When to expect your NJ Senior Tax Freeze check. Some are already hitting mailboxes

Eligible senior citizens in New Jersey who filed for property tax relief under the Senior Freeze program won't have to wait much longer for those payments to hit their mailboxes.

The first wave of over 125,000 reimbursement checks to qualifying seniors and disabled residents were issued Monday, with more payments continuing weekly, the New Jersey Treasury Division said Tuesday .

The department said payments have exceeded $145 million with a 42% increase in the number of approved applications compared to this time last year. The changes, the agency said, can be attributed to the expansion of the program's eligibility to 58,000 more households and the department's streamlined approach of reviewing pending applications early in the season and prioritizing payments.

The program reimburses seniors or disabled persons for property tax increases on their primary residences or their mobile home park site fees. Vacation and second homes are not eligible. Gov. Phil Murphy expanded the program in the budget signed last summer , eliminating the residency requirements for applicants and increasing the income limits.

“The Senior Freeze program eases the burden on many older residents who want to stay in the communities where they’ve raised families, built careers and made lasting memories,” said State Treasurer Elizabeth Maher Muoio.

Murphy's $56.6 billion budget last month includes $220 million for StayNJ, a tax break designed for those 65 and older to help keep them in the state. A report released in March showed nearly half of Garden State residents were looking to leave, citing high cost of living as the main driver. But when asked if they'd reconsider staying given the StayNJ program, 45% said it was likely.

New Jersey leads the nation in property tax rate on owner-occupied property, according to a 2023 report by the Tax Foundation.

Senior Freeze tax program eligibility, deadline

Haven't filed yet or aren't sure you qualify? Don't fret.

The deadline to submit applications for the Senior Freeze program is Oct. 31, 2024. Applications were mailed starting in February.

Eligibility is based on a number of factors and requirements must be met the base year through the current application year. A taxpayer must:

• Be 65 or older on Dec. 31, 2022, or you must receive Social Security disability payments on Dec. 31, 2022 and Dec. 31, 2023
• Own and live in a home or lease a site in a mobile home park for a manufactured or mobile home that has been owned since Dec. 31, 2019, and still lived in that home or leased the site on Dec. 31, 2023.
• Have paid 2022 property taxes by June 1, 2023 and 2023 property taxes by June 1, 2024
• Have an annual income of $150,000 or less in 2022 and $163,050 or less in 2023. While there are some exceptions, all income must be taken into account, including pensions and Social Security payments.

The agency also offers an online quiz to check eligibility. To fill out the application or check the status of a filed application, visit njportal.com/taxation/ptr .

Applicants who did not receive a form or have questions can contact the Senior Freeze Property Tax Reimbursement Information Line at 1-800-882-6597.

Email: lcomstock@njherald.com ; Twitter: @LoriComstockNJH or on Facebook .

This article originally appeared on New Jersey Herald: When to expect your NJ Senior Tax Freeze check. Some are already hitting mailboxes