Anchor Benefit replaces Homestead Benefit
A headsup regarding name change. This email received today:
"You will receive an email from the Division of Taxation by September 30, 2022, with a link so you can file your ANCHOR Benefit application online. The ANCHOR program replaces the Homestead Benefit program. If you owned and occupied a principal residence or rented a rental unit in New Jersey on October 1, 2019, you may be eligible for a benefit payment.
The deadline for filing your application is December 30, 2022. If you do not receive the email by the second week of October 2022, contact our Customer Service Center at 1 (888) 238-1233."
OnTheEdge "Homeowners with income of $150,000 receive $1,500 in property tax rebates, said Kenneth Bagner, a certified public accountant with Sobel and Co. in Livingston.
Those earning between $150,000 and $250,000 will receive $1,000 rebates, and renters making up to $150,000 will receive $450 checks, Bagner said.
The benefit is only for primary residences.
“The checks are expected in May 2023,” Bagner said. “Eligible homeowners and tenants will be able to apply in the fall either online, by phone or mail-in a paper application, similar to the Homestead Benefit in previous years.”
The_Bishop With the Homestead rebate the refund was sent to my municipality to apply toward my property taxes. Anyone know if that is how this will work? Or are they sending out checks?
happycamper 
Calico696 Find your age and income on the colored chart (link below) to get the percentage of rebate . Multiply your total property tax by that percentage to get the dollar amount . I read that the rebate will be applied to the May 2023 quarterly property tax bill like the current Homestead rebate . I assume renters will get a check in the mail or by direct deposit .
https://www.njpp.org/publications/explainer/anchors-aweigh-explaining-governor-murphys-new-property-tax-relief-program/
97XBAM 
Drew If you're paying property taxes on that rental property you qualify . Supposedly the 250 or 450 rebate for renters who did not get any type of rebate before is meant to help offset rent increases .
@The Bishop: I believe anyone already enrolled in the Homestead program was sent the email.
A Q&A:
https://www.nj.com/news/2022/09/how-can-i-apply-for-anchor-the-new-property-tax-relief-program.html
Received email to file, from email:
"Filing Your 2019 ANCHOR Benefit Application Online
The State's ANCHOR program replaces the Homestead Benefit program. If you owned and occupied a principal residence or rented a rental unit in New Jersey on October 1, 2019, you may be eligible for a benefit payment."
There is a number to call for questions:
1 (888) 238-1233
I really don’t understand this. Households making between $150k-$250k need $1,000? Put it towards the roads. NJ is an absolute joke. Unless I’m completely missing something, in which case, my apologies.
ConsigliereMy taxes literally went up $1k this year, so I'll take it. Still waiting for letter in the mail though
Forcefed4door forcefed4doot
Warren County mailings went out beginning Sept. 21st. The Nj State web site stated if you haven’t received the mailing within 10 business days from then, to call the Anchor hotline at 888-238-1233
Local Gal Fact is that middle and upper income families are probably living in larger homes, and getting screwed just as badly proportionally as every other homeowner in NJ.
Stymie I got my notice in the mail last week and filed on-line with no problems. Stunned.
Lonesome Dove I received mine today in long valley. There was a schedule on nj.com today with the mailing dates by county. Morris was the last county.
Scott I did mine on the phone last week and they asked if I wanted direct deposit . So this looks like it will be payed by check or direct deposit rather than a lower quarterly property tax payment .
Correct for this 2022 filing based upon 2019 status. Supposed to be payable in Spring of 2023. Curious how it will implemented going forward.
iJay "New Jerseyans seeking property tax relief have been given another extension to file for the state’s new ANCHOR property tax program.......You now have until Feb. 28 to complete the application. Filings were initially due on Dec. 30, 2022, then moved to Jan. 31, 2023, before the additional one month extension was granted."
And it looks like this will be the method going forward. There will be a lag for new homeowners, as 2020, 2021, and 2022 will follow annually. For example someone who buys now (early 2023) they won't get the money until 2027...
why do we have to apply? They know everything they need to know. Just send the money to those qualified.
ole’ timer, you’re right, this was a simple calculation done when filing out your yearly taxes. Now, probably about 30-40% won’t file the form and thus the State won’t have to make those payments.
Kb2755 I have filled a separate form a number of times over the years for my MIL.
Online it takes a few minutes.
I think it's because of how they pass this rebate: timing and method, that causes it to be off the normal tax cycle.
And yes, they must not get the full number of people to comply given the process.
Babbit "Hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans who rent their homes are eligible for $450 in property tax relief under the ANCHOR program.
Tenants and renters who were previously ineligible because their unit was covered by a PILOT agreement can now apply for the ANCHOR benefit.
Eligible applicants will receive a $450 payment this spring.
To be eligible for this year's benefit, you must have occupied your primary residence on October 1st, 2019. You must also file (or be exempt from) NJ income taxes. The deadline for filing has been extended to February 28th, 2023."
We filed ours a few weeks prior to the deadline. When checking the status online it says it has not been processed but if filing online to give two weeks. We filed more than 2 weeks ago. Has anyone's status been updated to processed yet? I have tried calling but it in nearly impossible to get anyone on the phone. I will give it more time if others are in the same boat and they just haven't updated the system yet.
