HELENA - All Montana property tax rebates will be sent by paper check in the mail beginning on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023.
The Montana Department of Revenue (DOR) announced it has removed the option for people to receive the property tax rebate by direct deposit in an effort to reduce the risk of fraud by scammers.
DOR has received some applications where applicants entered banking information for direct deposit that does not match banking information in the department’s records, according to a news release.
“We expected fraud and already had measures in place to identify fraudulent applications,” said Montana Department of Revenue Director Brendan Beatty. “Sending the rebates by paper check will help us further reduce fraud.”
Revenue officials note that by applying early at GetMyRebate.mt.gov, taxpayers can reduce the risk that criminals will access their information to claim the rebate.
The application period is open and ends on Oct. 1, 2023, but the department is encouraging Montanans not to wait.
The Montana Property Tax Rebate provides qualifying Montanans up to $675 of property tax relief on a primary residence in both 2023 and 2024.
The qualifications to claim the rebate are at GetMyRebate.mt.gov.
The fastest way for taxpayers to apply for and get the rebate is by applying online with officials noting that claiming a property tax rebate online should take only a few minutes.
Over 100,000 homeowners have successfully applied for their rebates online since the portal opened on Aug. 15.
It's anticipated that it will take up to 90 days to process payments and send paper checks by mail.
People are asked to contact the Montana Department of Revenue if they believe someone has filed a fraudulent claim on their behalf.
