New ANCHOR, Senior Freeze + Stay NJ Applications Are In The Mail

NEW JERSEY — The new applications for New Jersey's ANCHOR, Senior Freeze, and Stay NJ property tax benefit programs have been mailed out to eligible residents, the state Treasury Department said.

Seniors aged 65 and older, disabled homeowners, and mobile homeowners can use the combined PAS-1 application to file for all three programs at once. The PAS-1 has been available online since last month, but now the Treasury says paper copies are being sent out to more than 578,000 residents.

Most other homeowners and renters who typically receive benefits from the ANCHOR (Affordable New Jersey Communities for Homeowners and Renters) program will get a letter this summer confirming their eligibility, officials said. Other eligible residents may receive an application mailer.

For those using the PAS-1, benefits will begin going out in July and the combined application will be due on Oct. 31, according to the Division of Taxation. Stay NJ benefits are expected to be provided in early 2026.

"Only seniors aged 65 or older and disabled homeowners or mobile homeowners are eligible to use the PAS-1 combined application to apply for the State’s property tax relief programs," officials noted.

Keep in mind that if you file a paper PAS-1 application, you can't sign up for your refund to be directly deposited into your bank account. Those who file online will need to have their identities verified through ID.me.

ANCHOR benefit amounts are expected to be the same as the previous few years: A maximum of $1,750 for senior homeowners, and $700 for senior renters, depending on their income.

Senior Freeze applies to residents 65 and older, or disabled residents, who are homeowners and mobile home owners. The program provides a reimbursement based on how much property owners' taxes have gone up over time, and how long they've been signed up for Senior Freeze.

An applicant’s total annual income must have been $168,268 or less in 2024, and $163,050 or less in 2023, to be eligible.

Stay NJ is a new program, promising to provide senior homeowners (not renters) who make as much as $500,000 a year with a benefit of up to $6,500, if their combined Senior Freeze and ANCHOR benefits do not hit that amount.

All programs are subject to state budget appropriations, and the Fiscal Year 2026 budget must be in place by July 1.