March 4 Update

Now that the priority window for the Parental Choice Tax Credit Application has closed, notifications from Merit to families informing them that they will be receiving the tax credit are in process.

Should your family receive this notification, Merit requires you to open a Merit account or virtual wallet to proceed. After creating the account, their website will provide you with a date that your check has been cut. However, to date, we have not received any tax credit reimbursement checks for our families that received notification. 

As soon as we learn more and/or receive a batch of checks, we will contact families directly to let them know the check has arrived and is ready for endorsement. 

Marquette will apply the credit to the remaining open tuition balance for Spring 2024.  Please note, per HB 1934, the tax credit is issued in two equal installments, each of which will be half of the total of the spring and fall tuition and fees, even if the spring and fall tuition and fees are not equal. This may result in instances where the spring disbursement is not equal to spring tuition and fees. In these instances, we recommend the school and taxpayer work together to determine the best path forward.

February  12 Update
Last week, notifications were sent to many Priority Applicants (eligible students who are members of a Household in which the federal Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) does not exceed $150,000) with a processable application. In the coming days and weeks, first installment payments will be issued. 

Payments will be disbursed by paper check made payable to the taxpayer and sent directly to Marquette weekly until all disbursements have been made. Once the checks are received, Marquette will contact families to let them know the checks are ready for endorsement.  

Marquette will then apply the credit to the remaining open tuition balance for Spring 2024.  Please note, per HB 1934, the tax credit is issued in two equal installments, each of which will be half of the total of the spring and fall tuition and fees, even if the spring and fall tuition and fees are not equal. This may result in instances where the spring disbursement is not equal to spring tuition and fees. In these instances, we recommend the school and taxpayer work together to determine the best path forward.

December 15 Update

Families who applied for the Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit last week may start receiving notification of acceptance as early as next week (according to the state, households with 2022 AGI of $150,000 or below will be notified within 14 days of submission if they have received the credit.) If your family does receive notification, you do not need to communicate that back to the school or business office. 

We are still waiting on more specifics from the state regarding the process for check distribution. However, what we do know includes: 

•    Tax credit checks made payable to the taxpayer who applied for the tax credit will be mailed in two installments (one per semester) to Marquette. 
•    Taxpayers are required to collect the check(s) in person at school. 
•    Marquette is not changing its tuition payment agreement or tuition process. All spring tuition payments will proceed according to your selected payment plan. 
•    Marquette will require that all 2023-24 tuition balances be paid in full before releasing tax credit checks.  

We look forward to sharing more details following Christmas Break as they are released to us from the state. 

December 8, 2023 Update

According to the state, households with 2022 AGI of $150,000 or below will be notified within 14 days of submission if they have received the credit. Households with 2022 AGI above $150,000 will receive acknowledgment of their application but will not be notified of approval status until the 60-day priority application period has ended (February 5, 2024) and all priority applicants have been notified.  (See English Handbook & Spanish Handbook, p. 6-7)

Additionally, once applicants have been approved, checks with the credit amount will be mailed to the school in the name of the taxpayer who applied for the credit in two installments. Taxpayers will be required to come in person to the school to collect the check(s). 

As a reminder, we are not changing our tuition payment process. Therefore, Marquette's spring tuition payments will proceed according to your selected payment plan. After we learn more from the Oklahoma Tax Commission and the anticipated timeline, we will provide another update. 

Other reminders: 

• We continue to monitor Marquette enrollment verification requests and are now submitting them weekly through noon on January 29 (the state’s application period is open through February 5, 2024.).  
• December 13 is the cutoff for our team to upload data to the state’s portal ahead of Marquette’s Christmas break. We will resume uploading new requests on January 5. 

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December 1, 2023 Update

Due to the postponement of the Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit launch date to Wednesday, Dec. 6 at 2 p.m., we have a few updates to share. 

All families who requested enrollment verification from Marquette after our original deadline (November 30 at 9 a.m.) through 9 a.m. this morning are being submitted to the state’s portal today. If you do not receive an EVF from the state by 5 p.m. today, please email Stephanie Jimison at [email protected]. It is important to stress that you must use this email address (not calls to the school, voicemails, or texts), as we are working to ensure every family is taken care of promptly.

