ANCHOR, Senior Freeze and Stay NJ: the complete 2026 guide

If you own or rent a home in New Jersey and you are 65 or older, the state may send you thousands of dollars this year. The money comes from three programs: ANCHOR, Senior Freeze and Stay NJ. One form covers all three. It is called the PAS-1, and the deadline for 2025 benefits is November 2, 2026.

That date is close. Many seniors still think they were filed automatically. Most were not. This guide walks you through who qualifies, what each program pays, how they fit together and how to file without a hitch.

What are the three programs?

Each program does a different job. ANCHOR (Affordable New Jersey Communities for Homeowners and Renters) is a flat payment for homeowners and renters. Senior Freeze (the Property Tax Reimbursement program) pays back any increase in your property taxes since your base year. Stay NJ is the newest. It aims to cover half of a senior homeowner's property tax bill, after the other two are counted.

Program	Who it helps	2025 benefit (paid 2026 to 2027)
ANCHOR	Homeowners and renters	Homeowners: $1,500 (income up to $150,000) or $1,000 ($150,001 to $250,000). Renters: $450 under 65, $700 at 65 or older (income up to $150,000)
Senior Freeze	Homeowners and mobile home owners 65+ or on Social Security disability	Your current tax bill minus your base year bill
Stay NJ	Homeowners 65+ with income up to $200,000	Tops your total up to 50% of your taxes, with a ceiling of $6,500, $5,000 or $4,000 depending on income

Who qualifies?

ANCHOR

You must have owned or rented your main home in New Jersey on October 1, 2025. Homeowners need 2025 New Jersey gross income of $250,000 or less. Renters need $150,000 or less. Mobile home owners are treated as renters for ANCHOR. Senior homeowners no longer get the extra $250 they received last year, so the homeowner maximum is $1,500 at any age. Senior renters still get the higher $700 amount.

Senior Freeze

You must have been 65 or older by December 31, 2025, or receiving Social Security disability benefits. First time applicants generally must have owned and lived in the same New Jersey home since December 31, 2022. Your income must be $168,268 or less for 2024 and $172,475 or less for 2025. Senior Freeze counts some income that the regular state income tax ignores, including Social Security. So do not assume you qualify just because you passed the ANCHOR test.

The reimbursement equals the property taxes billed for the current year minus the taxes billed for your base year. If your taxes went up, you get the difference back. If they did not, you get nothing from this program. Mobile home owners can be reimbursed for increases in park site fees.

Stay NJ

You or your spouse must have been 65 or older during 2025. You must own your home, and your 2025 income must be $200,000 or less. Renters and mobile home owners are not eligible. The ceiling depends on income: $6,500 if your income is $100,000 or less, $5,000 from $100,001 to $150,000, and $4,000 from $150,001 to $200,000.

How do the three programs stack?

The state calculates them in order. ANCHOR comes first, then Senior Freeze. Stay NJ is figured last. Its goal is to bring your combined relief up to half of your property tax bill, but no higher than your income ceiling. If ANCHOR and Senior Freeze together already cover half your bill, Stay NJ adds nothing. You cannot simply add the three maximums together. Your total relief can never exceed the taxes you actually paid.

These hypothetical examples use round numbers to show the math. Your year end letter from the state will show your real figures.

How do I file the PAS-1?

Seniors and people on Social Security or Railroad Retirement disability must file the PAS-1 themselves. The state does not file it for you, even if you received ANCHOR automatically in a past year. You can file online at propertytaxreliefapp.nj.gov or on paper.

Gather these documents first

• Your 2024 and 2025 property tax bills, or the details from your tax collector. You need the county and municipality code, your block, lot and qualifier, and the tax amounts for both years.
• Your 2024 and 2025 NJ-1040 income tax returns, if you filed them.
• Your SSA-1099 forms showing total Social Security benefits (Box 5). The quickest way to get them is a my Social Security account at ssa.gov.
• Records of other income such as Roth IRA distributions or a disability pension received before full retirement age.
• A photo ID if you file online. The online form uses ID.me to confirm who you are. A driver's license, state ID or passport works.

