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• The qualifying income guidelines for the Elderly and Totally Disabled Tax

  Relief Program application to be filed for the 2021 Benefit year are $38,100 for

  unmarried individuals and $46,400.00 for married persons. Application filing

  deadline for the Homeowner Program is May 15, 2022.

  You will need to provide proof of all sources of income including but not

  limited to Social Security, pensions, interest statements, employment, Etc. If you

  filed Income Tax, a copy of the signed and dated document, including supporting

  documentation is necessary to provide. It is extremely important that you bring

  all necessary documentation regarding proof of your income when you arrive for

  your appointment. Items to be included as part of qualifying income are as

  follows:

  *Wages, bonuses, commissions, gratuities and fees, self-employment net income

  (do not include depreciation expense)

  *Net Social Security (Box 5 from SSA-1099), Federal Supplemental Security

  Income, payment for jury duty (excluding travel allowance)

  *Dividends and interest

  *IRA – include only “taxable” amount, NOT “total distribution”

  *Black Lung payments

  *Green Thumb payments

  *Interest or proceeds resulting from gifts received
• *Lottery winnings

  *Net income from sale or rental of real or personal property (do not include

  depreciation, receipts for expenses required when no tax return has been filed)

  *Pensions and annuities-include only “Taxable” amount

  *Veteran’s pension and veteran’s disability payments

  *Railroad retirement

  *Severance pay; UNEMPLOYMENT compensation

  *Worker’s compensation

  *Alimony

  *DSS cash assistance (SAGAP)

  Legal Settlements-Net Proceeds

  *Dependency and Indemnity Compensation from Dept. of Veterans Affairs

  *Cancellation of Debt

  *If property is owned in trust any distributions received from the trust (verified

  with a copy of the trust federal tax return)

  *Capital gains total from previous year only (a capital loss carryover from a

  previous year should be excluded from qualifying income calculations)

  Persons already receiving the Elderly and Totally Disabled Tax Relief

  Program benefits will receive correspondence from the Preston Assessor’s Office

  indicating that this is the year in which you need to reapply for your benefits.

  Please contact the Senior Affairs Office at 860-887-5581 extension 6 after January

  31

  st

  to schedule an appointment.

Connecticut has lost a great leader. Edith Prague stood head and shoulders above others. She wasn’t a politician. She was an advocate for those in need. She taught by example. She gave freely of her time, energy, and expertise. Passionate, dedicated, a champion of seniors and those in need is only the start of descripting Edith Prague. She worked tirelessly to create a world and the systems needed to help others. Edith stood up when others said it couldn’t be done. She did what was right even when she knew she would pay a high price. She taught me and many, many others the skills we needed and still use today to create a better world.

I worked with Edith to raise the income limits for ConnPACE. She made the time to help me start and build a mail in campaign that was so successful the ConnPACE asset test has carried over to the MSP program many seniors benefit from today. This campaign grew into thousands of prescription bags being mailed to key state officials from all over the state. Seniors in Connecticut continued to mail them until the income limits for ConnPACE had automatic increases that equaled Social Security increases. Parts of that program has carried over to today’s MSP – Medicare Savings Program – that offers assistance to eligible Medicare enrollees.

During her first term as Commissioner of the Dept of Aging she stood her ground and fought for what was best for Connecticut’s seniors. Then when she wouldn’t play ball with Governor Lowell Weicker, he fired her. He went on the eliminate the Department and threw the needs of the seniors into the Department of Social Services. But Edith never quit!

Again, I worked with Edith to successfully recreate the Department on Aging in 2013. It was a long, hard-won fight. But when it was all over, she was rightfully named the Commissioner. Unfortunately failing health caused her to leave in 2014. And without her, the Department was again swallowed up. This time into the Department of Aging and Disability Services.

(As a side note – it’s beyond me on how aging and a disability are similar. What’s the common ground for each group? If a person celebrates a certain birthday – they then are automatically disabled? If a person has a disability that makes them old? I just don’t get it…)

Being a true problem solver, Edith was a driving force behind lower prescription costs, long-term care, senior housing and was an expert on counseling seniors on which health insurance program was best for them.

The legacy Edith Prague leaves the seniors of Connecticut is endless and the impact of her advocacy will be with us for decades more. She worked tirelessly to create the systems and the programs many use and benefit from today!

Thank you, Edith for making the world a better place!!