IN THE NEWS: Mountain News Article By Mark Newman on Disability Tax Credit Success

Tax credit cash a godsend for seniors
Mountain MP estimates $10 million has come to residents
Mark Newman, Mountain News

Like many seniors, Phyllis Doyle finds it difficult to get around. Arthritis in both knees has limited the mobility of 71-year-old east Mountain resident.

But what she didn't know until fairly recently was that her disability entitled her to a tax credit of nearly $1,400 per year under Canada's income tax laws and that her claim could go back 10 years with interest.

Ms. Doyle said she learned about the Disability Tax Credit Certificate from Mountain MP Chris Charlton, the NDP critic for pensions and seniors issues. Ms. Charlton began promoting the tax credit through householders and information sessions at seniors residences and nursing homes within weeks of being elected in January 2006.

Like many other seniors on the Mountain, Ms.Doyle applied for and received the tax credit and got back a payment ranging from $1,400 to $20,000.
Across Hamilton, Ms. Charlton figures about 1,500 seniors within the past year have received tax credits totalling more than $10 million and another 500 or so applications are currently being processed.

"I think Chris Charlton is a life-saver," said a beaming Ms. Doyle last week.
The cash is especially welcome for seniors on fixed incomes. It enables some of them to buy extra food or health-related items, maybe a few modest luxuries like a new appliance or going on a trip.

George Vchida, who uses a walker to get around, said he heard about the tax credit by word of mouth. Like Ms. Doyle he is grateful to get some money back.
"It's good because we need (the money) for our pills and a lot of bills," Mr. Vchida said.

Seventy-five year-old Joseph Baff, who has hearing difficulties, said he learned about the tax credit through a householder Ms. Charlton sent out last summer. He noted the MP's office looked after most of the paper work and within a month or two he got some money back.

"It's a big help, I'll tell you that much," Mr. Baff said.

"I couldn't believe it," added 82-year-old Marian Kemp, who got some tax credit cash last year. "They put it in my bank account and I didn't know what it was."

Ms. Charlton figures her office and the offices of NDP MPs Dave Christopherson and Wayne Marston have helped as many as 7,000 seniors and others with disabilities apply for the tax credit free of charge. She believes as many as 25,000 Hamilton resident could qualify.

"There's a huge opportunity here for people to claim benefits for which they're already legally entitled if only people would let them know about it and help them fill out the forms," said Ms. Charlton, who was made aware of the tax provision by an NDP supporter who had been doing volunteer tax planning. "If you have any one of nine specified disabilities under section T2201, you're eligible to receive an income tax credit, a non refundable tax credit that you can then use in theory to defray your expenses against that disability."

Ms. Charlton said other NDP MPs, including party leader Jack Layton, have begun making the tax credit known in their ridings.

According to Ms. Charlton's householder and form T2201 from the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, a person may be eligible for the Disability Tax Credit if they meet one of the following conditions:

Walking: you are unable to walk for 100 metres (roughly the length of a football field) without angina, pain, the need of a cane, wheelchair or walker.
Seeing: you have vision loss in excess of 20 per cent.
Speaking: you are markedly restricted in communicating.
Hearing: you are unable to hear clearly, even with hearing aids.
Eating: you require assistance in feeding.
Dressing: you are unable to bathe or fully dress yourself without assistance.
Eliminating: you have poor bladder or bowel functioning.
Mental impairments: you have problems perceiving instructions or remembering (i.e.people suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's)
Life sustaining therapies: you need life-sustaining therapies such as kidney dialysis or chemotherapy three or more times a week.

A doctor is required to fill out Part B of the T2201 form to certify the patient's disability.

"If your doctor certifies that you have one of the nine disabilities...then you automatically qualify for that tax credit," Ms. Charlton said. "There are no conditions on how you spend that money. You don't need to submit expenses related to your disability."

She noted anyone with a disability regardless of age can apply, as can anyone who has suffered a disability as the result of an accident or workplace mishap.
For many seniors, Ms. Charlton said the tax credit is the difference between living independently or having to go to a nursing home.

She figures many poor and low income people may not be aware of the tax credit because they can't afford an accountant to look after their tax matters