These NJ Homeowners Are Getting A Bigger Property Tax Rebate

Some New Jersey residents may see more property tax relief this year than the state maximum, thanks to policies implemented years ago.

Under Governor Mikie Sherrill’s new $60.7 billion budget, changes were made to the Stay NJ property tax relief plan. Stay NJ was introduced in 2025 to help senior citizens with tax relief, with the purpose of encouraging them to stay in the Garden State upon retiring.

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Under the officially adopted budget, residents who qualify for Stay NJ will still be able to see a maximum benefit of $6,500. However, the qualifier ceiling has dropped from $500,000 to $200,000, meaning that those who make more than that will not be eligible for any Stay NJ relief.

In other words, those making up to $150,000 will qualify for up to $5,000 in Stay NJ benefits, and those making up to $200,000 will qualify for up to $4,000. Eligible residents who bring home less than $100,000 in 2026 would qualify for the full $6,500 relief.

However, those who have been enrolled in the Senior Freeze, another tax relief program meant to benefit senior citizens and disabled persons, for several years could see more than the maximum.

When someone enrolls in the Senior Freeze, the property taxes they pay in their current year become their “base year.” Their payment is not limited by the new Stay NJ maximum.

In other words, if somebody's property taxes were $7,000 when they entered the Senior Freeze in 2016, and their property taxes were $14,000 in 2025, they could still see $7,000 in relief, despite the $6,500 Stay NJ cap.

The state will not reduce a larger Senior Freeze payment because it exceeds the Stay NJ cap. In that situation, the homeowner would keep the full Senior Freeze benefit but probably receive no additional Stay NJ payment, because Senior Freeze already gives them more relief than Stay NJ’s formula allows.

ANCHOR may still be paid separately, so long as the total state relief does not exceed the property taxes actually paid.

Applications for property tax relief are available now. Seniors can apply via the PAS-1, a combined application which allows users to apply for ANCHOR, Stay NJ, and Senior Freeze all in one go. Even if you aren't eligible for all three programs, you can still apply via this application.

The deadline to file for 2025 property tax relief is Nov. 2.

Those looking for help in filing property tax relief applications can attend one of the Division of Taxation's several assistance events across the state. Click here to find one near you.

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