New Jersey Governor Corzine Assists Seniors with Senior Freeze Rebate Applications

March 23, 2009 -- BAYVILLE – New Jersey Governor Jon S. Corzine sat down today with a group of senior citizens at the Berkeley Municipal Building to give a helping hand in filling out paperwork for Senior Freeze Rebate applications. Representatives from the Division of Taxation’s Taxpayer Services Outreach Bureau were also available to provide assistance.

“So many of our seniors and disabled citizens are struggling to make ends meet during this national recession,” Governor Corzine said. “The expansion of the Senior Freeze program is aimed at providing property tax relief to thousands on fixed incomes who may not have qualified previously. I really encourage our seniors to take advantage of this program and file their rebate applications as soon as possible.”

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Those eligible to receive direct assistance from the program are individuals 65 years of age or older who have paid property taxes and are homeowners. This includes seniors in mobile home parks as well as those receiving federal Social Security benefits.

Qualified recipients are directly reimbursed by the state for the difference between the amount of local property taxes paid in the "base year," (the year applicants became eligible and first filed for the program) and the amount of property taxes paid for the reimbursement year.

A key element of New Jersey’s economic assistance and recovery package, the Senior Freeze Rebate expansion was signed by Governor Corzine in December 2008. As a result, the current income limit of approximately $53,000 will increase to $60,000 for tax year 2007, $70,000 for tax year 2008 and $80,000 in tax year 2009. That means residents who previously did not qualify because their income was too high could now be eligible for a reimbursement.

Prior to the expansion of the program, there were 132,000 Senior Freeze recipients throughout the state. When the expansion is fully phased in, the program will add approximately 70,000 more residents receiving property tax reimbursement checks. This number includes those who previously received senior freeze checks but lost eligibility because their income exceeded the original cap.

Information about the Senior Freeze Program is available on the Division of Taxation's web site at http:www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation. Calls can also be made to the Property Tax Reimbursement Hotline at 1-800-882-6597 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday.

Source: New Jersey Governor