$2B Tax Rebate Hits Hurdles: How, When NJ Residents Can Get Help

NEW JERSEY — State residents who tried, and tried, and tried to secure unemployment benefits early in the COVID-19 pandemic may experience déjà vu. Busy phone lines and staggered mailings have some taxpayers struggling to begin the process of filing for New Jersey's new property-tax rebate, but the state Department of the Treasury promised improvements.

Filing recently opened for New Jerseyans to claim their rebate in the ANCHOR (Affordable New Jersey Communities for Homeowners and Renters) program. Taxpayers can file online, through mail or via phone by Dec. 30.

• Questions about ANCHOR? Read more: NJ's $2B Property Tax Rebate Program Opens: How To Get Paid

But the filing process got off to a bumpy start. Callers have struggled to get through on the ANCHOR phone line, while many New Jerseyans continue to wait for mailers with filing information.

The ANCHOR hotline received more than 14,000 calls Monday during its nine operating hours, according to treasury officials. The number received 18,000 calls in the entire month of August — 98.5 percent of them were answered and assisted, a treasury spokesperson said.

In response to the high call volume, the treasury doubled the number of employees assisting callers. The department had 42 staffers assisting callers, with more getting added as available, treasury spokesperson Danielle Currie told Patch on Wednesday.

"In response to the high volume of calls, we are increasing the queue allowance so that more callers will be placed on hold," Currie told Patch via email. "Call flow is monitored so that anyone in queue will wait no longer than 30 minutes. If placed in the queue, callers should be prepared to remain on the line for up to 30 minutes."

Mailers will reach taxpayers by the first week of October, according to a notice on the state's ANCHOR webpage. The treasury staggered mailings in an effort to alleviate inundation on its call center, Currie says.

If a resident doesn't receive their 2019 ANCHOR filing information within 10 business days of their county's mailing date, they can call the ANCHOR hotline at 1-888-238-1233. Here's the state's mailing schedule for each county:

• Burlington, Hunterdon, and Mercer: mailing expected to begin Sept. 19, email delivery expected to begin Sept. 13.
• Atlantic and Essex: mailing expected to begin Sept. 20, email delivery expected to begin Sept. 13.
• Bergen and Warren: mailing expected to begin Sept. 21, email delivery expected to begin Sept. 16.
• Ocean, Salem and Sussex: mailing expected to begin Sept. 22, email delivery expected to begin Sept. 20.
• Cumberland, Gloucester and Hudson: mailing expected to begin Sept. 23, email delivery expected to begin Sept. 20.
• Monmouth and Somerset: mailing expected to begin Sept. 23, email delivery expected to begin Sept. 23.
• Passaic and Union: mailing expected to begin Sept. 26, email delivery expected to begin Sept. 27.
• Cape May and Middlesex: mailing expected to begin Sept. 28, email delivery expected to begin Sept. 27.
• Camden and Morris: mailing expected to begin Sept. 30, email delivery expected to begin Sept. 29.

Two factors have created issues, according to treasury officials. About 1.9 million people are eligible for the ANCHOR rebate, compared to the 470,000 who qualified for its predecessor: the Homestead Rebate Program.

Additionally, "because of all the early publicity surrounding the program, we’re experiencing enormous outreach right out of the gate," Currie said.

Gov. Phil Murphy's administration introduced the ANCHOR program March 3 and has touted the rebate for the past half-year. When Murphy introduced his proposed state budget in March, he made "affordability" the buzzword and put the new rebate in the forefront. Read more: Gov. Murphy's $49B NJ Budget Focuses On Property Taxes, Relief

Murphy stumped for the ANCHOR program around the state several times since March, including a June announcement that the state would expand available tax relief. During that time, the governor touted the program as "historic."

"The ANCHOR program will deliver real, tangible property tax relief to both homeowners and renters, a historic step toward making New Jersey a more affordable state," Murphy said Sept. 12 in a statement.

Opinions vary on just how much the program will alleviate residents' economic burdens. The average state property-tax bill totaled $9,284 in 2021 — among the highest in the nation — while the ANCHOR program will provide an average benefit of $971. But the hype for the rebate has kept the treasury busy during the opening days of filing.

New Jersey residents' issues with connecting with the state for financial benefits came to the forefront early in the pandemic. The state surpassed 1 million unemployment claims on May 2, 2020, leaving many without pay since the lockdown more than a month prior. The line has improved with $18 million in investments since, but that hasn't been enough to fully modernize the service, according to State Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo. Read more: $18M Later, New Jersey's Unemployment System Still Subpar, Some Say

Much like Murphy at the beginning of the pandemic, the treasury asked residents for patience in the ANCHOR process. But there are key differences. The unemployment backlog exacerbated a financial crisis for residents furloughed because of COVID. And at least part of the unemployment-filing process typically requires speaking on the phone.

In contrast, treasury officials anticipated that some New Jerseyans wouldn't receive their ANCHOR rebate until May. Residents also have more than three months to apply, and speaking on the phone isn't required to receive the benefit. Officials will not distribute payments in the order that they receive applications.

"It should be noted there are no reported issues preventing people from actually filing by phone or web," Currie said. "It is the informational hotline that is inundated with people asking questions. Most of these questions can be answered online and we are working on addressing the commonly asked questions the hotline has been receiving online so that more people can avoid having to place a call."

Homeowners who filed a homestead benefit application last year may be able to obtain their ID and PIN numbers online. Tenants do not need an ID or PIN number for filing.

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