NJ Tax Relief, ANCHOR, Deadlines: What To Know

With New Jersey's latest budget accounting for the most tax relief in state history, some residents may be overwhelmed with their options. Patch has provided a breakdown of New Jersey property tax relief programs, deadlines, and more below:

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’ 2025 income, age, and residency.

Most eligible residents will have their application re-filed automatically for them. Those new to the program and people 65+ years old who collect Social Security disability benefits need to file an ANCHOR application on their own.

The PAS-1 combined application has been available to fill out for eligible people 65 years and older. The application allows people to claim benefits from ANCHOR, Senior Freeze, and the Stay NJ Program (see more on those last two later), all at once, even if they aren't eligible for all of the programs.

Applicants should prepare their 2025 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 when applying.

To file your ANCHOR application yourself, click here. The deadline to file is Nov. 2.

See ANCHOR eligibility requirements below:

• Homeowners are eligible if:

1. You were a New Jersey resident in 2025
2. You owned and occupied a home in New Jersey that was your principal residence (main home) on Oct. 1, 2025; and
3. Your home was subject to property taxes, and
4. Your 2025 New Jersey gross income was not more than $250,000.

• Renters are eligible if:

1. You were a New Jersey resident in 2025
2. You rented and occupied a residence in New Jersey that was your principal residence (main home) on Oct. 1, 2025
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 2025 New Jersey gross income was not more than $150,000.

Those who have their ANCHOR application re-filed automatically by the state should have already received their ANCHOR confirmation letter in the mail.

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 income.

The first payments are expected to go out in September on a rolling basis, usually within 90 days of filing. Those who file by paper will only be able to receive their funds by paper check. Online filers will have the option to receive a check or to use direct deposit.

Residents can check their ANCHOR benefit status online here.

Stay NJ, Senior Freeze

The PAS-1 combined application is a joint application that features Stay NJ, Senior Freeze, and ANCHOR for qualifying seniors.

Those who applied online last year can expect to receive an invitation to do so again in the mail, if they haven't already, according to the Division of Taxation.

Eligible applicants can expect to receive a letter in the fall confirming their applications and letting them know how much relief to expect.

It should be noted that PAS-1 applications will not be automatically refiled by the state, and residents will need to do it themselves.

Most residents who were eligible for relief for the 2024 tax year will be eligible for the 2025 tax year.

Here’s a breakdown of eligibility requirements for Stay NJ and Senior Freeze programs:

• Stay NJ: For residents 65 years of age or older who owned and lived in a home for the full 12 months of 2025 and have an income below $500,000. The program reimburses applicants for 50 percent of their property tax bills, up to a maximum of $13,000, with a 2025 benefit cap of $6,500.
• Senior Freeze: Eligible for homeowners and mobile homeowners who were 65 years or older by Dec. 31, 2025, or those who received Social Security disability benefit payments or Railroad Retirement disability benefit payments by that date. Additionally, your total annual income in 2025 must have been $172,475 or less to be eligible.

More: Property Tax Relief Changes Abound In New NJ Budget

The deadline to file for 2025 Stay NJ and Senior Freeze relief is also Nov. 2. Check your property tax relief status online here.

2025 Child Tax Credit

The New Jersey Division of Taxation offers a $1,000 tax credit per child under six years old for qualifying families.

Even those who did not, or aren't required to, file their taxes are still able to apply for and possibly claim this credit through the state's free filing tool, SimpleFile.

To use SimpleFile to claim a 2025 Child Tax Credit, applicants must:

• Have been a full-year resident of New Jersey in 2025.
• Have made less than $20,000 in 2025 if filing with a spouse, or less than $10,000 if filing single.
• Have at least one dependent who was 5 or younger at the end of 2025 and lived with you for most of the year.

Click here to apply for the tax credit through SimpleFile. Tax documents are not required.

Applications for the 2025 Child Tax Credit are being accepted until October 15.

See the video below for step-by-step application instructions:

Changes have recently been made to New Jersey's Child Tax Credit program for the 2026 tax year. Click here to learn more and keep it in mind when filing next year.

Student Loan Relief For Teachers

While not related to taxes, New Jersey teachers could see some relief on their student loans: up to $20,000.

The New Jersey Teacher Loan Redemption Program allows Garden State educators to apply for $5,000 in loan relief for four years.

See eligibility requirements below:

• Be a New Jersey resident and maintain residency in the State throughout program participation;
• Hold certification from the New Jersey Department of Education to teach in the state;
• Have been hired on or after January 18, 2022, to teach in a high-need field at the time of hire by your current employer.
• Currently be employed in a high-need field at an eligible school at the time of application;
• Have not previously been selected for participation in the program; and
• Not be in default on any qualifying student loan.

Click here to learn more and apply for student loan relief.

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Those looking for help in filing 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.