may be asked to provide copies of rent receipts or canceled
checks before a refund is issued.
•	 Do not include mortgage payments or room and board payments.
Mortgage payments and room and board payments are not rent.
•	 Do not include the rent amount paid by a government program.
•	 Do not include rent for any part of your home that was rented out to
others. For example, you share an apartment with your sister. Each
of you are equally responsible for one-half of the rent. Include only
the amount of rent you paid to live in the apartment.
•	 Do not include rent for any part of your home used exclusively for
business. For example, you rent a two-story building. You live in a 2nd
floor apartment and run a business on the 1st floor. Claim only the
portion of rent you paid for the right to live in the 2nd floor apartment.
•	 Do not include rent claimed as a business expense on your federal
return.
Line 5c. If the rent you entered on line 5a includes an amount for heat,
utilities, furniture, or other similar items and you know the amount paid
toward the heat, utilities, furniture, or other similar items, enter the amount
on line 5c. If your landlord cannot provide the amount you paid for heat,
utilities, furniture, or other similar items, multiply the amount on line 5a
by 15% (.15) and enter the result on line 5c. If the rent entered on line
5a does not include an amount paid for heat, utilities, furniture, or other
similar items, enter 0 on line 5c.
Line 5d. Subtract line 5c from line 5a. The rent you paid can include only
the amount paid for the right to live in your home, excluding amounts
paid for heat, utilities, furniture, or other similar items.
Line 16. Sales Tax Fairness Credit. See the tables below for your filing
status (from Form 1040ME, lines 3 through 7).
a)	To find the credit, read down the “At least - But not more than”
columns and find the line that includes your Total Income from
Schedule PTFC/STFC, line 3.
b)	Then, go to the column that includes the number of qualifying children
and dependents on Form 1040ME, line 13a. Enter the credit from
that column on Schedule PTFC/STFC, line 16.
Example. If your filing status is married filing jointly, your total income
from Schedule PTFC/STFC, line 3 is $54,600, and you claim 3 qualifying
children and dependents, enter $95 on Schedule PTFC/STFC, line 16.

Note: If you owned a home that was on rented land or vice-versa, you
can include the property tax you paid during 2023 on line 4 and the rent
you paid during 2023 on line 5a. For example, you owned a mobile home
located in a park. Enter the property tax on your mobile home on line 4
and the lot rent you paid on line 5a.

	 If your filing

status is Single, find
the amount for your income below
(Note: you must not be claimed as a
dependent on another person’s return):

If your filing status is Married filing jointly
or Qualifying surviving spouse, find the
amount for your income and number of
qualifying children and dependents below:

	 If Schedule
	PTFC/STFC,
	 line 3 is:

	 If Schedule
	 PTFC/STFC,
	 line 3 is:

And Form
1040ME,
line 13 is 1:

		 But not	
At		more
least:		 than:		
Enter:
0	
23,301	
23,801	
24,301	
24,801	
25,301	
25,801	
26,301	
26,801	
27,301	
27,801	
28,301	
28,801	
29,301	
29,801	

23,300		
23,800		
24,300		
24,800		
25,300		
25,800		
26,300		
26,800		
27,300		
27,800		
28,300		
28,800		
29,300		
29,800		
30,300		

140
130
120
110
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

And the number
on Form 1040ME,
line 13a is:

		 But not
At		more
least:		 than:	
0	
46,601	
47,601	
48,601	
49,601	
50,601	
51,601	
52,601	
53,601	
54,601	
55,601	
56,601	
57,601	
58,601	

46,600	
47,600	
48,600	
49,600	
50,600	
51,600	
52,600	
53,600	
54,600	
55,600	
56,600	
57,600	
58,600	
59,600	

0	

1	

2+

200	
180	
160	
140	
120	
100	
80	
60	
40	
20	
0	
0	
0	
0	

225	
205	
185	
165	
145	
125	
105	
85	
65	
45	
25	
5	
0	
0	

255
235
215
195
175
155
135
115
95
75
55
35
15
0

4

If your filing status is Head of Household,
find the amount for your income and number
of qualifying children and dependents below:
	 If Schedule
	 PTFC/STFC,
	 line 3 is:
		 But not
At		more
least:		 than:	

And the number on
Form 1040ME,
line 13a is:
0-1	

2	

3+

0	
34,951	
35,701	
36,451	
37,201	
37,951	
38,701	
39,451	
40,201	
40,951	
41,701	
42,451	
43,201	
43,951	
44,701	
45,451	
46,201	
46,951	

200	
185	
170	
155	
140	
125	
110	
95	
80	
65	
50	
35	
20	
5	
0	
0	
0	
0	

225	
210	
195	
180	
165	
150	
135	
120	
105	
90	
75	
60	
45	
30	
15	
0	
0	
0	

255
240
225
210
195
180
165
150
135
120
105
90
75
60
45
30
15
0

34,950	
35,700	
36,450	
37,200	
37,950	
38,700	
39,450	
40,200	
40,950	
41,700	
42,450	
43,200	
43,950	
44,700	
45,450	
46,200	
46,950	
47,700