How to check ANCHOR discount status

NEW JERSEY – There is still time for new applicants to sign up for New Jersey's property tax relief program, ANCHOR, more than two months before the Nov. 30 deadline.

And for those who received their refund automatically or have already filed their claims, the state's tax agency has updated its website so people can check whether the state has received their information and also view their benefit status.

The ANCHOR (Affordable New Jersey Communities for Homeowners and Renters) program is now in its third year and eligible residents can put between $450 and $1,750 back in their pockets. Those checks are expected to go out in October for the 1.5 million people who were automatically enrolled. Other applicants will receive their payments on an ongoing basis, approximately 90 days after submitting their application.

This year, the ANCHOR program is based on fiscal year 2021 tax information. Homeowners and renters can check their application status online by selecting this year from the options. On the website, users can see whether their application is still being processed and when the state has granted a benefit. Additionally, residents will be notified if the state has no record of processing their application.

About 2 million people are expected to receive an ANCHOR benefit this year, compared to 1.8 million last year and 1.6 million in 2022, according to a Treasury report released by the state legislature. The program served more than 2 billion last year US dollars paid out, officials said.

And as more New Jersey homeowners and renters seek payments from the $2.28 billion program, authorities have introduced new security measures to prevent bogus applications. After stopping nearly a million fraudulent applications last year, the state partnered with ID.me, a network that allows people to prove their identity virtually.

The additional security measures are “part of ongoing efforts to prevent fraud and protect taxpayer dollars,” the New Jersey Department of Revenue said.

The new security measures apply to the following residents: first-time applicants, those searching for their ANCHOR ID and PIN, those who have not received an ANCHOR benefit confirmation letter or application mailer, and those who no longer have their letter/mailer and associated information.

For more information about the program, visit Anchor.nj.gov. Applicants can also call the ANCHOR hotline at (609) 826-4282 or 1-888-238-1233 or receive in-person assistance at a regional information center.