Step 1 - Rent Paid
Fill in on the appropriate line(s) the total rent that you paid in 2014 for living quarters (1) where the heat was included in the rent, and (2) where the heat was not included in the rent. These living quarters must have been used as your principal home. Do not include rent that you may claim as a business expense. Do not include rent paid for housing that is exempt from property taxes, for example, rent for a university dorm, non profit senior housing, or public housing. (Property owned by a public housing authority is considered tax-exempt unless that authority makes payments in place of property taxes to the city or town in which it is located. If you live in public housing, you may wish to ask your manager about this.)
If the rent you paid included food, housekeeping, medical, or other services, reduce the amount filled in for rent paid in 2014 by the value of these items. If you shared living quarters with one or more persons (other than your spouse or dependents), fill in only the portion of the rent which you paid in 2014. For example, if you and two other persons rented an apartment and paid a total rent of $3,000 in 2014, and you each paid $1,000 of the rent, each could claim a credit based on $1,000 of rent.
Step 2
Refer to the Renter’s School Property Tax Credit Table on page 25 to figure your credit. If heat was included in your rent, use Column 1 of the table. If heat was not included, use Column 2. Fill in your credit on line 22a.