NJ Division of Taxation -Comparing the 2010 Homestead Benefit and 2010 Property Tax Reimbursement (Senior Freeze) Programs

2010 Homestead Benefit is a benefit for those who were New Jersey homeowners on October 1, 2010, and who met all the other eligibility requirements below. Applications are filed online or by phone once homeowners receive an application instruction packet (green mailer). Applications were mailed to eligible homeowners in June 2011. Homeowners who filed online last year and indicated they wanted to receive this year’s application electronically were sent an e-mail containing instructions for downloading their application packet. The filing deadline was November 7, 2011.

Tenants will not receive rebates for 2010.

2010 Property Tax Reimbursement is a benefit for homeowners and mobile homeowners who owned and occupied the home for which they are applying for the 2010 reimbursement since before January 1, 2007, and who met all the other eligibility requirements below. Applications, Forms PTR-1 and PTR-2, are filed on paper (paper form contained in blue booklet) and can be filed until the extended filing deadline of November 7, 2011.

The 2010 eligibility requirements for the two programs are summarized below. Applicants can receive benefits under both programs if they qualify. However, the total amount of property tax relief benefits received cannot exceed the amount of property taxes (or mobile home park site fees constituting property taxes) paid on their principal residence for the same year.

2010 Eligibility Requirements

Homestead Benefit for Homeowners

Property Tax Reimbursement

Age/Disability Status

Income limits are determined by age or disability status.

Applicant (or spouse/civil union partner) was:

	Age 65 or older on December 31, 2009; or
	Receiving Federal Social Security disability benefits on December 31, 2009, and December 31, 2010.

Residency Status

	Domiciled in New Jersey; and
	On October 1, 2010, owned and occupied a home in New Jersey as their principal residence.
	Does not apply to mobile home owners.

	Domiciled in New Jersey; and
	Lived in New Jersey continuously since before January 1, 2000, as either a homeowner or a tenant; and
	Owned and occupied current home (or mobile home) since before January 1, 2007.

Property Taxes

Full amount of 2010 property taxes due on home were paid.

Full amount of 2009 and 2010 property taxes
(or mobile home site fees) due on home were paid.

Income Limit

2010 NJ Gross Income* (combined income if spouses/civil union partners maintained the same residence but filed separate tax returns):

	Age 65 or older and/or disabled on December 31, 2010 — $150,000 or less.
	Under age 65 and not disabled on December 31, 2010 — $75,000 or less.

*Includes only income required to be reported on the New Jersey income tax return after exclusions but before exemptions and deductions. Does not include Social Security benefits, unemployment compensation, and other types of income that are not subject to NJ gross income tax.

Total annual income* (combined income if married or in a civil union):

	2009 — $80,000 or less; and
	2010 — $70,000 or less

*Total annual income is income from all sources, including Social Security or disability benefits, tax-exempt interest, unemployment compensation, and other income which does not have to be reported on the New Jersey income tax return.

How to Apply

File online or by phone using ID and PIN in application packet.

File paper application Form PTR-1 (or PTR-2 if reimbursement was received the previous year).

The State Budget for fiscal year 2012 limited eligibility and benefit amounts for 2010 for both the Property Tax Reimbursement and Homestead Benefit Programs.