As a Manitoba resident, part of your rent or property tax is put towards funding schools. With the Manitoba education property tax credit (EPTC), you might be able to claim up to $700 either on your municipal property tax statement or through your income tax return for your contribution to the school system.
You can claim this credit if you were a resident of Manitoba at the end of the year and:
- You paid rent or property tax on your home in Manitoba during the year
- You paid more than $250 in property taxes or rent
- You were at least 16 years old at the end of the year
If you’re a homeowner, you need to pay the first $250 of property taxes. Anything higher is eligible for the credit up to a maximum of $700. If you rent, you can claim 20% of your rent over $250, up to a maximum of $700.
You can’t claim this credit if, during the year, you lived in someone else’s home who for 2016:
- Will claim you as a dependant
- Will claim a spousal amount for you, or to whom you’ll transfer your age amount or disability amount or
- Has received or will receive an education property tax credit
If you’re 65 or older at the end of the year, you might qualify for additional savings!
- Senior’s school tax rebate: You can claim up to an extra $470 from the EPTC
- Seniors with a household income of $40,000 or less: You can claim up to an extra $400 from the EPTC
Note: If you’re eligible for the Senior’s school tax rebate, as of 2016, you no longer need a separate application to claim it. This also means that in the future, you’ll be able to make retroactive claims for up to three years, but no further back than the 2016 rebate.
Where do I claim this?
Follow these steps in H&R Block’s tax software to file your 2016 taxes:
Before you begin, make sure that you told us that you lived in Manitoba on December 31st of the 2016 tax year, in H&R Block’s tax software.
- Under the PREPARE tab, click the OTHER icon. You'll find yourself here:
- Under the OTHER DEDUCTIONS heading, select the checkbox labelled Manitoba education property tax credit.
- When you arrive at the page for your Manitoba education property tax credit, enter your information into the tax software.
