New Jersey has the highest property taxes in the country, and it runs four separate relief programs that older homeowners can stack on the same home. New Jersey senior property tax relief isn't one benefit. It's the Senior Freeze, ANCHOR, Stay NJ, and a $250 deduction, and a senior can qualify for all four at once.
The state now collects them on one application, Form PAS-1. This guide covers who qualifies, the income limits, and how to file.
In This Guide
- Key Takeaways
- The Senior Freeze (Property Tax Reimbursement)
- ANCHOR
- Stay NJ: The New One
- The $250 Senior and Disabled Deduction
- The Four Programs at a Glance
- How New Jersey Senior Property Tax Relief Stacks
- How to Apply with Form PAS-1
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Next Steps
The Senior Freeze (Property Tax Reimbursement)
This is the program built for long-term homeowners on a fixed income. New Jersey calls it the Property Tax Reimbursement. Most people call it the Senior Freeze.
It doesn't freeze your tax bill in the literal sense. It freezes your share of it. The state sets a base year, the first year you qualify, and then reimburses you for any increase above that base-year amount in later years. Your taxes can keep rising. The check from the state covers the difference.
To qualify, you must be 65 or older, or receiving federal Social Security disability benefits. The income limit for the 2025 application is $172,475 or less.
There's also a home-tenure rule. You must have owned and lived in the home since December 31, 2022, or earlier, a three-year requirement. Note that this is the current rule. The older ten-year New Jersey residency requirement has been dropped.
The New Jersey Division of Taxation administers the program and publishes the current income limits, which change yearly. The reimbursement grows over time. The longer your base year stays fixed while taxes climb, the larger your check.
ANCHOR
ANCHOR is a flat rebate, not a reimbursement. It doesn't depend on how long you've owned the home or how much your taxes rose. It pays a set amount based on your income.
For homeowners, the NJ ANCHOR benefit works off your 2024 income:
- Income of $150,000 or less: $1,500.
- Income from $150,001 to $250,000: $1,000.
Seniors get more. Homeowners 65 and older receive an extra $250 on top. That brings a qualifying senior to $1,750 or $1,250, depending on income.
ANCHOR also reaches renters, which most property tax programs don't. Eligible renters receive $450. If a senior is renting rather than owning, this is often the one program they still qualify for.
Stay NJ: The New One
Stay NJ is the newest piece, and it's the largest for many seniors. It begins paying benefits in 2026.
Stay NJ reimburses homeowners 65 and older for 50 percent of their property tax bill. The benefit is capped at $6,500 for the 2025 benefit year.
The income ceiling is high: under $500,000. That brings in many seniors who earn too much for the Senior Freeze. A homeowner over the $172,475 Senior Freeze limit can still get Stay NJ.
One thing to understand: Stay NJ is designed to work with the other programs, not replace them. The state coordinates the benefits so a senior gets the most relief available without doubling up on the same tax dollars. Apply for all of them and the state sorts out the math.
The $250 Senior and Disabled Deduction
This one is smaller and older, and it has a tight income test. It's a $250 annual deduction off your property tax bill for senior or disabled homeowners.
The catch is the income limit. It applies to homeowners with income of no more than $10,000, and that figure excludes Social Security. Because Social Security doesn't count toward the $10,000, more retirees qualify than the number first suggests. A senior whose income is mostly Social Security with a small pension on top may still come in under the cap.
It's modest money, but it's $250 off the bill every year, and it stacks with everything above. You claim it through your municipal tax assessor or collector, not the state.
New Jersey Senior Property Tax Relief at a Glance
| Program | Who qualifies | Income limit | Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior Freeze (Property Tax Reimbursement) | Homeowners 65+ or on SSD; owned/lived in home since 12/31/2022 | $172,475 or less | Reimburses tax increases above your base-year amount |
| ANCHOR | Homeowners and renters; +$250 bonus at 65+ | $250,000 or less (homeowners) | $1,500 or $1,000 + $250 senior bonus; $450 renters |
| Stay NJ | Homeowners 65+ | Under $500,000 | 50% of property tax bill, capped at $6,500 |
| $250 Senior/Disabled Deduction | Senior or disabled homeowners | $10,000 or less, excluding Social Security | $250 off the annual bill |
How New Jersey Senior Property Tax Relief Stacks
The point worth repeating: these are not either-or. New Jersey senior property tax relief is built so a qualifying senior can collect from multiple programs on the same home in the same year.
