Finally, tax relief is on the way. Congress has passed, and President George W. Bush has signed into law, the largest tax relief package in a generation. This summer, every taxpaying American will receive a tax refund. If you are one of the 96 million individuals who paid federal income taxes in 2000 and filed a tax return on time, the Treasury Department will soon send you a letter informing you as to how much money you can expect in your tax refund check. The tax refund checks will be distributed according to the last two digits of the taxpayer’s Social Security number, beginning July 20th through the end of September. Single taxpayers will receive up to a $300 refund check; single parents will receive up to $500; and married taxpayers will get up to a $600 refund. As energy prices put the crunch on families across the country, this refund will be welcome news to people who need to pay the electric bills and fill up their cars with gasoline. It is money for a new washer and dryer or school clothes for the kids. You may choose to save, spend or invest you tax rebate check. It is money taken out of Washington and put into the hands of individuals and families who need and deserve it. After all, it is your money. What we are doing is returning some of the surplus back to those who were overcharged. If you purchase $35 worth of groceries at your local supermarket and hand the cashier a fifty-dollar bill, you will get change. But in Washington things are -- unfortunately -- different. When you pay too much in taxes each April, someone will find a way to spend your change. This mentality is coming to an end as we transform the way Washington works. The tax rebate has certainly been our biggest accomplishment in a long time. In fact, this tax relief law is the largest package in twenty years. I look forward to working with my constituents in the Twelfth District to answer your questions and provide the latest information on the tax refund. Please visit the tax section for more information on the tax refund, and for a quick estimate of when you can expect your tax rebate check to be mailed to you.
| By Congresswoman Kay Granger |