Casey Mine says "Processing", but I filed on-line months ago, when it was first offered.
Bernie 
Mr. Resident It should be coming soon .
"All payments will be issued as checks or direct deposits beginning spring of 2023 (no later than May 2023). You select the payment method when you file your application. Payments will not be issued in the order they are received."
https://www.nj.gov/treasury/taxation/anchor/tenant-faq.shtml#:~:text=When%20will%20I%20receive%20my,when%20you%20file%20your%20application.
Mine still states processing but below that it states I have "been approved for$-(gives dollar amount). We completed processing your 2019 ANCHOR Benefit application and your benefit is in the final approval stages. Check back soon for your scheduled approval date."
ianimal 
4catmom 
Dam 
justwondering Got ours today, Hackettstown. Curious why this was only for the 2019 tax filing year and not the years prior as well or the years after? Anyone know?
Steve Ours is still processing, but it now shows a dollar amount (which was not there last time I checked).
Monty Monty, I checked yesterday, after reading these comments and mine said still processing. Today it was direct deposited. You are close too.
summerrain1 Got mine direct deposited today. Just in time to pay my federal income taxes. LOL
Maggie 
Rob Durana I got $1K which means I still pay the highest property tax of any state!!!! Went from sucks worst to sucks worse!
Actually you’re lucky, Babbit. You have a good income and the anchor benefit is income based. This was off of Google…
“ ANCHOR eligibility is as follows: NJ homeowners with income of $150,000 or less will receive $1,500. NJ homeowners with income of more than $150,000 and up to $250,000 will receive $1,000. NJ residential renters with income of $150,000 or less will receive $450.”
Guilty-Remnant Hey ole’ timer! I really like your handle. “Ouch” was not my intention. I just wanted to educate anyone who might not know about this benefit. After reading Babbits post again I realized that maybe that poster meant “after the rebate, my taxes are still too high”? …or that Babbit expected more to offset? So…it’s possible I didn’t interpret Babbit’s post, based on the wording used. Ahhhh….who knows, right? Only Babbit can clear up this new drama. Ouch! Lol…you’re a funny bird, ole’ timer!
I think it's laughable to give hard working people in this state $1,500 or $1,000. It's not even enough for a quarterly tax payment for most people. The cost to the taxpayers for this "shell game" is a joke. Trenton needs address real issues and stop the con game. It's no different than the ridiculous covid relief payments from Washington. Keep raising that debt level!
thanks for reading my mind, NOT.
What I meant was currently NJ has the highest property taxes in the US, of any state. California and New York laugh at us, coast to coast. You can point fingers at me but really folks, it's all of NJ, any income, it all sucks.
My point for me, but can be extended to anyone. I got my rebate. And yet, after the rebate, I, and all of NJ, still pay the highest property tax in the entire United States. Our rate is 2.49%, the next highest is 2.27%. By the fifth highest state, the rate is below 2%. Therefore, if your rebate was around 10% off your tax rate, then you pay 2.25% --- still about the highest in the land, at least 48 of the 49 states. That's just freakin sad. That means there are 45 states where you can instantly save 20% of your property tax and 44 states where you save more than 20%.
Get it? That's what I meant, speaking for me and all of NJ --- especially the ole timers.
For the ole timer, here's a clue: NEW JERSEY IS NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN.
Financially, anyone retired should move if they like extra $$$$ each month. Perhaps four digits worth. If you are staying here for other reasons, like family, well, there's your bill for that.
And yes, after careers of two folks working 60 hour weeks for New Jersey pay, also Trump years favored us in investments but screwed us more in property taxes, our income remains nice enough. If it pleases you, we are much lower last year, and probably this one as well.
But my real point is NJ is financially signaling that it want all ole timers to move out of state. It is not competitive, property tax wise, to live here if you can avoid it. It's not that our taxes are too high. In total tax bundle, NJ ranks around 6th, in property tax - 1st. IOW ---- if you are not working, there is no financial reason to stay and a great financial reason to leave. That's old folks. We're old but still mobile, most of us. And our tax picture has changed. We buy less commodities, own our homes, so lower property taxes matter, sales tax not so much especially if not on food and drugs, and income tax far less.
NJ is structured for the young. We are third in income levels so it's a great place to work, financially speaking. It's just that when you are done working, the property tax is a real stinger. That's on top of having the 8th highest median home costs as well. That's all, ole timer. And even if you are lucky enough to get a nice rebate, it really does not mute the high rate. But our overall tax picture, while high, is clearly not the highest, just in the top ten like our home prices. IMO --- NJ needs to restructure it's tax profile to make property tax rates competitive with other states. That's what I am really saying. It should be an old person friendly state, not the worst state in the union for them, financially speaking.
Hey, my math was wrong. It’s a four digit savings per year, not per month. Sorry.
Havaclue17 The more I read on this, the more I get pissed.
Am I correct in saying everyone in NJ who owns/rents gets a rebate IF the have the "proper" income?
Why not just include it in the tax forms to begin with?
Is this some procedural fu fa ra OR is it PR to make us love Murphy for taking action?
Why this arcane process?
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