01 Oct When does a new resident qualify for Senior Freeze?

Q. My sister is thinking about moving back to New Jersey. She moved out of state approximately 10 years ago. Otherwise, she lived in New Jersey her whole life. She owned a couple of homes and she is almost 60 now. If she moved to New Jersey in 2025, when would she be eligible for the Senior Freeze? How long would she have to live in New Jersey for continuously?
— Sister

A. There have been some changes to the Senior Freeze benefit, and they will benefit your sister.

First, the law was changed to increase the income limit for the program to $150,000.

“The law also eliminated the requirement that an applicant must be a New Jersey resident for 10 consecutive years to be eligible for the program,” the Treasury Department’s website said.

As part of its Frequently Asked Questions section, it also addresses when someone who has moved can file for their new property.

“If you moved to a New Jersey residence, you must own and live in the home for three full years before you can enter the program,” it said.

“If you moved to your current home between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2021, AND you applied and were eligible for a reimbursement for property taxes (or mobile home park site fees) paid for the last full tax year that you occupied your previous home, you may be eligible to file a Senior Freeze application for 2023 if you meet all the other eligibility requirements,” it said.

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This story was originally published in October 2024.

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