On February 12, 2024, the State of New Jersey began sending applications for The Senior Freeze Program to eligible senior citizens.
The Senior Freeze Program reimburses eligible senior citizens and disabled individuals for property tax increases on their principal residence, meaning the home you own and continually occupy as your permanent residence.
Reimbursements are not available for vacation homes, second homes, property rented from someone else, property that consists of more than four units, or property with four units or less containing more than one commercial unit. Individuals who are exempt from paying property taxes on their home or have made payments in lieu of tax to their municipality are also not entitled to reimbursement.
To qualify, you must meet all eligibility requirements for each year from the base year through the application year. The base year is the first year you meet all the eligibility requirements.
The eligibility requirements are as follows:
- Age/Disability: You or your spouse (or civil union partner) were 65 or older on December 31, 2022, or personally received federal Social Security disability benefit payments on or before December 31, 2022.
- Home Ownership:
- For homeowners, you must have owned and lived in your home since December 31, 2019, or earlier, and still lived in that home on December 31, 2022.
- Those who have life estate rights or hold a lease for 99 years or more are considered owners of the property for the purposes of this Program.
- As of the 2023 filing period, there is no longer a requirement that applicants be a New Jersey resident for 10 consecutive years.
- Property Taxes / Site Fees: The 2022 property taxes due on your home must have been paid by June 1, 2023, and the 2023 property taxes must be paid by June 1, 2024.
- Income Limit: Your total annual income (combined if you were married and/or in a civil union and lived in the same home) was:
- 2022: $150,000 or less; and
- 2023: $163,050 or less.
If your base year was prior to 2022, please see the following link for your applicable income limit: https://www.nj.gov/treasury/taxation/pdf/ptr/incomehistory.pdf.
In the meantime, be sure to continue checking your mailbox for the forthcoming Senior Freeze applications. If you do not receive your application by March 15, you should call the Senior Freeze Information Line at (800) 882-6597 to request an application or print a copy of Form PTR-1 from the state’s website. Taxpayers can also file their application on the Treasury’s website. Bear in mind the deadline to apply for Senior Freeze benefits is October 31.
Our Elder Law team is here to answer any questions you may have.