New Jersey has three separate property tax relief programs. They have different eligibility rules, different benefit amounts, and different payment schedules — but since the introduction of the combined PAS-1 application, seniors apply for all three at once.
That is a genuine improvement, and it has also produced a lot of confusion about which program is paying what. Here is the map.
The three programs at a glance
| ANCHOR | Stay NJ | Senior Freeze | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who | Homeowners and renters, all ages | Homeowners 65+ | Homeowners 65+ or disabled |
| Income limit | $250,000 (homeowners) | $200,000 | Lower; set annually |
| Benefit | $1,000–$1,500 | Up to $6,500 | Your property tax increase over a base year |
| Residency | Owned/occupied on Oct 1 | Owned and lived there full 12 months | Multi-year NJ and home residency |
| Renters | Yes | No | No |
ANCHOR: the broad one
ANCHOR is the widest program by far. Homeowners with New Jersey gross income up to $250,000 qualify, at any age, and renters up to $150,000 qualify too.
Homeowners receive $1,500 with income of $150,000 or less, and $1,000 between $150,001 and $250,000. You must have owned and occupied the home as your principal residence on October 1 of the benefit year.
Most homeowners under 65 now have their ANCHOR application filed automatically by the Division of Taxation — no action required unless something changed.
Stay NJ: the big one, if you are 65+
Stay NJ is the newest and by far the most generous, designed to cut senior property tax bills roughly in half.
Eligibility: age 65 or older during the year, income of $200,000 or less, and you must have owned and lived in the home for the full twelve months of the year. That last requirement is stricter than ANCHOR’s single-date test — buy a house in March and you are out for that year.
Benefit caps by income:
| Income | Maximum benefit |
|---|---|
| $0 – $100,000 | $6,500 |
| $100,000.01 – $150,000 | $5,000 |
| $150,000.01 – $200,000 | $4,000 |
| Over $200,000 | Not eligible |
These are ceilings, not flat payments — the benefit is calculated against your actual property taxes and capped at the figure above. Renters and mobile home owners are excluded entirely.
Payments come in two installments. Benefits for the 2024 year are paid in August and November 2026; the 2025 year is paid in February and May 2027.
Senior Freeze: the one that grows
Senior Freeze works differently from the other two. Rather than paying a set amount, it reimburses the increase in your property taxes over a base year — effectively freezing your bill at the level it was when you first qualified.
The first year you qualify, you typically receive little or nothing, because there is no increase yet. The value compounds. A homeowner who established a base year a decade ago may now be reimbursed for several thousand dollars annually, and that grows with every municipal increase.
Eligibility is the most demanding of the three, with multi-year requirements for both New Jersey residency and ownership of the home, plus income limits for two consecutive years. It also covers disabled residents receiving Social Security Disability, not only those 65 and older.
Because it is cumulative, Senior Freeze is the program worth establishing as early as you are eligible — even in a year where the payment is negligible. Losing eligibility resets your base year, which can be expensive.
How they stack
You can receive more than one. What you cannot do is come out ahead of your actual tax bill — total relief across all three programs cannot exceed the property taxes you actually paid on your principal residence.
For a senior with a $9,000 property tax bill, the programs combine toward that ceiling rather than adding freely past it. The state calculates the combination and sends a benefit statement showing what each program contributed.
This is why you should file the PAS-1 even if you believe you only qualify for one. The state sorts the interaction; guessing wrong costs you money.
The PAS-1
Seniors and disability benefit recipients file one combined form covering all three programs. Homeowners under 65 who are not on disability benefits use the standard ANCHOR path, which is now largely automatic.
For PAS-1 filers:
- The deadline for 2025 benefits is November 2, 2026
- Online filing requires ID.me identity verification
- You will need gross income from both your 2024 and 2025 NJ-1040 returns
- Social Security or SSI documentation is required where relevant
The two-year income requirement catches people. Senior Freeze tests income across consecutive years, so have both returns in front of you before starting.
Which applies to you
- Under 65, homeowner or renter: ANCHOR only. Likely automatic. Check your confirmation letter.
- Under 65, receiving SSD: File PAS-1 — you may qualify for Senior Freeze.
- 65+, homeowner: File PAS-1. All three are potentially in play.
- 65+, renter: ANCHOR only. Stay NJ and Senior Freeze are homeowner programs.
- 65+, recently bought: ANCHOR yes if you owned on October 1. Stay NJ needs the full twelve months. Senior Freeze needs multi-year ownership — start the clock.
Frequently asked questions
If I get Stay NJ, do I lose ANCHOR?
No, but the combined total is capped at your actual property taxes. Filing PAS-1 lets the state apply them in the order most favorable to you.
I turn 65 this year. Which programs?
Stay NJ requires being 65 during the year. Senior Freeze has its own age and residency timing. File PAS-1 and let the state evaluate — do not self-disqualify.
Do I have to reapply every year?
Senior Freeze and Stay NJ require annual filing. ANCHOR is now largely automatic for homeowners under 65 whose circumstances have not changed.
Are these benefits taxable?
New Jersey does not tax them. Federal treatment depends on whether you itemized and got a benefit from deducting the underlying property taxes.
What if I miss the November 2 deadline?
You generally lose the benefit for that year. For a senior potentially eligible for Stay NJ plus ANCHOR plus Senior Freeze, that can be thousands of dollars.
The bottom line
ANCHOR is broad and modest. Stay NJ is large but restricted to homeowners 65+ under $200,000. Senior Freeze is the hardest to qualify for and the most valuable over time, because it compounds.
If you are 65 or older, file the PAS-1 by November 2 regardless of which you think you qualify for. One form covers all three, and the state does the optimization.
Related guides
This article is general information, not tax advice. Program amounts, income limits, and deadlines are set by the New Jersey Division of Taxation and change. Verify current details at nj.gov/treasury/taxation/relief.shtml or consult a qualified New Jersey tax professional.