NJ ANCHOR Tax Rebate Letters Arrive: Here's What's Next

Many New Jersey residents have begun receiving their ANCHOR tax rebate letters in the mail. In order to receive the tax rebate, some residents may need to take additional steps.

Most residents who have received their benefit confirmation letters will have their applications auto-filed by the New Jersey Division of Taxation on Sept. 15. The letters went out to homeowners and renters under the age of 65 who do not receive disability benefits from Social Security.

If you received a letter, it means you are eligible for the ANCHOR rebate program. If you received your homeowner/renter benefit by paper check last year, the same mailing address will be used this year.

Those who need to change their banking information or their mailing address will need to file their own application online by Sept. 15. Additionally, those who did not receive a confirmation letter and believe they are eligible can check their status online here.

Residents who are submitting their own application must provide their Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number and their birth year. The same information is required from the applicant’s spouse/partner, if applicable.

Applicants should also prepare their 2024 property tax details, including their County/Municipality Code, Block/Lot/Qualifier, and tax amounts, as well as the gross income reported on their 2024 NJ-1040.

Senior residents who collect social security disability benefits can apply using the combined application, PAS-1. The single application allows seniors to claim benefits from Senior Freeze (Property Tax Reimbursement), ANCHOR, and the new Stay NJ Program.

This year, the state did not send out letters with ID/PIN information to file recipients’ applications. Instead, applicants must verify their identity through ID.me while using the program’s online application.

Be prepared for wait times when applying online. The deadline to submit an ANCHOR application is Oct. 31. See eligibility requirements below:

• Homeowners are eligible if:

1. You were a New Jersey resident, and
2. You owned and occupied a home in New Jersey that was your principal residence (main home) on Oct. 1, 2024; and
3. Your home was subject to property taxes, and
4. Your 2024 New Jersey gross income was not more than $250,000.

• Renters are eligible if:

1. You were a New Jersey resident
2. You rented and occupied a residence in New Jersey that was your principal residence (main home) on Oct. 1, 2024
3. Your name was on the lease or rental agreement
4. You paid rent
5. The rental property was subject to local property taxes
6. Your 2024 New Jersey gross income was not more than $150,000.

Rebates will be sent out on a rolling basis starting on Oct. 1.

The rebate amounts will be the same as last year’s: $450 for renters to $1,500 for homeowners. Senior homeowners can receive up to $1,750, and senior renters can receive up to $700, depending on their income.

What is ANCHOR?

The ANCHOR program, or the Affordable New Jersey Communities for Homeowners and Renters program, offers tax relief for owners and renters in New Jersey, and this year’s relief is based on residents’ age, residency, and 2024 income.

This is the program’s fourth year, with Governor Phil Murphy signing an estimated $4.3 billion of tax relief into his budget for the new fiscal year in June. $2.4 million was allocated to keep the ANCHOR program afloat.

More from Patch: Murphy Signs Record-Busting Budget—With New Taxes And Tax Relief—Into Law