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Taxes
Property tax relief for seniors in New Jersey
New Jersey has 3 programs that can lower property taxes for older adults: Affordable New Jersey Communities for Homeowners and Renters (ANCHOR), Stay NJ Property Tax Credit Program and Senior Freeze (Property Tax Reimbursement). Each one has its own rules and deadline.
Affordable New Jersey Communities for Homeowners and Renters (ANCHOR)
ANCHOR is a yearly New Jersey payment toward property taxes for people who own or rent their main home. For 2025, homeowners with income of $150,000 or less may get $1,500, and renters 65 or older may get $700. If you are 65 or older and own your home, you must apply yourself on the combined Form PAS-1; the state does not file for you.
How to apply
- By mail
- Or file the paper Application for Property Tax Relief (Form PAS-1) from the instruction booklet.
Applying is free. Nobody should charge you to apply.
Apply on the official siteWho may qualify
| Age | Any age. Renters 65 or older by December 31, 2025 get a higher amount. |
|---|---|
| Income limit for homeowners (2025 New Jersey gross income, NJ-1040 line 29) | $250,000 or less |
| Income limit for renters (2025 New Jersey gross income, NJ-1040 line 29) | $150,000 or less |
| Home | You may qualify if you were a New Jersey resident and owned (or rented) and lived in your main home on October 1 of the application year. Second homes and homes you rent to others don't count. |
What you may get
| Homeowners, 2025 income $150,000 or less (2025 benefit) | $1,500 |
|---|---|
| Homeowners, 2025 income $150,001 to $250,000 (2025 benefit) | $1,000 |
| Renters 65 or older (2025 benefit) | $700 ($450 for renters 64 or younger) |
| Limit | Your ANCHOR, Senior Freeze, Stay NJ and property tax deductions together can't be more than the property tax on your main home that year |
Dates, renewals and waiting lists
| Deadline for the 2025 application | November 2, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Renewal | A new application each year. The state files automatically for most homeowners under 65 and most renters, but not for homeowners 65 and older. |
How New Jersey is different
Where New Jersey's rules differ from the federal rules for Property tax relief for seniors.
- Renters can get it too
- Homeowners 65 and older must file Form PAS-1 themselves each year, even if they only qualify for ANCHOR
- If you are 65 or older and didn't claim the $50 Property Tax Credit on a tax return, it is added to your ANCHOR payment
Good to know
- Renters: renters may get ANCHOR ($700 at 65 or older for 2025, with income of $150,000 or less). The state filed automatically for most renters, including those 65 and over. Renters can't get Senior Freeze or Stay NJ.
- Payments start September 15 and usually arrive within 90 days of filing. Paper filers get a paper check.
- A temporary stay in assisted living doesn't stop you from claiming for the home you own.
Stay NJ Property Tax Credit Program
Stay NJ pays New Jersey homeowners 65 and older part of their property tax, on top of ANCHOR and Senior Freeze. For the 2025 tax year the most you can get is $6,500, and under the state budget signed June 30, 2026, only people with income of $200,000 or less get a payment. You claim it on the same Form PAS-1 as ANCHOR and Senior Freeze.
How to apply
- By mail
- Or file the paper Application for Property Tax Relief (Form PAS-1).
Applying is free. Nobody should charge you to apply.
Apply on the official siteWho may qualify
| Age | You or your spouse were 65 or older during 2025 |
|---|---|
| Total income limit (2025, counted the same way as for Senior Freeze, combined for a couple) | $200,000 or less |
| Home | You may qualify if you owned and lived in the home for all 12 months of 2025 and it is subject to property taxes or payments in lieu of taxes |
What you may get
| Maximum benefit, income $100,000 or less (2025 tax year, paid in 2027) | $6,500 |
|---|---|
| Maximum benefit, income $100,000.01 to $150,000 (2025 tax year) | $5,000 |
| Maximum benefit, income $150,000.01 to $200,000 (2025 tax year) | $4,000 |
| How it's paid | In installments. The 2025 benefit is paid in February and May 2027. |
Dates, renewals and waiting lists
| Deadline for the 2025 application (Form PAS-1) | November 2, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Renewal | A new Form PAS-1 each year |
How New Jersey is different
Where New Jersey's rules differ from the federal rules for Property tax relief for seniors.
- Under the budget signed June 30, 2026, 2025 payments go only to incomes of $200,000 or less, with lower maximums above $100,000
- The same budget split the last 2024 payment between August and November 2026, so recipients get less in total for 2026
- Your total from ANCHOR, Senior Freeze, Stay NJ and property tax deductions can't be more than your property tax for the year
Good to know
- Renters: renters and mobile home owners can't get Stay NJ. Renters may get ANCHOR instead.
- The maximums assume no changes in the next state budget, so amounts may change.
Senior Freeze (Property Tax Reimbursement)
New Jersey's Senior Freeze pays you back any increase in your property tax over your base year, the first year you qualified. It is for homeowners and mobile home owners 65 or older (or getting Social Security disability) who have lived in the home at least three years, with income under the yearly limit. You apply on the combined Form PAS-1.
How to apply
- By mail
- Or file the paper Application for Property Tax Relief (Form PAS-1).
Applying is free. Nobody should charge you to apply.
Apply on the official siteWho may qualify
| Age | You or your spouse were 65 or older on December 31, 2025 (or receiving Social Security or Railroad Retirement disability benefits) |
|---|---|
| Total annual income limit, 2025 (combined for a couple living together) | $172,475 or less |
| Total annual income limit, 2024 | $168,268 or less |
| Home (2025 application) | You may qualify if you have owned and lived in the home since December 31, 2022 or earlier and still did on December 31, 2025 |
What you may get
| What it's worth | This year's property tax minus your base-year property tax, paid back to you |
|---|---|
| Mobile home owners | 18% of this year's site fees minus 18% of your base-year site fees |
Dates, renewals and waiting lists
| Deadline for the 2025 application (Form PAS-1) | November 2, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Renewal | A new Form PAS-1 each year. You keep your base year as long as you stay eligible and your town hasn't reassessed. |
How New Jersey is different
Where New Jersey's rules differ from the federal rules for Property tax relief for seniors.
- Doesn't lower your bill; it refunds increases over your base year
- Income counts Social Security and tax-exempt income
- If your income goes over the limit once, you can keep your base year the next year
Good to know
- Renters: Senior Freeze is only for homeowners and mobile home owners who lease a site. Renters may get ANCHOR instead.
- 2025 checks go out starting July 15, 2026, depending on when you filed.
Free help
Free help with this in New Jersey
Division of Aging Services (DoAS)
Your local Area Agency on Aging can help with meals, rides, help at home, caregiver support and applying for benefits.
More help in New Jersey
Property tax relief in another state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Sources
- New Jersey Division of Taxation, Property Tax Relief Programs for Homeowners, Mobile Home Owners, & Renters (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- New Jersey Division of Taxation, How ANCHOR Benefits Are Calculated (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- New Jersey Division of Taxation, ANCHOR Filing Information (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- New Jersey Division of Taxation, 2025 Application for Property Tax Relief, Form PAS-1, Instructions (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- New Jersey Division of Taxation, Stay NJ: Property Tax Relief for Senior Citizens (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- New Jersey Division of Taxation, Senior Freeze (Property Tax Reimbursement) (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- New Jersey Division of Taxation, Senior Freeze Eligibility Requirements (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- New Jersey Division of Taxation, How Senior Freeze Benefits Are Calculated (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- New Jersey Division of Taxation, Senior Freeze Income Standards (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
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