A homeowner who is 65, has lived in the home since 2020, and earns $80,000 could draw the Senior Freeze, the ANCHOR rebate with the senior bonus, Stay NJ, and the $250 deduction. The state pays each benefit the applicant qualifies for.
Stay NJ and the Senior Freeze are coordinated so they don't both pay for the exact same increase, but together they can cover a large slice of one of the highest property tax bills in the nation. The way to find out what you get is to apply for everything and let the state calculate it.
If property taxes are one piece of a bigger question about affording care, our guide to paying for senior care in New Jersey covers Medicaid, VA benefits, and home equity alongside these rebates.
How to Apply with Form PAS-1
New Jersey simplified this. Instead of separate applications, the state now uses one combined form.
Form PAS-1 covers the Senior Freeze, ANCHOR, and Stay NJ in a single filing. You file once, and the state pays each benefit you qualify for.
The deadline for the 2025 benefits is November 2, 2026.
Follow these steps:
- Gather your income figures. You'll need 2024 income for ANCHOR and the relevant year's income for the Freeze and Stay NJ. Have your property tax amount and proof you've owned and lived in the home.
- File Form PAS-1 with the New Jersey Division of Taxation by November 2, 2026. The state determines which of the three programs you qualify for from the one application.
- Claim the $250 deduction separately. That one goes through your municipal tax assessor or collector, not the PAS-1.
- Watch for your base year on the Freeze. If this is your first qualifying year, it sets the baseline all future reimbursements are measured against.
Not sure which programs you qualify for? Chat with Brevy's care navigator to sort out your New Jersey property tax options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Senior Freeze, ANCHOR, Stay NJ, and the $250 deduction are separate benefits with separate rules, and a qualifying senior can receive all of them on the same home. Stay NJ and the Senior Freeze are coordinated so they don't pay twice for the same increase, but you don't have to choose between programs. Apply for everything and the state calculates what you're owed.
Likely yes. The Senior Freeze income limit for 2025 is $172,475, but Stay NJ allows income up to $500,000 for homeowners 65 and older. ANCHOR pays homeowners up to $250,000 in income. A senior over the Freeze limit can still collect Stay NJ and ANCHOR.
The old ten-year New Jersey residency requirement is gone. The current rule is a three-year home requirement: you must have owned and lived in your home since December 31, 2022, or earlier, for the 2025 application. The income test still applies on top of that.
ANCHOR. Eligible renters receive $450. The Senior Freeze, Stay NJ, and the $250 deduction are for homeowners, but ANCHOR reaches renters, so it's usually the program a senior renter can still claim.
The $10,000 limit excludes Social Security. So a retiree whose income is mostly Social Security with a small pension or other income under $10,000 on top can still qualify, even if their total income looks higher than the cap at first glance.
Next Steps
Start with one form and one deadline. The PAS-1 does most of the work.
- File Form PAS-1 with the New Jersey Division of Taxation by November 2, 2026 to cover the Senior Freeze, ANCHOR, and Stay NJ in one filing.
- Claim the $250 deduction through your municipal tax assessor or collector if your income, excluding Social Security, is $10,000 or less.
- Check the current income limits before you file, since the Freeze, ANCHOR, and Stay NJ figures change every year.
- Confirm your base year on the Senior Freeze if this is your first qualifying application.
If selling or borrowing against the home is part of the picture, weigh that against keeping it and stacking these rebates. Our guide on selling or renting your home for care walks through that tradeoff.
Learn More
- Senior Property Tax Relief by State
- How to Pay for Senior Care in New Jersey
- How to Pay for Senior Care
- Selling or Renting Your Home for Care
Find personalized help claiming your New Jersey senior property tax relief at brevy.com.
The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.