NJ Property Tax Relief Programs for Seniors Don’t Auto Renew in 2025

Key Takeaways   

• Deadline is October 31, 2025. Don’t wait until the last minute. 

• Your ANCHOR application will not auto-renew in 2025 if you are 65+ even if it auto-renewed in previous years. You must now reapply in 2025. 

• The new Stay NJ Program reimburses 50% of property taxes up to $6,500 for eligible seniors aged 65+. 

From stunning beaches and great public schools to outstanding healthcare and job opportunities, there are many great things about living in the Garden State. But to pay for those amenities, New Jersey has always had among the nation’s highest property taxes. This can be especially burdensome for seniors who are finding it increasingly difficult to stay in their homes -- even if the mortgage has long since been paid off. 

In response, New Jersey introduced several programs to provide property tax relief including the NJ Property Tax Freeze Program and the Anchor Rebate Program. Many of you have taken advantage of these programs. We’re starting reminders now because the deadlines, application process and eligibility requirements are different from before. For instance, your Anchor application will not auto-renew in 2025 if you are 65 and older even if it auto-renewed in previous years. You must reapply in 2025 due to a new combined application format for all property tax relief programs. So don’t miss the October 31^st deadline for 2025.   For the first time, New Jersey residents can apply for three property tax relief programs – Senior Freeze, ANCHOR and the new Stay NJ – on a single application called PAS-1.

This combined application can be used by both homeowners and renters. New Jersey residents who were 65 and older or recipients of Social Security Disability, during the 2024 Tax Year will be required to file the new combined application (Form PAS-1). That means those 65 and older shouldn't count on their Anchor application to auto-renew this year. For ANCHOR homeowner recipients, you are no longer required to have an Identification Number and PIN to file for benefits.

Applicants under 65 or not receiving Social Security Disability, who previously received an Anchor benefit, will still be eligible for the auto-file program and receive their benefit automatically. Those under 65 will still be using the prior Anchor application formats, ANCHOR-H (for homeowners) and ANCHOR-T (for Renters). NJ will begin sending out confirmation letters that ANCHOR benefits have successfully auto-renewed on August 13th.

The deadline for submitting a 2024 tax year property tax relief application is October 31, 2025. Applicants can file in one of the following two ways:  

What are the different property tax freeze programs? 

If you’re new to New Jersey or about to turn 65, here’s a summary of programs that may provide you with property tax relief:   

1. Property Tax Reimbursement (Senior Freeze). This program freezes your property tax rate at the rate you paid during the first calendar year that you qualify. This “base” rate remains in place for as long as you stay in your home and meet the eligibility requirements each year. In order to qualify you must:

• Be a full-time New Jersey resident

• The property must be your primary residence.

• You or your spouse were 65 or older on December 31, 2023 or receiving Social Security Disability.

• You owned and lived in your home since December 31, 2020, or earlier (and you still owned and lived in that home on December 31, 2024)

• The total annual income limit for your household must be no more than $168,268 (in 2024) and $163,050 (in 2023) – the state looks at income from your previous two tax returns to verify income.  

*The Senior Freeze program has stricter requirements than the Anchor program about what is included as income. NJ will look at all sources of income with a few exceptions for this program, including Social Security income. There is a one-time exemption for exceeding the income limit without losing your base year.

Note: you must still pay the full property tax amount for the current year, but the state sends you a refund check for the difference between your current property tax bill and what you paid in your base year. For example, if you paid $12,000 in property taxes the first year you qualified and five years later your property taxes go up to $15,000, you must still pay that $15,000, but you get a refund from the state for the $3,000 difference.

Also, the freeze does not apply if the senior passes the house to children, or if he or she passes away and the surviving spouse is under age 65. 

2. The Anchor Rebate Program offers a partial tax refund to all New Jersey homeowners with 2024 NJ gross income below $250,000 renters with gross income below $150,000 (assuming the rental property was subject to property taxes). If your gross income is less than $150,000, you can receive a refund check for $1,700 within 90 days of filing your application. Homeowners with a gross income between $150,000 and $250,000 receive a refund check for $1,000. New Jersey renters can also receive a rebate check for $400 if their 2024 NJ gross income was below $150,000. There is not a partial rebate amount for renters if their income is between $150,001 and 250,000. Seniors aged 62+ can receive an additional $250 to their Anchor Rebate checks, which applies to both homeowners and renters. The income the state is looking at to verify eligibility is your NJ gross income from your previous NJ state tax return. The state excludes some types of income, such as Social Security, from your gross income.  

3. Stay NJ – (*New this year*) Is a new property tax relief program for eligible homeowners aged 65 and older. It reimburses applicants for 50% of their property tax bills, up to a maximum of $13,000, with a 2024 benefit cap of $6,500. To qualify, you must have owned and lived in your home for the full 12 months of 2024 and have an income below $500,000. If you made P.I.L.O.T. (Payments-in-Lieu-of-Tax) payments to your municipality, you are eligible for the Stay NJ benefit.

The Stay NJ benefit is not calculated in addition to the Anchor and senior freeze benefits. Instead, you will receive a benefit that is the higher of the Stay NJ credit or the combined benefit from the Anchor plus Senior Freeze program. The Anchor and Senior Freeze benefits will be calculated first then your Stay NJ benefit will be reduced by the amount of benefits already paid out. For example, if you are eligible for the max Stay NJ benefit of $6,500 and you received an ANCHOR rebate of $1,700, your max STAY NJ credit is reduced to $4,800.

2025 will be the first year that NJ residents can file for Stay NJ with the first Stay NJ rebate expected to be paid out in Spring 2026. The benefits will be split and paid out quarterly in February, May, August and November lining up with property tax deadlines. For this upcoming benefit year NJ will only allow you to receive a rebate benefit via direct deposit or check. However, in future years NJ is planning to roll out an option to have your property taxes directly reduced by sending the benefit to your township directly.

How to file an application? 

1. File a paper property tax relief application (Form PAS-1) for all three property tax programs: ANCHOR, Property Tax Reimbursement (Senior Freeze), and the Stay NJ Property Tax Benefit.  

2. Alternatively, applicants can file the combined application online at https://propertytaxreliefapp.nj.gov/.

Conclusion  If you need help filing your application or determining your eligibility requirements, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m happy to help. 

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Devin Starr, CFP® Associate Wealth Advisor at Novi Wealth