ANCHOR Program Renewed for Tax Year 2025

It provides property tax relief to NJ residents who owned or rented their principal residence On October 1, 2025, and meet income requirements.

⚠ Action deadline for changes: September 15, 2026 (the deadline for an initial application is November 2)

If you received an ANCHOR Benefit Confirmation Letter, you must act by September 15, 2026 if either of these applies to you:

• You need to change your banking information or would rather receive a paper check — you must file your own application with the updated information.
• You are not eligible for the property listed on your letter — you must notify the Division of Taxation at propertytaxreliefapp.nj.gov and select "I DO NOT want an application filed on my behalf."

Missing this date means the State's automatic filing will proceed using the information already on file for you.

Who qualifies

Homeowners: New Jersey residents with 2025 NJ gross income of $250,000 or less who, as of October 1, 2025, owned and occupied a home in New Jersey as their principal residence, and the home was subject to property taxes.

Renters: New Jersey residents with 2025 NJ gross income of $150,000 or less who, as of October 1, 2025, met all of the following:

• Rented and occupied a residence in New Jersey as their principal residence
• Paid rent
• Had their name on the lease or rental agreement
• The property was subject to local property taxes

How much you receive

Your benefit is based on your 2025 NJ gross income, applicant type, and age:

How to get your benefit

1. Returning beneficiaries — no action needed (usually)

The State automatically files applications for most eligible homeowners under 65 (who aren't collecting Social Security Disability or Railroad Retirement Disability) and for eligible renters.

• ANCHOR Benefit Confirmation Letters started mailing in August 2026.
• If everything in your letter is correct, you don't need to do anything — the State files for you.
• If you received last year's benefit by direct deposit, the same banking information will be used again.
• If you didn't receive a confirmation letter, follow instructions for new applicants even if you got it last year.

2. Need to make a change? File by September 15, 2026

Review your confirmation letter carefully. You must file your own updated application if either applies:

• Banking changes or paper check: File your own application with updated information at nj.gov/treasury/taxation/anchor (select "File Property Tax Relief Application").
• Not eligible for the listed property: Notify the Division of Taxation at propertytaxreliefapp.nj.gov by selecting "I DO NOT want an application filed on my behalf."

3. Status changed from renter to homeowner

If you received an Auto-File Confirmation Letter but changed from renter to homeowner:

1. Notify the Division of Taxation at propertytaxreliefapp.nj.gov by selecting "I received an ANCHOR Benefit Confirmation Letter and DO NOT want an application filed on my behalf."
2. File a new application for the new property.

Eligibility is based on where you lived and your status (owner/renter) on October 1, 2025 — not where you live today. If you were a renter on that date and bought a home afterward, you still apply as a renter for the 2025 benefit.

4. New applicants

If you qualify but the State isn't filing for you automatically, submit an ANCHOR application yourself:

• Apply online at propertytaxreliefapp.nj.gov — you'll need to verify your identity through ID.me (see below).
• Or download the paper application from nj.gov/treasury/taxation/propertyreliefforms.shtml — mail it with a tracking number and keep that number until your benefit arrives.

Online applicants will need to verify their identity through ID.me. See below for more information.

Deadline: November 2, 2026.

5. Senior and disabled applicants

If you're age 65 or older, or you collect Social Security Disability or Railroad Retirement Disability benefits, you must complete the combined Application for Property Tax Relief (Form PAS-1), which covers ANCHOR, Senior Freeze, and Stay NJ — even if you don't qualify for all three. The State will not file this for you automatically.

Deadline: November 2, 2026.

Important: Apply under the same name/person listed first on your NJ income tax return. For married couples filing jointly, the first-listed spouse should submit the ANCHOR application.

Additional guidance

• Identity verification (ID.me): All online applicants must verify their identity through ID.me, on a smartphone or computer. If you do not have a device to complete the ID.me process, the Lakewood Resource and Referral Center (LRRC) has tablets available for use during open walk-in hours. To complete the verification, you will need proof of identification, such as a valid driver's license or passport. We also recommend bringing your Social Security card, as it may be required.
• Information you'll need: Social Security Numbers (or ITINs) and dates of birth for you and your spouse, your 2025 NJ gross income (Line 29 of your 2025 NJ-1040), and your 2025 filing status.
• Payment timing: Payments start September 15, 2026, and continue on a rolling basis — most applicants are paid within 90 days unless more information is needed.
• Principal residence: Based on where you lived on October 1, 2025 — the home where you live most of the time and are registered to vote or receive mail. For homeowners, it's the property on your deed/tax records; for renters, it's the address on your lease.
• Eligible vs. ineligible properties: Only your NJ primary residence qualifies — not a vacation home, secondary residence, or a property you rent out. If you owned multiple NJ properties, only the one that was your principal residence on October 1, 2025 counts.
• Benefit cap: You can't receive duplicate relief for the same year. Combined benefits from ANCHOR, Senior Freeze, veterans' deductions, etc. can't exceed the property taxes you actually paid in 2025.

Key dates at a glance

For more details, forms, and FAQs, visit the NJ Division of Taxation at nj.gov/treasury/taxation/anchor.