Additionally, due to the postponed launch date, any family that requests enrollment verification from Marquette today through Sunday, Dec. 3, at 11:59 p.m., will be uploaded to the state’s portal ahead of the new December 6 application opening. The link to request Marquette enrollment verification can be found here. 

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At this time, we are no longer fulfilling EVF requests for children who are not enrolled or have not completed an admission application to Marquette. However, our application for the 2024- 2025 school year opened on October 1, 2023, and will remain open until December 31, 2023.  If you wish to apply to Marquette, please refer to our process.  A completed application does not guarantee enrollment.

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BREAKING NEWS! - November 30, 2023 Update

The Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit application has been pushed back by the state until December 6 at 2:00PM.

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November 30, 2023 Update 

The Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit application opens tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. 

 To apply, visit: https://www.parentalchoice.ok.gov/

 The application requires 2022 FEDERAL Adjusted Gross Income (AGI). The information can be found on the IRS Form 1040 Line 11 and Oklahoma Form 511 Line 1. 
 The state has provided an Application Checklist. For your convenience, it is attached as well. 

 Other helpful resources include:
 •    Parental Choice Tax Helpline: 918-554-5440
 •    Email: [email protected] and [email protected] 

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November 30, 2023 Update

If you submitted your Marquette verification form request before 9 a.m. today (11/30) and do not receive your Enrollment Verification Form (EVF) from the state by noon today, please email Stephanie Jimison at [email protected]. 

The state has shared that they have been dealing with a systematic glitch and, therefore, instructed schools to re-upload the data for those specific families. Our priority for the next 48 hours is to ensure that all families who submitted their requests ahead of our deadline (9 a.m. today) receive their EVF from the state. 

As previously communicated, the Marquette verification request window for the December 1 application launch closed at 9 a.m. this morning. Going forward, all new requests for Marquette enrollment forms will be uploaded to the state next week. We will shift to a weekly data upload for the remainder of the application window. 

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November 29, 2023 Update

Families that requested an enrollment verification form from Marquette to participate in the Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit should have started receiving the state-generated EVF from the email address [email protected]. This document will be required when you apply to the state’s tax credit program (one EVF per child that you plan on submitting an application for). 

Upon reviewing your EVF from the state, you may have noticed some discrepancies regarding the listed tuition for this spring or next fall for your child(ren).  As part of the Oklahoma Tax Commission enrollment verification process, Marquette is required to itemize the qualifying eligible expenses related to both the Spring and Fall 2024 semesters. Marquette’s enrollment process, payment schedules, and deadlines will continue as normal.

A completed application and/or future approval by the state to receive the tax credit does not guarantee enrollment at Marquette Catholic School. 

• The Spring expenses will align with your child(ren) current spring tuition balance. This includes any of your child(ren) discounts (active parishioner, sibling discount, tuition assistance, etc.) 
• Due to the timing of the enrollment verification, we will be submitting the non-parishioner tuition rate without any discounts (except the Lindsey Nicole Henry scholarship per state guidelines) for the Fall semester.  Marquette will then evaluate discounts (active parishioner, sibling discounts, financial aid, etc.) during our normal cycle in late spring, and any adjustments will be reflected in your 2024-25 tuition statement at that time.

In summary, should your child(ren) be approved for the tax credit, all tuition rates will be accurate before checks are distributed each semester.   

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November 28, 2023 Update

Marquette has successfully uploaded our Enrollment Verification Form (EVF) data on behalf of our families who requested to participate in the Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit. This data includes all requests that we have received to date.

Ahead of Friday’s application launch date, we will continue to upload student data daily for our families that request enrollment verification to ensure it is provided to the state immediately. 

The next step is the responsibility of the Oklahoma Tax Commission. They will generate and send EVFs to taxpayers directly. It is stated that the email will come from [email protected]. We encourage families to monitor their spam and junk folders as they await the documentation. 

To recap:

• Marquette has uploaded all data to the state’s portal for our families who have requested a Marquette EVF thus far. This is the first step in the application process for families. 
• Marquette will continue to monitor these requests and immediately upload them to the state’s portal as they come in through this Thursday, November 30, at 9 a.m.
• After the December 1 launch date, we will continue to monitor Marquette enrollment verification requests and submit them weekly beginning December 2 through noon on January 29 (the state’s application period is open through February 1, 2024.).  
• Per the program guidelines, for the first 60 days, priority will be given to applicants with a federal adjusted gross income (AGI) of $150,000 or less. 

