Hannon Reminds Residents About End Of Year Deadlines

Senator Kemp Hannon (R-Garden City) said, "December 31st is a traditional deadline to apply for many programs, and to contribute to funds and charities to receive a 2007 tax deduction. Below I have listed some items you may wish to address prior to December 31."

STAR Rebate Check

Visit www.nystax.gov and click on "NYS 2007 STAR" to apply online. If you have questions, call 1-877-678-2769.

STAR, Enhanced STAR and Other

Property Tax Exemptions

Visit http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/Asses-sor/Department%20Services/index.html to download property tax exemption applications and to obtain more information.

College 529 Savings Plans

Visit http://nysaves.uii.upromise.com/ for information about New York's 529 College Savings Program. You can invest $5,000 per year ($10,000 for married couples) tax free. You must make a contribution by the end of this year in order to make a deduction from your 2007 taxes.

Medicare Part D

The Medicare annual Open Enrollment Period for prescription drug plans began Nov. 15 and ends Monday, Dec. 31, 2007. Now is the time for Medicare beneficiaries to prepare and compare their health and prescription drug coverage options and choose the plan that best meets their needs. For more information, go to www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE.

EPIC

Having EPIC can save you money on prescriptions. Visit http://www.health.state.ny.us/health_care/epic/ or call 1-800-332-3742.

Effective July 1, 2007, the NYS Department of Health commenced a process to enroll seniors who are EPIC participants into a Medicare Part D plan. Seniors are required to participate to re-main eligible for EPIC, unless Medicare Part D enrollment would cause significant financial hardship (such as the loss of health insurance benefits).

Charitable Contributions

To make a deduction from your 2007 taxes, charitable contributions must be made by December 31, 2007.

As always, feel free to call Senator Hannon's office at 516-739-1700 with any questions you may have.