Qualified residents can receive free, in-person assistance to apply for New Jersey’s Senior Freeze Property Tax Relief Program for senior and disabled property owners
East Orange, NJ, April 1, 2024: Mayor Ted R. Green and the East Orange City Council are excited to announce the return of the Senior Property Tax Freeze Assistance Program. The service, which offers in-person assistance to qualified residents applying for New Jersey’s Property Tax Reimbursement Program, helps senior and disabled residents obtain tax relief.
This service, which is free to eligible residents, has appointments available Mondays and Tuesdays, from 9AM - 3PM, in the City Council Office, 2nd Floor of East Orange City Hall, 44 City Hall Plaza, East Orange, NJ. For more information, or to reserve an appointment, please call 973-266-5120.
“The Senior Tax Freeze Program is a valuable resource for seniors who are on fixed incomes and may need to have their property taxes frozen at a certain level, giving them both financial stability and peace of mind,” said Mayor Ted R. Green. “I strongly encourage our eligible seniors to take advantage of this program.”
In 2023, the city helped 148 residents, resulting in a total of nearly $70,000 in returns for eligible residents.
The program runs from April 1-October 31, 2024.
The Senior Tax Freeze Program reimburses eligible senior citizens and disabled persons for property tax increases on their principal residence. There are several key changes to the program’s rules that have expanded the pool of eligible recipients, including the increase of the program’s annual income limit to $150,000 and the removal of the 10-year residency requirement.
In addition, recipients must:
- Own a home a live in East Orange for three (3) years
- Be age 65 or older, or receive Social Security payments on or before December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2023
- Paid all 2022 property taxes by June 1, 2023, and all 2023 property taxes by June 2024
- Have annual income that was $150,000 or less in 2022 and $163,050 or less in 2023. With some exceptions, all income must be taken into account, including Social Security, pension, etc.
The deadline to file applications is October 31, 2024. Qualified applicants should bring the application mailed by the NJ Department of the Treasury. If you have not received application materials, contact the New Jersey Division of Taxation’s Senior Freeze Property Tax Reimbursement Information Line at 1-800-882-6597.