The deadline to file for the ANCHOR rebate (Affordable New Jersey Communities for Homeowners and Renters) is on Tuesday.

Eligible homeowners and renters may apply online, while homeowners can also file by phone (1-877-658-2972) or via paper application.

“By working closely with the Senate President and the Speaker we were able to fully fund the program in its first year, allowing us to provide direct relief to over 1 million homeowners and 900,000 renters. I am incredibly proud of this program and encourage all eligible residents to apply,” Governor Murphy said a statement announcing the program last year.

Under the ANCHOR program, both the size of the benefit and the number of eligible applicants will increase substantially, compared to the previous Homestead Benefit (which ANCHOR is replacing), including double the amount of homeowners and nearly a million renters who had not been eligible for property tax relief in recent years.

So far, over 1.5 million people, of the approximately 2 million in total who are eligible, have submitted applications which will provide homeowners with up to $1,500 in tax credits and renters with $450.

Of the applicants, more than 1 million are homeowners, roughly 352,000 are tenants, and 96,315 paper applications have yet to be qualified, 

To be eligible, homeowners and renters must have occupied their primary residence on October 1, 2019 and file or be exempt from New Jersey income taxes.

Payments will be issued in the form of checks or direct deposits and sent no later than May 2023 to allow time for application processing and validation. Payments will not be subject to federal or State income tax.

Eligible homeowners can apply online, by phone, or via paper application, which can be downloaded online and returned by mail. Renters can apply online, or download the application from the Taxation website and return by mail (there is no phone option for tenants, as this is the first time this group will be eligible for property tax relief).

The deadline for filing is February 28, 2023.

For more information, visit.nj.gov/treasury/taxation/anchor/ or call the ANCHOR hotline at 1-888-238–1233.

People can check the status of their applications on the state’s website.