Disability and whether you qualify for the senior freeze

Q. My mother wants to file for NJ Senior Freeze. She meets all of the requirements except perhaps one. She has collected Social Security for years, but is that different than the Social Security Disability payments mentioned in Form 2015 PTR-1?
— Trying to help

A. We’re glad to see you’re trying to help your mom.

You can read all about the Senior Freeze here.

One of the requirements to participate in the Senior Freeze program is you must have been age 65 years old or older as of Dec. 31, 2014. so the Senior Freeze is intended for senior citizens — people over 65, said Bernie Kiely, a certified financial planner and certified public accountant with Kiely Capital Management in Morristown.

He said you can receive Social Security benefits as early as age 62, but the Senior Freeze program will not kick in until you turn 65.

There is an exception to the age 65 rule, he said.

“If you are disabled and receiving federal Social Security Disability benefit payments, the age 65 rule will not apply to you,” Kiely said. “You must have received disability benefits on or before Dec. 31, 2014, and on or before Dec. 31, 2015.”

Kiely said you must be the disabled person receiving federal Social Security Disability benefits. If you are receiving disability benefits because your spouse or parent is disabled, then you won’t qualify, he said.

You can learn more about how income impacts the Senior Freeze here.

Email your questions to ask@njmoneyhelp.com.

Karin Price Mueller writes the Bamboozled column for The Star-Ledger and she’s the founder of NJMoneyHelp.com. Click here to sign up for the NJMoneyHelp.com weekly e-newsletter. Like NJMoneyHelp.com on Facebook and follow it on Twitter.