Uncommon Knowledge
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Delaware has extended a $2,500 rebate for another year, so electric vehicle buyers will benefit moving into 2025.
The state’s Clean Transportation Incentive Program will now be available until April 30, 2025, after it was supposed to expire on April 30 of this year.
The money is reserved for those who purchase either a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle. Since it was first unveiled in 2015, the program has sent out roughly 5,500 rebates for a total of $12.8 million.
There are a few changes in store for this year’s rebate, however.
For this year, vehicles that use bi-fuel propane, dedicated propane or natural gas are no longer eligible for the cash. Only battery electric and plug-in hybrid cars from licensed dealerships will qualify now.
“While some states are cutting back on their electric car incentives, it’s a positive sign to see some states like Delaware extending these rebates for another year,” Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor at the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek.
“There is a significant change, though… This is a smarter approach to targeting financial incentives for electric vehicles with rebates. By scaling back the type of vehicle accepted, it ensures that those who still have yet to purchase an electric automobile and qualify for a refund can.”
Some of the top vehicle companies are included under the rebate, from Tesla, Audi, Ford, Hyundai and Kia and more.
However, there will also be more participating dealerships within Delaware that will allow customers to grab the rebate after purchase.
The majority of eligible vehicles are priced at under $40,000, but cars must be made within eight years of the current model year and registered in the state of Delaware.
If you choose to get a lower-cost car model, you could also qualify for a higher rebate amount.
The maximum available is $2,500 for a new battery electric vehicle with a base manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $40,000 or less.
A smaller amount of $1,500 is available for those buying new battery electric vehicle with a retail price between $40,000 and $50,000. Meanwhile, those purchasing new plug-in hybrid electric vehicles with a retail price of $50,000 or less or used plug-in hybrid vehicles with a fair market purchase price below $40,000 can also get $1,000.
Delaware’s rebate program comes in addition to a federal program that allows tax credits up to $7,500 for specific electric vehicle models.
In order to apply for the Delaware rebate, you’ll need to register as a “supplier” with the state using the online portal and then use your supplier ID on the online application. Once you apply, you can expect the cash within eight to 10 weeks.
Just keep in mind, if you approved for the rebate, you might have to report it as taxable income to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service as well as the Delaware Department of Revenue.
“It is important to know that any rebate may be deemed taxable income so please talk to your financial professional about the ramifications regarding your personal situation,” Kevin Thompson, a finance expert and the founder/CEO of 9i Capital Group, told Newsweek.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
RADNOR, Pa. – Authorities say a Delaware County school employee is accused of traveling to Texas to sexually assault a minor he met online.
What we know:
Michael Robinson, 43, was taken into custody near Radnor Middle School where investigators say he worked as a paraprofessional.
Investigators believe Robinson traveled to Tyler, Texas in the summer of 2024 to meet a minor he had connected with online.
Robinson, according to U.S. Marshals, allegedly sexually assaulted the teen over the course of a weekend.
Delaware County school employee accused of sex assault of minor in Texas
Prosecutors in Smith County, Texas charged Robinson in December with Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child Under 15-years-old.
Robinson is being held at a Delaware County jail where he is awaiting extradition to Texas.
What they’re saying:
U.S. Marshals in Pennsylvania said Robinson’s arrest shows that “sexual predators will always be pursued relentlessly.”
The Radnor Township School District said Robinson has been placed on leave and will not have contact with students.
“Parents of the limited number of children to whom the employee was assigned were contacted by the administration immediately.”
The district said it is cooperating with law enforcement and has “no information indicating misconduct involving district students.”
Lewes Polar Bear Plunge in Rehoboth Beach
Participants flock to the water at the Lewes Polar Bear Plunge, which raises funds for Special Olympics Delaware on Sunday, February 2, 2025.
Rehoboth Beach has canceled the upcoming 2026 Lewes Polar Bear Plunge and 5K Run to the Plunge as the Sussex County resort town continues dealing with the aftermath of last weekend’s snowstorm, organizers of the annual Special Olympics fundraiser said on Feb. 26.
