NJ's Major Tax Rebate Deadline Is Tuesday: Check Your ANCHOR Status

NEW JERSEY — The application deadline for New Jersey's new property tax rebate is Tuesday, and officials have extended customer service hours for any of the two million eligible residents who have yet to file.

Homeowners and renters at or below a certain income level are eligible for the $2 billion ANCHOR rebate program, which stands for Affordable New Jersey Communities for Homeowners and Renters. The ANCHOR benefit replaced the Homestead Rebate this year as New Jersey's primary program for property tax relief, and tripled the number of residents eligible for the rebate.

The deadline to apply is Tuesday, Feb. 28 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time. This year, taxpayers must file with their primary home address from Oct. 1, 2019.

Homeowners with a household income of less than $150,000 can get a $1,500 rebate, homeowners with a household income between $150,000 and $250,000 can receive $1,000, and renters with incomes up to $150,000 will receive $450 each. The average benefit is $971 for each eligible resident, state officials said.

Eligible homeowners and renters may apply online, while homeowners can also file by phone (1-877-658-2972) or via paper application.

Find more detailed eligibility info here.

How can I get help with my application?

Anyone needing help with their application may call the ANCHOR hotline at 1-888-238-1233 or visit the Anchor FAQ page. Hotline hours are extended this week; representatives will be available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday and 8 a.m. to midnight on Tuesday.

The hotline has had issues with call volume during periods of the filing process. But late in January, the state expanded the call center's hours and began training additional staff to try and alleviate those re-emerging issues.

• Read more: Trouble With NJ's Tax-Rebate Hotline Prompts Action

In-person assistance is available at 3 John Fitch Way, Trenton, New Jersey, from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on February 27th and 8:30 a.m. to midnight on February 28th. If you come for in-person assistance, please bring a government-issued ID.

I filed for the rebate. How do I know my status?

If you filed online or by phone, that information should become available within two weeks of the application date. Paper applications can take up to 12 weeks to process.

The New Jersey Division of Taxation has a webpage for making inquiries on the status of your rebate. Enter your Valid Taxpayer Identification Number (Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number). Then the inquiry system can tell you whether the state has a record of your application, whether it's processing and soon, the date when the state sent out your rebate.

How and when will I receive my rebate?

The state will pay ANCHOR benefits via check or direct deposit — you can select the payment method on your application.

All payments will go out beginning in late spring and no later than May, according to state officials. Payments won't go out in the order applications are received, so applying late in the filing season doesn't necessarily mean you'll have to wait longer for your rebate.

Can I update or correct my payment method?

If you made an error while entering your direct deposit information or prefer to receive your payment through paper check, state officials may be able to help.

Complete the ANCHOR Program Direct Deposit Correction form and either check the "Request a Paper Check" box or provide the corrected banking information. You must include a copy of your government-issued ID to complete the request.

Beginning April 1, the state will only be able to cancel direct deposit requests and issue paper checks.

Patch's Josh Bakan contributed to this report.