Compare NJ Property Tax Relief Programs (2026)
ANCHOR vs. Senior Freeze vs. Stay NJ side by side: eligibility, amounts, income limits, and payment dates — and how the three programs stack together.
Quick answer
What's the difference between ANCHOR, Senior Freeze, and Stay NJ?
ANCHOR pays a flat amount ($450–$1,750) to most homeowners and renters. The Senior Freeze reimburses seniors and disabled homeowners for tax increases above their base year. And Stay NJ tops up senior homeowners so total relief reaches 50% of the bill (max $6,500). They stack — seniors apply to all three with one PAS-1, due November 2, 2026.
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Key takeaways
- The programs stack, not compete — most eligible seniors should collect all three, from one PAS-1 filing.
- ANCHOR = flat benefit for nearly everyone; Senior Freeze = protection against increases; Stay NJ = the 50% top-up.
- Each has a different income test: $250k/$150k (ANCHOR), $172,475 counting Social Security (Senior Freeze), and $200k for Stay NJ’s 2025 year (down from $500k for 2024).
- Renters get ANCHOR only; under-65 disabled homeowners get ANCHOR + Senior Freeze; 65+ homeowners can get all three.
- Estimate your combined total in the relief calculator.
On this page
The master comparison table (2025 benefit year)
| Feature | ANCHOR | Senior Freeze | Stay NJ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who | Homeowners & renters, any age | Homeowners 65+ or on Social Security disability | Homeowners 65+ only |
| Amount | $1,000–$1,750 (owners); $450–$700 (renters) | Your tax increase above the base year (varies) | Top-up to 50% of bill, max $6,500 |
| Income limit | $250,000 owners / $150,000 renters (excl. Social Security) | $172,475 (2025) & $168,268 (2024), incl. Social Security | $200,000 (2025); $500,000 (2024) |
| Tenure rule | Resident on October 1, 2025 | Owned & lived in home since Dec 31, 2022 | Owned & occupied all of 2025 |
| Application | Auto-filed (under 65) or PAS-1 (65+/disabled) | PAS-1 only | PAS-1 only |
| Payment | One payment, rolling from ~Sept 2026 | One payment, waves July–Dec 2026 | Quarterly installments from ~Feb 2027 |
| Grows over time? | No — amounts set per year | Yes — as taxes rise above your base year | With your bill, up to the cap |
Deep dives on each pair: ANCHOR vs. Senior Freeze and Stay NJ vs. Senior Freeze.
Which programs apply to you
| Your situation | ANCHOR | Senior Freeze | Stay NJ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeowner 65+ (income ≤ $172,475) | ✓ | ✓ (with 3-year rule) | ✓ |
| Homeowner 65+ (income $172,476–$250,000) | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| Homeowner 65+ (income $250,001–$499,999) | — | — | ✓ |
| Homeowner under 65 on Social Security disability | ✓ | ✓ (with 3-year rule) | — |
| Homeowner under 65, no disability (≤ $250,000) | ✓ | — | — |
| Renter 65+ (income ≤ $150,000) | ✓ ($700) | — | — |
| Renter under 65 (income ≤ $150,000) | ✓ ($450) | — | — |
Two-minute personalized version: the eligibility checker.
How the three stack on one tax bill
Example: 74-year-old homeowner, $10,000 property tax bill, $95,000 income, base year 2018 at $8,200.
- ANCHOR: $1,750 (65+, income ≤ $150,000).
- Senior Freeze: $10,000 − $8,200 = $1,800.
- Stay NJ: 50% × $10,000 = $5,000 target; $5,000 − $1,750 − $1,800 = $1,450, paid quarterly.
- Total: $5,000 — exactly half the bill, delivered by three programs on three schedules.
Comparison mistakes that cost people money
- “I got ANCHOR, so I’m done.” For a senior, ANCHOR is often the smallest of the three. The PAS-1 captures the rest.
- “My income is too high for relief.” This was the strongest argument for filing when Stay NJ ran to $500,000. For the 2025 benefit year its limit is $200,000, so above that figure all three programs pay nothing — but the thresholds differ enough ($200,000, $250,000, $172,475) that filing is still the only way to know.
- “Senior Freeze isn’t worth it — my first check would be tiny.” The first check is the price of locking a base year; the value compounds annually.
- “I’m disabled, so I get everything the 65+ crowd gets.” Disability unlocks ANCHOR and the Senior Freeze — but not Stay NJ.
Frequently asked questions
Can I really get all three NJ property tax relief programs at once?
Yes — a 65+ homeowner meeting each program’s rules receives all three in the same benefit year, coordinated so total relief reaches (but doesn’t exceed) the 50% target or the sum of the stacked benefits, whichever is higher.
Which NJ property tax relief program pays the most?
It depends on your history. Long-time Senior Freeze filers with early base years often collect the most from that program; recent buyers and higher earners get more from Stay NJ; renters and under-65 homeowners have ANCHOR only. Run the calculator for your numbers.
Do the benefits reduce each other?
Only Stay NJ adjusts — it’s calculated last and shrinks as ANCHOR and the Senior Freeze grow, keeping total relief at the 50% target. ANCHOR and the Senior Freeze never reduce each other, and your combined total is never lowered by claiming more programs.
Is there one application for all three programs?
For seniors and disabled residents, yes — Form PAS-1, due November 2, 2026. Under-65, non-disabled residents are covered by ANCHOR’s auto-file process and can’t claim the other two programs anyway.
Sources
This guide was fact-checked against the following official sources:
- Property Tax Relief Programs — NJ Division of Taxation
- ANCHOR Program — NJ Division of Taxation
- Senior Freeze (Property Tax Reimbursement) — NJ Division of Taxation
- Stay NJ — Property Tax Relief for Senior Citizens — NJ Division of Taxation
Last reviewed · See our editorial policy for how guides are fact-checked and corrected.
What changed on this page
- — Corrected the key-takeaways line, which still gave Stay NJ's income limit as $500,000 — the figure the comparison table on the same page had already been updated to $200,000 for the 2025 benefit year.
- — Year-scoped the Stay NJ income limit in the comparison table and rewrote the high-income guidance, which assumed a $500,000 Stay NJ ceiling.
- — Initial publication with the 2025 benefit-year master comparison table, verified against NJ Division of Taxation program guidance.
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NJ Programs Editorial Team · Research & Editorial
The editorial team researches, writes, and maintains every guide on this site, checking each fact against official NJ Division of Taxation publications before and after publication.