The PAS-1 asks for income in several pieces. It includes lines from your NJ-1040, qualified Roth distributions, certain disability pension amounts and your total Social Security. Do not report VA or military disability pensions. If you did not have to file a state return, the PAS-1 instructions include worksheets to help you add up your income.

Need a hand? Call the Property Tax Relief hotline at 1-888-238-1233 or the Senior Freeze information line at 1-800-882-6597. You can also book a telephone appointment or visit a Division of Taxation Regional Information Center. Many county offices on aging and libraries hold filing events. The statewide Aging and Disability Resource Connection at 1-877-222-3737 can point you to one near you.

What mistakes cost people money?

• Assuming you were filed automatically. The state auto-filed most homeowners under 65 and most renters. Seniors who own their homes were not included. If you are 65 or older and own, you must file.
• Skipping a year. If you miss a Senior Freeze year, you lose your base year and the reimbursement can reset. You can sometimes restore it by filing for the missed year before its deadline passes.
• Using the wrong income figure. ANCHOR uses New Jersey gross income. Senior Freeze and Stay NJ also count Social Security and other items. Fill in every income line the form asks for.
• Entering only one year of tax information. Senior Freeze needs both 2024 and 2025 figures.
• Leaving out your ownership share. If you own half the home with a sibling, your benefit is based on half the taxes.
• Waiting until the last week. ID.me checks, missing tax bills and busy phone lines all take time.
• Answering a text or email that asks for your information. The state warns that scammers send fake rebate messages. Go directly to nj.gov. Our guide to common scams in New Jersey explains the warning signs.

What happens after I file, and when will I be paid?

The Division of Taxation reviews your application and may write to you if something is missing. Answer quickly, because a pending question holds up every payment. You can check your status on the state's property tax relief status page.

Program	When payments go out for 2025 benefits	How
Senior Freeze	Began July 15, 2026, for early filers. Later filers are paid after review.	Check
ANCHOR	Began September 15, 2026, on a rolling basis. Most are paid within 90 days of filing.	Direct deposit (online filers who choose it) or check
Stay NJ	Four installments in February, May, August and November 2027	Check

The February and May 2027 Stay NJ installments are funded in the current state budget. The August and November installments depend on next year's budget. Every program here depends on money the Legislature sets aside each year.

Near the end of the cycle, the state sends a determination letter that lists your exact amount from each program. Keep it with your tax papers. If the state overpays you, it can ask for the extra back. If a check arrives that you know you should not have received, mail it to the New Jersey Division of Taxation, PO Box 266, Trenton, NJ 08695-0266.

Then mark your calendar for next year. You will need to file a new PAS-1 for 2026 benefits. Filing every year protects your Senior Freeze base year and keeps Stay NJ coming.

Property tax relief is one piece of a bigger picture. If money is tight, read our guides to help with prescriptions and bills and food and utility assistance. If you are thinking about whether to stay in your house long term, see aging in place in New Jersey.

Common questions

I got ANCHOR automatically last year. Do I need to file?

If you are 65 or older, or on Social Security or Railroad Retirement disability, yes. The state did not auto-file seniors. File the PAS-1 by November 2, 2026.

Can I get all three programs at once?

Yes, if you qualify for each. ANCHOR is calculated first, then Senior Freeze. Stay NJ tops up the total to half your property taxes, up to a ceiling of $6,500, $5,000 or $4,000 depending on income.

I rent. What can I get?

Renters can get ANCHOR only: $700 if you were 65 or older in 2025 and $450 if younger, with income of $150,000 or less. Senior Freeze and Stay NJ are for homeowners.

When will Stay NJ checks arrive?

For 2025 benefits, the state plans four installments in February, May, August and November 2027. They are mailed as checks.

Who can help me fill out the form?

Call the Property Tax Relief hotline at 1-888-238-1233 or the Senior Freeze line at 1-800-882-6597. Regional Information Centers and many county offices on aging also offer free help.

This guide is for general information. Program rules and income limits change, so confirm with the official source before you apply.