Qualifying State Residents Can Get Help With Heating Costs; Information Provided With Consumers Energy February Bills
January 31 2008 - 6:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
JACKSON, Mich., Jan. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- As Michigan shivers through
another arctic blast, Consumers Energy is alerting qualifying
residents that state and federal programs are available to help pay
heating bills. "Qualifying Michigan residents can get help paying
their heating bills through a Michigan Home Heating Credit and a
federal Earned Income Credit," said Debra Harmon, Consumers
Energy's corporate customer assistance advocacy manager.
Information on how to apply for both credits is being provided with
bills that Consumers Energy customers receive in February.
Information is also available at Consumers Energy's "Energy
Answers" section on its website: http://www.consumersenergy.com/.
"There is money available in the Michigan Home Heating Credit
program to assist low-income residents with their energy bills.
Unfortunately, many of those eligible do not take advantage of this
program," said Harmon. Eligible applicants can get up to $200 or
more for their winter energy bills through the Home Heating Credit
program. You do not need to file a state tax return to apply for
this credit. Home Heating Credit forms (MI-1040CR-7) are available
at the following locations: most public libraries, Secretary of
State branch offices, Department of Human Services branch offices,
or by calling Consumers Energy's toll-free number, (800) 477-5050.
Forms are also available from the Michigan Department of Treasury
by calling (800) 367-6263 or at http://www.michigan.gov/treasury.
Last year, more than 378,000 Michigan residents received $77
million in aid through the Home Heating Credit program, which is
funded by the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
The Home Heating Credit can be applied to all heating costs,
including propane and purchased firewood. The deadline to file is
Sept. 30, 2008, but residents are encouraged to file now for the
credit. The federal Earned Income Credit is a refundable federal
income tax credit available to qualifying low-income workers. For
income guidelines, contact your employer, call the Internal Revenue
Service at (800) 829-3676, or visit http://www.irs.gov/. The
Michigan Department of Treasury offers help in filling out the
forms; information on that service is available by calling (800)
827-4000. In addition, the Accounting Aid Society is again
partnering with Consumers Energy to conduct Tax Workshops to assist
low-income residents in southeast Michigan. The workshops include
help in filing Home Heating Credit applications. The workshops are
held on Saturdays through April 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at
Consumers Energy's service centers in Pontiac and Royal Oak.
Consumers Energy, the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy, provides
natural gas and electricity to almost 6.5 million of the state's
nearly 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties. For
more information about Consumers Energy, visit our Website at
http://www.consumersenergy.com/. DATASOURCE: Consumers Energy
CONTACT: Jeff Holyfield, +1-517-788-2394, or Dan Bishop,
+1-517-788-2395, both for Consumers Energy Web site:
http://www.consumersenergy.com/ http://www.michigan.gov/treasury
Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/203850.html
Copyright