“Rehoboth Beach is navigating significant challenges because of the snowstorm,” a Special Olympics Delaware email announced. “At present, the boardwalk and all beach crossings remain snow covered and many sidewalks throughout downtown Rehoboth are as well.”
The plunge and 5K had been rescheduled to March 1 after severe weather conditions in late January caused it to be moved from its original Feb. 1 date.
The plunge will not be rescheduled for this year.
Last weekend’s storm brought nearly 2 feet of snow to parts of Sussex, closing hundreds of roads when trees and wires were downed. There were also power outages across the county, including Rehoboth Beach which had to restore power to its wastewater treatment facility.
The polar bear plunge is one of Special Olympics Delaware’s more popular fundraisers, drawing more than 4,000 participants last year.
In recent years, the event has been bringing in more than a million dollars for Special Olympics Delaware. Last year, plunge events drew $1.3 million, just shy of the record-breaking $1.5 million raised in 2024.
Alex Seymore, Special Olympics Delaware’s director of digital media, said the organization had already raised more than $1 million from this year’s event.
“We expect a small impact,” Seymore told Delaware Online/The News Journal. “But again, we’re showing that we’ve raised over a million dollars.
He added they are reviewing how the cancelation will impact them and their services.
“It’s been just a couple hours, so we’re not completely positive how it will impact things in the long run,” he said. “We’re thankful for everybody that’s helped raise this money through this time.”
While the plunge and 5k and been canceled this year, there are other indoor events that will continue as scheduled:
Feb. 27
Feb. 28
Send tips or story ideas to Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299 or eparra@delawareonline.com.
Watch this quick video for easy tips to lower your energy bills
Watch this quick video for easy tips to lower your energy bills and save money every month. 1/7/26
President Donald Trump touted his Trump Accounts for kids platform during his State of the Union address Tuesday, Feb. 24, months before the savings account program goes live this summer.
Roughly 63% of parents open bank accounts for the newborns and young children according to The Financial Brand, showing that in general, opening a bank accounts for your child is a good idea.
But what, exactly, are Trump Accounts for kids, and does it make sense for you to open one for your child? Here’s everything you need to know.
The IRS explained in a memo Trump Accounts will be available for any children under 18, with $1,000 seed money available for newborns and very young children.
That account will be seeded with federal government funds.
“A Trump account is a type of traditional individual retirement account that is established for the exclusive benefit of an eligible individual and that is designated at its establishment as a Trump account,” read the IRS’ Trump Accounts memo. “Upon an election under the pilot program, $1,000 is paid by the Secretary to the Trump account of an eligible child.
“An eligible child means a qualifying child who is born after December 31, 2024 and before January 1, 2029, who is a U.S. citizen, and for whom no prior pilot program election has been made.”
The Trump Accounts website confirms parents do not need to make a contribution, but can deposit up to $5,000 a year into the interest-bearing account.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in comments published Jan. 28 a single $1,000 deposit into a Trump Account at birth should grow to an estimated $500,000 by the age of retirement.
Trump Accounts for kids will go live on Monday, July 5, and parents in Delaware are allowed to apply for the nationwide offering when it opens.
Until then, you can visit the Trump Accounts website to add your name to the email list to get an update when the service goes live.
The IRS and U.S. Department of the Treasury released Trump Accounts guidance you can read before opening an account.
While opening a Trump Account for your child may seem a good thing, TIME uncovered a few problems with President Donald Trump’s namesake account service.
“The program may be open to every child, but its benefits will flow overwhelmingly to families with the means to contribute thousands of dollars a year. What could have been a leveling tool instead risks becoming a widening wedge between the haves and the have-nots,” read a portion of TIME’s take. “For a family living paycheck-to-paycheck that is unable to add anything beyond the government’s $1,000 seed deposit, the balance reaches just $5,839 by age 18. “
The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies echoed much of that sentiment, and said Trump Accounts for kids will have the opposite effect from its stated goals.
Damon C. Williams is a Philadelphia-based journalist reporting on trending topics across the Mid-Atlantic Region.
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