Older adults living on fixed incomes face a lot of financial challenges, and the state has set up several programs to help ease some of their stress.

My staff can assist seniors with applications or provide more information on any of these programs. Just stop in, call or email us.

One the most popular programs for seniors is the Property Tax/Rent Rebate program.

The rebate program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians age 65 and older; widows and widowers age 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older.

The income limit is $35,000 a year for homeowners and $15,000 annually for renters, and half of Social Security income is excluded.

The maximum standard rebate is $650, but supplemental rebates for certain qualifying homeowners can boost rebates to $975.

The deadline to file for the 2019 tax year has been extended to Dec. 31.

My office can help residents with the paperwork at no cost.

Please do not think you need to pay a third party for assistance with these forms.

Another program we can help with is the reduced vehicle registration fee.

Retirees with a total income limit of $19,500 could be eligible for a reduced vehicle registration fee of $10 per year through the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

The Commonwealth also offers low-cost prescription assistance programs for older adults called PACE and PACENET.

Eligibility requirements for the two programs vary slightly, but the underlying requirements are an applicant must be age 65 or older, be a Pennsylvania resident for at least 90 days, and not be enrolled in the state’s Medicaid program.

Yearly income requirements for PACE are $14,500 or less for a single person and $17,700 for a married couple.

For PACENET, the yearly income limits are between $14,500 and $27,500 for a single person and between $17,700 and $35,500 for a married couple.

For more information on these or other state-related programs, please feel free to visit my district office at the Lower Macungie Township Administration Building, 3402 Brookeside Road in Macungie; call 610-965-9933; or email RMackenzie@PAHouseGOP.com.

Editor’s note: State Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, a Republican, represents the 134th Legislative District, which includes Alburtis, Lower Macungie Township, Macungie, Salisbury Township (Wards 4 and 5) and South Whitehall (District 3 and 4) in Lehigh County and Hereford, Longswamp, Richmond and Rockland townships and Topton Borough in Berks County.