Still waiting on your NJ ANCHOR check? Here’s what to know before Nov. 2

If you’re a New Jersey homeowner or renter, there’s a good chance some ANCHOR money has already hit your bank account or mailbox. If it hasn’t, don’t panic. And if you still haven’t applied, the clock is ticking.

The first wave went to residents 65 and older starting Sept. 15. By late September, the state had sent more than $520 million to nearly 400,000 homeowners and renters, Patch reported. Payments for residents under 65 began going out around Oct. 15, as Marita Sciarrotta, director of the state Division of Taxation, told WHYY they would.

How much you’ll get

Here’s what the Treasury lists for this round, based on 2025 income:

• Homeowners earning $150,000 or less: $1,500
• Homeowners earning $150,001 to $250,000: $1,000
• Renters earning up to $150,000: $450
• Renters 65 or older: $700

Why some seniors got $250 less

If you own your home, you’re over 65 and your check came in lighter than last year, it’s not a mistake. WHYY reported the $250 senior add-on for homeowners was dropped because of Stay NJ, the newer relief program for homeowners 65 and up. Senior renters kept their extra $250.

Stay NJ changed too. Under the state budget Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D) signed this summer, the program now cuts off at $200,000 in income. The top benefit is $6,500 for incomes of $100,000 or less, $5,000 up to $150,000 and $4,000 up to $200,000. That money arrives in February and May 2027.

Still waiting on yours?

Payments go out in waves, not all at once. Check the state’s Property Tax Relief Status Checker. You’ll need your Social Security number or ITIN and your ZIP code.

If you got last year’s ANCHOR by direct deposit, the state used the same bank information this year, according to the Division of Taxation. If the checker says your payment went out but you haven’t seen it, call the hotline at 1-888-238-1233.

SEE ALSO: NJ ANCHOR payments start today. What to do if yours doesn’t show up.

You’ll need your Social Security number or ITIN and ZIP code to check your status online. | NJ Division of Taxation screenshot

The deadline is Nov. 2

That’s a Monday, and it’s the deadline to file. The state filed for most homeowners under 65 and most renters automatically.

Seniors and people on Social Security disability have to file the PAS-1, one application that covers ANCHOR, Senior Freeze and Stay NJ. Sciarrotta told WHYY that every homeowner 65 and older needs to file it, even if you filed last year.

Waiting until the last minute will cost you time. File on deadline day, and your payment could take until about Jan. 31, 2027, according to Treasury information reported by Fox 29.

Seniors: That same PAS-1 also covers Senior Freeze, which pays you back for property tax increases. Here’s who qualifies.

Also: Stay NJ can cover up to half of a senior homeowner’s property tax bill. Here’s who qualifies after the cuts.

Free help in person

Most of the fall filing sessions are over, but there’s still time. Lakewood has one on Oct. 25, from 1 to 5 p.m., at 36 Shefa Chaim Ave. Check the state’s events page for others.

Seniors should bring 2024 and 2025 income paperwork (NJ-1040s, 1099-Rs, 1099-SSAs), total billed property taxes for 2024 and 2025, and a photo ID. Under 65, a government photo ID will do.

ANCHOR won’t fix a New Jersey tax bill. Nothing will. But it’s your money coming back to you. Go get it.

SEE ALSO: Bergen tops $14K. Cumberland is $5K. Where does your NJ county rank?