Monroe Township is offering assistance to any residents seeking to complete applications for the state’s Affordable NJ Communities for Homeowners and Renters, or ANCHOR property tax relief program.
Mayor Stephen Dalina announced on Oct. 13, that the township is making assistance available for residents seeking help in completing their application forms by the Dec. 30 filing deadline.
“Thanks to our efforts over the past year fighting for property tax relief and communicating our needs to the governor’s office, the ANCHOR program is now in place,” Dalina said. “Now we need every eligible Monroe resident to take advantage of this meaningful benefit.”
He added that the ANCHOR program is a big step in the right direction in fighting to make the township more affordable for residents.
Residents that are eligible across the state have or are receiving instructions on how to file for the program.
ANCHOR, which replaces Homestead Benefit, allows more than 870,000 homeowners with incomes up to $150,000 to receive $1,500 in property tax relief.
Additionally, more than 290,000 homeowners with incomes between $150,000 and $250,000 will receive $1,000 in relief; and more than 900,000 renters with incomes up to $150,000 will receive $450 in relief to help offset rent increases.
Homeowners and renters must have occupied their primary residence on Oct. 1, 2019 and file or be exempt from New Jersey income taxes to be eligible for relief in 2022.
According to the state officials, payments will be issued in the form of checks or direct deposits and sent no later than May 2023 to allow time for application processing and validation.
Monroe Township is asking for those seeking assistance with their filing to visit or call the township Tax Collector’s office at 732-521-4405 or the Monroe Township Public Library at 732-521-5000.
Residents, when visiting or calling for help in filing their ANCHOR application, must have the Anchor application with ID number and pin if available, 2019 tax return and social security number, according to the township.
ANCHOR was first introduced by Murphy in the beginning of March when the governor outlined a spending proposal for the fiscal year of 2023.
In June, Murphy announced the expansion of the ANCHOR program that would provide $2 billion in tax relief. He said that “state revenues had put the state in strong fiscal position to offer be able to offer the property tax relief.”