Ehrlich on Washington column, July 23, 2001

MEWS FROM Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Second Congressional District of Maryland 1 407 York Road, Suite 304 Lutherville, Maryland 21093 315 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 205 1 5 EHRLICH ON WASHINGTON Week of July 23, 2001 By Congressman Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Your Tax Rebate Is On The Way This week, millions of Americans returned home from work to find a very special envelope awaiting them from Uncle Sam. Indeed, working Americans all across the nation will be sent their long-awaited - and long-deserved - tax rebate from the federal government. Beginning in early July, the U.S. Treasury Department began mailing out rebates over a ten-week period at a rate of ten million checks per week. On June 7, President George W. Bush signed into law a landmark tax relief package that returns a historic $1.35 trillion to the pockets of hard-working Americans. As part of that package, President Bush directed the Treasury Department to send an immediate tax rebate to working citizens, many of whom were saving up for costs of textbooks and school supplies for the upcoming school year. For families like these, the President’s timing could not have been better. So how do Americans know the amount on their tax rebate? Based on a tax return filed for the year 2000, a married couple with a taxable income of $12,000 or higher will receive a check for $600. Single filers whose taxable income is at least $6,000 will receive $300 on their rebate. Joint filers with a taxable income less than $12,000, and single filers with a taxable income of less than $6,000, can multiply that number by 5 percent to calculate their rebate amount. Most importantly, President Bush’s tax relief plan aims to lift the financial burden off all working Americans, regardless of their income. You can determine the date by which you will receive your rebate check on the chart below: Last two digits of Social Security number: Estimated date 00-09 July 23 10-19 July 30 20-29 August 6 30-39 August 13 40-49 August 20 50-59 August 27 60-69 September 3 70-79 September 10 80-89 September 17 90-99 September 24