New Jersey seniors and disabled individuals who are homeowners now have another month to apply for the state's 2019 "Senior Freeze" property tax reimbursement, pushing the deadline from Dec. 31 to Feb. 1, 2021, state Treasurer Elizabeth Maher Muoio announced Wednesday.

Senior Freeze, officially called the Property Tax Reimbursement, effectively freezes real estate taxes or mobile home park site fees for eligible property owners on their primary residence. Using a base year, the state pays the difference on any property tax increases and sends a reimbursement check to the homeowner. 

To qualify, homeowners must be at least 65 years old or disabled, be a Garden State resident for at least 10 years and have owned their current home for at least three years. An applicant's total annual income must be $91,505 or less. To find out if you are eligible, visit bit.ly/3o1BH4E. 

This is the second time New Jersey pushed back the original Nov. 2 deadline to apply, because the pandemic created challenges for local governments, the Treasury Department said in a release. 

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"We have heard from concerned residents that obtaining the required documentation in time has been a challenge due to the pandemic,” Muoio said. "That means there may be many eligible seniors who have not taken advantage of the Senior Freeze this year. We want to make sure, now more than ever, that eligible taxpayers have access to this vital resource."

The Division of Taxation began sending out payments on Oct. 15 and will continue to do so as it receives applications, Treasury said.

To check the status of your application, visit bit.ly/3n15klg.

To learn how to apply, visit bit.ly/2L2IOeu.

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