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Carney bill would help caregivers: It would create $2,500 tax credit
(The Daily Item, Sunbury, Pa. Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Jul. 11--SUNBURY -- U.S. Rep. Chris Carney, D-10 of Dimock, introduced a bill Thursday that would create a $2,500 tax credit for individuals responsible for persons with long-term care needs.
The Caregiver Tax Relief Act of 2008 would provide assistance to the elderly and their families, and make it easier for these families to stay together.
"People need a break," Carney said, on the phone from his office in Washington, D.C. "In my travels around Pennsylvania and the country, I've seen many families taking on the responsibility of caring for an aging parent. We should be helping these families in need, and helping seniors stay close to their loved ones."
"Caregivers also need to take care of themselves," he added. "This means helping a working mother who cares for her elderly father, or making it easier for families to all chip in to pay for long-term care.
"This tax break makes care-giving a little bit easier. I will fight to make sure this legislation becomes a reality."
This tax credit is fully refundable so that caregivers will be able to plan better for the future. They will receive credit regardless of tax liability.
The cap for this credit is $75,000 for individual and $150,000 for couples. It reduces by $100 for every $1,000 over the cap.
"The bill sets the same caps as the recent stimulus package," Carney noted.
Carney believes there will be widespread bipartisan support in Congress for the bill.
"I've been working on this legislation for months. Now, I've teamed up with a Republican congressman, Todd Platts (19th District, York), and we're in the process of collecting co-sponsors," he said.
The bill is in the Ways and Means Committee.
"This is not a Democratic or Republican issue," Carney said. "It's about doing the right thing."
To see more of The Daily Item or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.dailyitem.com/.
Copyright (c) 2008, The Daily Item, Sunbury, Pa.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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