Politics & Government

Hold the Line on Property Taxes

The Senior Freeze is a way to halt property taxes increases for the disabled and senior citizens. Did your get your application?


Seniors who are having a hard time paying their property taxes in should know the state has help available.

Applications for the 2011 Senior Freeze property tax program should have arrived in the mail from the New Jersey Division of Taxation. The Senior Freeze program reimburses eligible participants - usually senior citizens and the disabled - for property tax increases that occur once they are successfully registered with the program.

The deadline for filing program applications is June 1.

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The applications are automatically mailed to residents who may be eligible to participate in the program. Many eligible participants, however, may not have received the paperwork and will have to request the program’s forms in time to file the application by the program deadline.

To be eligible for the Senior Freeze program, applicants must have been 65 years or older by December 31, 2010, or have been receiving federal Social Security disability benefits as of December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2011.

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Other program requirements include: 

  • Have lived in New Jersey continuously since January 1, 2001, either as a homeowner or renter;
  • Have owned and lived in your home, or leased a site in a mobile home park for a manufactured or mobile home that you own, since January 1, 2008; 
  • Paid the full amount of the 2010 property taxes due on your home by June 1, 2011 and paid all 2011 property taxes by June 1, 2012; and
  • Have total annual income for both 2010 and 2011 of $80,000 or less.

With rare exceptions, all income is taken into account in determining program eligibility including social security and pension benefits. Income limits for the program are also subject to change as a result of the annual state budget.

“I encourage eligible residents who have not received their forms or who are applying for the first time to contact my office to secure the needed paperwork as soon as possible,” said Assemblyman John Wisniewski, who represents the district. “My office is also available to answer residents’ questions about eligibility and how to properly file the necessary forms.”

Assemblyman Wisniewski represents New Jersey’s 19th Legislative District, which includes Carteret, Perth Amboy, Sayreville, South Amboy, and Woodbridge. His office is located at 132 Main Street in Sayreville, and he can be reached by calling 732-432-8460.


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