You have to pay taxes, but do you know what your tax dollars are used for?
It’s your money, and whether you’re taxed $50 or $50,000,
you should have a choice on how it’s used or who it benefits, and
now you do.
Georgia is the only state in the nation which is afforded the opportunity
to financially support its rural hospitals--at no cost. Enacted by the
Georgia General Assembly, the HEART (Helping to Enhance Access to Rural
Treatment) rural hospital tax credit program allows a 100% state tax credit
for individuals, married couples and corporations who redirect their tax
liability to a designated rural hospital. Lawmakers enacted the HEART
tax credit program to encourage taxpayers throughout Georgia to learn
more about the financial and other challenges rural hospitals face and
to contribute to improve their financial condition and patient offerings.
In other words, you can choose to help improve health care in your community
by redirecting your state tax to the Southeast Georgia Health System Camden
Campus through the Georgia HEART program.
Southeastern Bank recently took advantage of the HEART program, and graciously
contributed $100,000 to the Health System’s Camden Campus.
“Southeastern Bank is proud to support the Southeast Georgia Health
System Camden Campus through the rural hospital tax credit program,”
said Con Holland, President and CEO of Southeastern Bank. “Our donation
and others like it provide the means for rural hospitals to expand services,
specialties and treatments so that one day patients in rural communities
can receive all the care they need in hometown hospitals like the Camden
Campus. When patients can get the skilled care they need locally, we all
benefit from improved quality of life, economic growth and peace of mind.
This is of particular interest to us because many of our customers and
employees live in the rural markets we serve through our network of bank
offices in southeast Georgia and northeast Florida.”
In 2019, the Health System used its HEART contributions to add
3D Mammography to the Camden Campus. Contributions received in 2020 have been applied
towards the new
Wound Care Center and ROSA, robotic surgical technology used for knee replacements.
Currently, 58 rural hospitals are eligible to receive HEART tax credit-eligible
contributions from individuals and businesses across the state. Ameris
Bank has donated $2,000,000 in financial support to 19 rural hospitals
located throughout the bank’s footprint in Georgia, including $300,000
to the Southeast Georgia Health System Camden Campus.
“Contributions through the Georgia HEART program furthers our ability
to provide quality health care for our community and the families we serve,”
said Michael D. Scherneck, president and CEO, Southeast Georgia Health
System. “It doesn’t matter how little the contribution is,
it will truly make a difference by helping us better serve our patients,
and improving the quality of life for our entire service area.”
But the 2020 opportunity will soon end. Applications must be submitted
and approved by the Georgia Department of Revenue and tax liability contributions
completed by December 31, 2020.
Follow these easy steps to sign up for your 100% tax credit:
• Complete and submit your
2020 HEART Tax Credit Form at
GeorgiaHeart.org (takes two minutes!)
• Georgia HEART will submit your tax credit pre-approval form on your
behalf to the Georgia Department of Revenue (DOR) in the order in which
it is received.
• Submit your contribution via credit card or check made payable to
Southeast Georgia Health System to Georgia HEART for deposit to the hospital’s
account by December 31, 2020.
• Georgia HEART will report your contribution to the DOR on your behalf
and will send you a tax receipt.
• You will claim the credit when you file your 2020 tax return.
Your contribution will increase Southeast Georgia Health System’s
funding and ability to add new services, programs and technology to the
Camden Campus.
For more information about the Georgia HEART rural hospital tax credit
program, please visit
GeorgiaHeart.org or
sghs.org/gaheart.