By: Jeff Sommes
Township officials are pleased the state has extended the application deadline and are expanding eligibility for the new ANCHOR property tax relief program.
Mayor Michael Melham and the Township Council have now made it a mission to ensure every single eligible Belleville resident takes advantage of this relief program.
The state extended the filing deadline to February 28 from December 30.
To apply, visit the Division of Taxation’s website at nj.gov/treasury/taxation/anchor/. The state has also established an ANCHOR hotline at 1-888-238–1233.
“For Belleville residents, some of whom live on a fixed income, affordability remains a top concern,” Melham said.
“Extending the deadline gives residents a greater ability to take advantage of a program that will help make their lives just a little more affordable.”
The ANCHOR program will provide up to $1,500 to homeowners with 2019 gross incomes up to $150,000 and up to $1,000 for those with gross incomes of between $150,000 and $250,000 in that year.
ANCHOR is also an essential program for tenants, who can receive $450 if their gross income was $150,000 or less in 2019.
The ANCHOR program expands on and replaces the Homestead Rebate Program.
To be eligible for this year’s benefit, homeowners and renters must have occupied their primary residence on October 1, 2019, and file or be exempt from New Jersey income taxes.
The average New Jersey property tax bill was approximately $9,300 in 2021. ANCHOR rebates could offset more than 16 percent of the average property tax bill in New Jersey for some homeowners.
For a middle-class family receiving the $1,500 in direct relief, the average bill will effectively become $7,800, a property tax level New Jersey has not seen since 2012.
To receive payment – expected to arrive in late spring – township leaders implore Belleville’s eligible residents to apply by the state’s February 28 deadline.
Payments will be issued in the form of checks or direct deposits. The money is not subject to federal or state income tax.
Eligible homeowners can apply online, by phone, or via paper application, which can be downloaded online and returned by mail.
Tenants can apply online or download the application from the state Division of Taxation website and return it via mail.