The New Jersey Property Tax Reimbursement program, also called the "Senior Freeze," gives back property tax increases paid by qualified persons. A person over 65 or a disabled person who receives disability benefits from Social Security may qualify if they meet the program's income limits for the year. You complete and file the application, Form PTR-1, to receive the reimbursement for the first time. Both homes and mobile homes used as primary residences in New Jersey qualify.
Step 1
Print your name, address and Social Security name in the first section of the form. If you're married or in a civil union, you must give the same information for your spouse or partner. Insert your four-digit county or municipality code into the code box. Check the form instructions or the official website of the State of New Jersey Department of the Treasury to find the correct code.
Step 2
Answer all the status questions in the next part of the form. You need to provide whether you're claiming the reimbursement as a homeowner or mobile homeowners, your martial status and your age or disability status.
Step 3
Provide all requested income information in the income section. If you're married or in a civil union, you must add your spouse or partner's income to yours and use those combined figures for the income questions. Income includes wages, federal benefits, unemployment benefits and commissions. Some income sources are excluded, such as money from a spouse or partner's life insurance policies. Check the form's instructions or the State of New Jersey Department of the Treasury's official website for a full list of exclusions.
Step 4
Print the address of the home you're claiming property tax reimbursement for on the "property address" line if necessary. You must include this if the address is not the same as your mailing address on the top of the form.
Step 5
Complete the information part of schedule PTR-1A, which verifies the taxes you've paid, if you're a homeowner. Do not complete the section marked for entry by the tax collector. The top section requires your personal information, including name, and the address you're claiming reimbursement for. Give the correct percentages of your ownership in the property. For example, if you own half of the house and the other owner is not your spouse or partner, you only own 50 percent.
Step 6
Complete the property taxes paid section of PTR-1A. You must give total taxes paid for the year shown and the individual amounts of any credits or deductions you received.
Step 7
Complete the information part of schedule PTR-1B if you're a mobile homeowner. Only complete sections labeled for completion by owner. You must give your name, address, Social Security number, the site number of your mobile home and the percentage of site fees you and your spouse or partner paid.
Step 8
Ask the mobile park owner or manager to complete the park owner or manager section of PTR-1B. The owner or manager must complete and sign this section.
Step 9
Complete the site fees section of PTR-1B. You must give the total site fee amount paid by all people living at your address and the percentage you and your spouse or partner paid.
Step 10
Answer all property and occupancy questions in the next section of PTR-1. If you own a home, you must give the home's block and lot numbers. Find the numbers on your property tax bill or call your local tax office for the information. Follow the instructions printed on the form to calculate your property tax reimbursement amount.
Step 11
Sign and date Form PTR-1. Ask your spouse or partner to sign and date the form if married or in a civil union.
References
- State of New Jersey Department of the Treasury: Property Tax Reimbursement Definitions
- State of New Jersey Department of the Treasury: Property Tax Reimbursement General Information
- State of New Jersey Department of the Treasury: June 1, 2012 Press Release
- State of New Jersey Department of the Treasury: Form PTR-1
Resources
Tips
- Form PTR-2, for recertification of the property tax reimbursement if you were approved before, are mailed out by the department. If you don't receive the form, contact the Property Tax Reimbursement Hotline at 800-882-6597.
- You must attach copies of paid property tax bills and proof of payment to the application.
- You must attach proof of age, such as a copy of your birth certificate, if you qualify based on age. If you're disabled, you must attach a copy of proof of the disability, such as a copy of your Social Security disability award letter.
Warnings
- If you miss the filing deadline, you won't receive tax reimbursement for the prior year.
Writer Bio
Anna Assad began writing professionally in 1999 and has published several legal articles for various websites. She has an extensive real estate and criminal legal background. She also tutored in English for nearly eight years, attended Buffalo State College for paralegal studies and accounting, and minored in English literature, receiving a Bachelor of Arts.