In a final administrative effort of the fiscal year, the state of New Jersey continues this week with the final distribution of refunds from the ANCHOR program (Affordable New Jersey Communities for Homeowners and Renters), a massive tax relief exercise that has injected billions of dollars into the local economy, but has also left behind a trail of confusion and unmet expectations for a segment of the population.
According to sources at the state Tax Division, the payment process for the benefit corresponding to the 2024 fiscal year—but calculated based on income data from 2021 and 2022—is in its final stages.
The official forecast is that all authorized checks and direct deposits will be completed before New Year’s Eve. This round includes not only regular payments but also adjustments and so-called “bonuses” for a specific group of senior citizens and disabled individuals who met the age or eligibility requirements by December 31, 2024.
ANCHOR Program Update: Final 2025 Payments Hitting Bank Accounts
However, behind the generic announcement of “distribution underway” lies a more nuanced reality. The program, designed to alleviate one of the country’s heaviest tax burdens, operates with a bureaucratic complexity that has created two distinct New Jerseys: one for beneficiaries who received their money automatically and without incident, and another for those still navigating a labyrinth of verifications, phone calls, and online inquiries.
The Variable Geometry of the Benefit. The amounts are not trivial. For homeowners with gross incomes of $150,000 or less, the rebate is $1,500. For those in the $150,001 to $250,000 bracket, the figure is $1,000.
Renters within the $150,000 threshold receive $450. These sums, while significant, fall far short of covering the full annual cost of ownership in many counties, but they represent a welcome cash-in-hand relief during a time of persistent inflationary pressure.
ANCHOR Tax Rebates: The Eligible and the Forgotten
Eligibility, as outlined in the guidelines updated through November 2025, is a puzzle of nuances. The program is not universal. It expressly excludes second homes, properties with more than four units or commercial components, and homes under full tax-exempt regimes.
For renters, the requirement that the building where they reside be subject to property taxes excludes, for example, those living in university apartments on campus or in properties owned by religious organizations.
The most emblematic case of complexity is that of senior citizens and people with disabilities. Unlike many taxpayers who were automatically processed by the state tax system after applying for the benefit in previous rounds, this group had to proactively submit Form PAS-1 or the specific ANCHOR application before the now-expired October 31, 2025 deadline.
This requirement has created a gap: while some will now receive the additional bonus, others were left out for not complying with the specific procedure.
Where’s Your ANCHOR Rebate
For the average citizen, the status of their application is a mystery only solved through two channels: the official portal (nj.gov/treasury/taxation/anchor/or the telephone hotline at 1-888-238-1233.
The online system, which requires a Social Security number, offers a binary status: “processing” or “benefit issued.” For those whose status doesn’t change or who don’t see their payment reflected, the phone call becomes a wait, sometimes for hours, to get a human explanation about delays due to data verification, address errors, or problems with the tax return.