It is important to know that December 13 will be the cutoff for our team to upload data to the state’s portal ahead of the school’s Christmas break. We will resume uploading new requests on January 5. 

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November 20, 2023 Update

• Marquette's School Participation Form has been Verified

• Marquette’s “School Participation Form” has been verified. We anticipate access to the state’s portal by the end of business day tomorrow to upload our Enrollment Verification Form (EVF) data on behalf of our families who requested to participate. This is our top priority, and we will notify our community when this step is complete. Upon completing the upload, it will be the responsibility of the Oklahoma Tax Commission (OTC) to generate and send the EVF to the taxpayers directly (our individual families) ahead of December 1. 

• We will host two Q&A sessions on Monday, November 27. These sessions are optional and will allow parents to ask our team questions. There will be no new announcements made or information revealed.  

  • 8:15 - 8:45 a.m. – Fletcher Hall

  • 2:15 - 2:45  p.m. – Fletcher Hall

The application opens on December 1, 2023, at 8:30 a.m. and closes on February 1, 2024.

To apply,request Marquette enrollment verification. This is the required first step in the application process. 

The Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit has created an application checklist for families. It can be accessed here. 
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November 14, 2023 Update

Taxpayer Requirements for Application

 

• For all applicants:
  • Taxpayer name, SSN or ITIN, address, and email
  • Student Name, SSN or ITIN
  • Enrollment Verification Form (EVF) for each child
  • If the parent/guardian wishes a different taxpayer to apply for the credit, the parent/guardian must forward the EVF to the taxpayer/applicant and give the taxpayer/applicant a signed Parental Consent Form (this form has not yet been released from the OTC).
• If the family/taxpayer filed an OK tax return in 2022:
  • Only the AGI from 2022 tax return is needed
• If the family/taxpayer DID NOT file a 2022 OK tax return but DID file a Federal tax return:
  • Scan IRS 1040 into the application
• If the family did not file a tax return in 2022:
  • Complete form 591-C
  • Notarize form 591-C
  • Scan notarized 591-C into the application
• If the family is undocumented, they are not eligible for the tax credit.
  • Apply for financial assistance through the school’s tuition assistance program

The Resource Center of the OTC website provides taxpayers helpful information about applying for the tax credit. 
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November 9, 2023 Update

School Participation Form Submission

Marquette has successfully completed and submitted the required School Participation Form, which is the first step in this process. Marquette's form is now being reviewed and validated. Upon validation, our primary and secondary contacts will be granted access to the Enrollment Verification Form generator tool. 
No action is required of our families at this time. We will continue to provide updates as we move forward in this program. 

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October 27, 2023 Update

Rules from the Oklahoma Tax Commission Have Been Released

Highlighted within the document:

• The portal window will be open December 1, 2023 - February 1, 2024. This gives a 60-day window for priority consideration.
• PreK-12^th Grade 
• One application per family rather than one application per child.
• Schools will NOT collect Social Security Numbers from students.
• Rather than the previously mentioned "affidavit," schools will submit an "enrollment verification form," provided by the state through the portal. Items needed for this are outlined in the Rules document.
• Schools will electronically verify that funds were paid toward the tuition by November 1st of each year. Items asked for are outlined in the Rules document.

Not clarified in the OTC Rules Document:
Months payments will be made.
Given the priority window was pushed back, acceptance announcements will not be until March at the earliest, which could push disbursement to April/May.This private school tax credit was signed into law on May 25, 2023, by Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt and will be effective beginning with the tax year 2024. Currently, the state lists that the application will open on December 1, 2023, and close on February 1, 2024. Only one application will be needed per family.  

Tax Credit Details:
Currently, households earning $150,000 or less will have a preference on a first-come, first-served basis to access Oklahoma's designated, capped amount of $150M for the tax year 2024 that has been allocated to fund the Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit. 
The credit amount for which each child is eligible is determined by the total federal Adjusted Gross Income of the student's household during the second preceding tax year (i.e., a tax credit received in tax year 2024 is based on family AGI in the tax year 2022), ranging from a credit of $5,000 - $7,500 per student in PK4 – 12th grade. 
To apply, there will be a multi-step process involving the family, the school, and the Oklahoma Tax Commission  (OTC), which will include an online application. 

 

Application Details: