Be Winter Wise

Home Heating Assistance Programs
2007-2008 Season

Michigan Public Service Commission

6545 Mercantile Way
PO Box 30221
Lansing, MI 48909
517-241-6180

The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) and the state’s regulated gas and electric companies, including HomeWorks Tri-County Electric Cooperative, encourage senior citizens, low income and unemployed utility customers to "Be Winter Wise" if faced with high bills you cannot pay this winter. "Winter Wise" customers will be protected against loss of your utility service.

The MPSC encourages senior citizens and low-income customers to call your utility company before high bills become a problem. At HomeWorks, we will attempt to provide services that can reduce your home energy use and put you in touch with public or private social service agencies that may be able to offer financial assistance.

Here is information about payment plans and programs that can help you meet your energy needs. This information can also be found in the November-December 2007 issue of Country Lines magazine, mailed on or about November 5, 2007.

Earned Income Credit

Contact: U.S. Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service, toll-free phone 1-800-829-3676 (for tax forms)

The Earned Income Credit (EIC) is a refundable federal income tax credit for low-income working individuals and families who meet certain requirements and file a tax return. Those who qualify will owe less in taxes and may get a refund. Even a person who does not generally owe income tax can get the EIC, but must file a tax return to do so. If married, you must file jointly to qualify. File Form 1040 or 1040A and attach the EIC.

If you were raising a child in your home in 2007, you may also be able to receive part of the credit in your paycheck during the year with Advance EIC. Get Form W-5 from your employer or call 1-800-TAX-FORM (1-800-829-3676).

Home Heating Credit*

Contact: Michigan Department of Treasury, toll-free phone 1-800-367-6263

You can apply for a Home Heating Credit for the 2006 tax year if you meet the income guidelines listed below. If you qualify, the Home Heating Credit provides assistance to help pay for your winter heating bills. The average Home Heating Credit for the 2006 tax year was approximately $200. Eligible customers must meet the following standard credit income guidelines  or alternate guidelines based on household income, exemptions, and heating costs.

Exemptions Income Ceiling
1
$11,243
2
$15,072
3
$18,900
4
$22,729
5
$26,558
6
$30,386

       For each exemption over 6, add $3,829.

You may claim an exemption for yourself, your spouse, and other dependents. Additional exemptions are available for seniors, disabled claimants, or claimants with 50% or more of their income from unemployment compensation.

Forms generally are available in mid- to late-January wherever other tax forms are provided, from the Michigan Department of Treasury (call 1-800-367-6263), or on the Internet at www.michigan.gov/treasury. The Home Heating Credit claim form must be filed with the Michigan Department of Treasury before September 30, 2008.

Customers of utilities regulated by the Michigan Public Service Commission are protected from shut-off of their heating fuel service from the time the HHC form is filed with the Department of Treasury until the time the credit is issued. It is important to keep either a copy of the HHC form you file or a copy of the number of exemptions you are claiming and the amount of the credit to use in requesting the status of your credit application with the Department of Treasury. It is also useful to contact your utility to let them know you have filed for the HHC. You will still be required to pay for the electric service used during the shut-off protection period.

 

Crisis Assistance Program

Contact: Michigan’s Department of Human Services

The State Emergency Relief Program (SER): You do not have to be a client of the Department of Human Services to apply for help through the SER. This program is available year-round, subject to the availability of funds, to assist low-income households that have a heat or electric shut-off notice or a need for deliverable fuel. If you receive a DHS cash grant, you may vendor part of that grant towards heat and electric bills. Contact your DHS caseworker for information on vendoring a cash grant. For additional information, contact your local DHS office or call the Home Heating Hotline, 1-800-292-5650.

Low-Income Home Weatherization

Contact: Your local Community Action Agency

Michigan's Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) is a federally-funded, low-income residential energy conservation program. WAP provides free home energy conservation services to eligible low-income homeowners and renters. These weatherization services can help you reduce your energy use and lower your utility bills.

If you qualify, a trained inspector will assess your home and determine which conservation measures will be the most beneficial for you. Weatherization steps may include adding caulking and weatherstripping; wall, basement and attic insulation and ventilation; and smoke detectors.

Eligibility is based on your household income being at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines. If you participate in the Family Independence Program administered by the Department of Human Services or receive Supplemental Security Income, you automatically qualify for this program. Contact your local Community Action Agency for more information.

Medical Emergency Protection

Contact: HomeWorks Tri-County Electric Cooperative at 1-800-562-8232

You are protected from service shut-off for non-payment of your electric bill for up to 21 days if you or a member of your household has a proven medical emergency.

You must provide written proof from a doctor or a notice from a public health official stating that the shut-off of service will aggravate the existing medical emergency. The certificate must identify the medical emergency and specify the period of time during the shut-off will aggravate the emergency.

If you or a member of your household requires home medical equipment or a life support system, you must provide documentation from a physician or medical facility identifying the equipment or life support system and certifying that an interruption of service would be immediately life-threatening. If shutoff of service has occurred without any postponement being obtained, the utility shall restore service at no cost to the customer for 21 days.

The medical emergency form can be extended and service can be postponed for a total of 63 days in any 12-month period per household member. Annually, the utility is not required to grant shutoff extensions totaling more than 126 days per household.

Shut-off Protection for Military Active Duty

Contact: HomeWorks Tri-County Electric Cooperative at 1-800-562-8232

If you or your spouse is the customer of record with the utility company and either of you is called to full-time active military service by the President of the United States or the Governor of Michigan during a time of declared national or state emergency or war, you may apply for shut-off protection from your electric service for up to 90 days and you may request extensions of this protection by re-applying with your electric company. Your utility company may request verification of active duty status. At the end of the active duty period, you must notify the utility company of your status. You will still be required to pay for the electric service used during your participation in this program and your utility company will set up a payment plan for all past due amounts to be paid within twelve months.

Budget Payment Plan, Automatic Payment Plans

Contact: HomeWorks Tri-County Electric Cooperative at 1-800-562-8232

We now offer sign-up for our Budget Billing plan year-round. With our Budget Billing plan, your monthly bill payment is levelized to a rolling 12-month average, avoiding those bad-weather months when the bill is much higher.

We also offer several automatic payment plans that help you by paying your bill on the due date from your checking, savings, or credit card account. Avoid late fees and disconnection notices by signing up for one of these no-fee plans. Call us at 1-800-562-8232 for details.

Emergency Winter Protection Plan

Contact: HomeWorks Tri-County Electric Cooperative at 1-800-562-8232

The Winter Protection Plan protects eligible senior and low-income customers from service shut-offs and high utility bill payments during the winter months (November 1 – March 31).

If you are an eligible low-income customer, you may enroll in the Winter Protection Plan between November 1 and March 31. For the purposes of this program, a low-income customer is someone whose household income does not exceed 150% of the federal powerty level (see chart below) OR who receives any of the following:

If you are an eligible low-income customer, you will not have utility service discontinued from November 1 through March 31, if:

If you are an eligible low-income customer whose utility service has been shut-off before applying for Winter Protection, the utility cannot require you to pay a fee for restoring your service or a security deposit during the space heating season. The utility also cannot require you to pay more than one-twelfth of your arrearage in order to restore service or to initiate participation in the Winter Protection Program.

You are an eligible senior citizen customer if you are 65 years of age or older. You must notify your utility company of your eligibility. If you are an eligible senior citizen customer, you may enroll between November 1 and March 31. When Winter Protection ends (March 31), you must begin to pay the full monthly bill plus a portion of the amount owed from the winter months, each month from April 1 through October 31. If you are an eligible senior citizen and participate in the Winter Protection Plan, you are not required to make specific payments between November 1 and March 31 to ensure that your service will not be shut-off. However, you are encouraged to pay whatever you can during the winter so you will not have large, unmanageabe bills when the protection period ends.

Participation does not relieve customers from the responsibility of paying for electricity usage, but does prevent shut-off during winter months. At the end of the protection period, both low-income and senior citizens participating in the plan must make arrangements with their utility company to pay any money owed before the start of the next protection period.

You qualify for the plan if you meet at least one of the following requirements:

Winter Protection Plan
Income Guidelines (2007-2008)

Number of

Household Members

150% of Poverty Guidelines

Maximum Income

1
$15,315
2
$20,535
3
$25,755
4
$30,975
5
$36,195
6
$41,415
7
$46,635
8
$51,855
Add $5,220 for each additional
household member.

Note: All customers 65 years or older are eligible regardless of income. Customers are responsible for all electricity used. At the end of the protection period, ALL participating customers - both low-income customers and those 65 years old and older - participating in the plan must make arrangements with their utility company to pay off any money owed before the start of the next protection period.