New Jersey started sending the ANCHOR checks more than two months ago, but thousands are still waiting for the aid from the state. The New Jersey Department of the Treasury recently said that it is still working through the remainder of the applications and will issue the New Jersey property tax rebate checks as soon as possible.
New Jersey Property Tax Rebate Checks: When To Expect Them
Gov. Phil Murphy announced the ANCHOR (Affordable New Jersey Communities for Homeowners and Renters) program during his 2023 budget address. Over 1.7 million residents applied for the program, including 1.25 million homeowners and over 514,000 renters.
New Jersey issued the first batch of rebate payments in late March in the form of direct deposits, while the paper checks were issued in the first week of April. Most rebate payments were sent by the end of April.
Recently, the Department of the Treasury said that more than 1.5 million payments (physical checks and direct deposits) have already been issued, but some 30,000 checks or direct deposits are still being worked on.
As for why these property tax rebate checks weren’t issued to the remaining applicants, the department said the applications lacked necessary information or needed further confirmation.
Thus, to move forward with these applications, the department said it would send letters to the applicants asking them to submit the needed information. The department said it would issue the rebate money as soon as the missing information was validated.
So, applicants who receive any such letters from the department need to quickly return them so as to receive the New Jersey property tax rebate checks.
Meanwhile, those who haven’t yet received the rebate money can check the status of their application by visiting this link. You can also call 888-238-1233 for information on your application status.
If the status link says your ANCHOR money has been issued, you should inquire a week after a direct deposit was made and two weeks after a paper check was mailed.
The ANCHOR Program: What Is It?
The ANCHOR program builds on the previous Homestead Benefit property tax relief program. Gov. Murphy first announced the program last year during his 2023 budget address, and earlier this year, the governor said that he plans to continue the program in the state’s next fiscal year as well.
This program is open to homeowners (and renters), who lived in their residences on October 1, 2019. Homeowners must have paid 2019 property taxes on that home, while renters must have paid rent. Their name should be on the lease or rental agreement and the rental property they are living in must be subject to local property taxes.
Further, applicants had to file or be exempt from New Jersey income taxes to be eligible for the rebate money. Applicants must also meet the 2019 gross income limits ($250,000 or less for homeowners and $150,000 or less for renters) to get the New Jersey property tax rebate checks.
