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OT: Property tax relief coming for those over 65

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Well, when you consider the cost of a home relative to income, and that college was free in NYC and CA (at least) for boomers if not close to it everywhere else- on top of only being required for the whitest of white collar jobs- seems pretty clear the boomers got the freest ride.

OTOH millennials had to take on enormous debt, college now is what a HS degree was then in terms of qualifications, home prices are way higher relative to income, and we had the great recession and then COVID when we should be hitting earning strides.

And now I would say in the post COVID environment, a lot of millennials are doing well but you have to consider that some millennials are over 40 now. Everything got delayed for us.

This is on top of our generation getting the double whammy of Iraq and Afghanistan- only the older fringe of boomers got Vietnam- while being told we're snowflakes.

This is why we feel kinship with our parents' generation and agita with the boomers.

Couple of things you didn't consider or got wrong. Yes housing is more expensive. You forgot the interest rate on mortgages back then. Depending on the exact date of comparison anywhere from 3 - 9% higher. And it wasn't the "older fringe" of boomers who dealt with Vietnam. And they, unlike millenials, faced the draft.
 
And raise your hand ITT if you did the bare minimum and singed up for Selective Service when turning 18.

I did more than that. I was part of that rare group near the end of Vietnam who faced the draft WITHOUT a student deferment. I was 1A during my year of eligibility which was my freshman year of college but they weren't taking as many and had a high enough draft number so I wasn't called.
 
Christmas comes early for me, as I'll be 64 in 2026, when this starts. I had no plans to leave NJ, anyway, but I won't turn the money down. I do think the $500K income cap on receiving this tax relief is a bit high, since not getting $6200 in tax relief at that income level is barely 1% of their income, but for people making less than $75K per year in retirement, like many whose primary income is SS, a ~10% or more tax break relative to income will absolutely be huge and allow many of these folks to stay in NJ.

I also think fg's comments below shouldn't be overlooked as a benefit to communities with seniors living in them.
They should have stuck with the original proposed $10k limit. Better yet, this shouldn't be a rebate program (hope it's not, haven't reviewed the bill). Give the money directly to municipalities to credit property tax bills at the source. No need for seniors to front the money and then get a check the following year. That's stupid.
 
They should have stuck with the original proposed $10k limit. Better yet, this shouldn't be a rebate program (hope it's not, haven't reviewed the bill). Give the money directly to municipalities to credit property tax bills at the source. No need for seniors to front the money and then get a check the following year. That's stupid.

You don't think getting a physical check isn't part of the plan? Especially if it comes between Labor Day and Election Day? And of course, renters would have to get a check.
 
You don't think getting a physical check isn't part of the plan? Especially if it comes between Labor Day and Election Day? And of course, renters would have to get a check.
Of course that is typical BS Trenton thinking, but making seniors play the entire bill means that money still needs to be available every year. If they wanna vote whore, make towns include a letter from Trenton on their credit with each bill.
 
I did more than that. I was part of that rare group near the end of Vietnam who faced the draft WITHOUT a student deferment. I was 1A during my year of eligibility which was my freshman year of college but they weren't taking as many and had a high enough draft number so I wasn't called.
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I haven’t read the bill but it’s not clear to me if the $500k income limit is a “Cliff” or if the rebate is it graduated (phased over intervals of income to phase out at $500k)
 
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I haven’t read the bill but it’s not clear to me if the $500k income limit is a “Cliff” or if the rebate is it graduated (phased over intervals of income to phase out at $500k)
Yeah, I need to read the actual bill. Regardless, $500k of likely retirement income for most people is a super high bar.
 
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I haven’t read the bill but it’s not clear to me if the $500k income limit is a “Cliff” or if the rebate is it graduated (phased over intervals of income to phase out at $500k)
I am not certain, but I think it is a cliff, just like eligibility for the NJ Anchor program or for the special pension income exclusions.
 
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Yeah, I need to read the actual bill. Regardless, $500k of likely retirement income for most people is a super high bar.
Yea, I agree it’s pretty high. But it could be you get some variable percent off but it’s phased out at $500k. In other words, for example, do you get the full benefit at any income up to $500 or do you get a percent of the maximum benefit that varies with income (e.g, if you make $250k do you get the full rebate up to the max, 1/2 the benefit, or some non-linear portion).
 
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One source of the money is going to be unspent federal Covid-19 stimulus funds. So taxpayers all over the nation are paying for New Jerseyans to have this program.

I should add that NJ Anchor program will stay in place for the next couple of years; the benefit level will be increased over this last year to a range of $1250 to $1750.
Yeah well NJ taxpayers are net losers every year on tax revenue that goes to red states. I'm good with this
 
how is this different than student loan forgiveness? What about all the seniors that moved already because they did get this break?
 
They should have stuck with the original proposed $10k limit. Better yet, this shouldn't be a rebate program (hope it's not, haven't reviewed the bill). Give the money directly to municipalities to credit property tax bills at the source. No need for seniors to front the money and then get a check the following year. That's stupid.
Getting a rebate likely means you get an artificially inflated NJ property tax deduction too.
When I got my $1500 anchor this year they didn't have me adjust property tax deduction or tax it as income. .. double dipping here.
 
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Getting a rebate likely means you get an artificially inflated NJ property tax deduction too.
When I got my $1500 anchor this year they didn't have me adjust property tax deduction or tax it as income. .. double dipping here.

Not exactly a windfall. The SALT limitation will probably kick in at the federal level.
 
Not exactly a windfall. The SALT limitation will probably kick in at the federal level.
You're right, but so is he -- if X pays $10,000 in property tax and then gets a $1500 state rebate (under NJ anchor or this new program), then X can continue to deduct $10,000 on his NJ return while the $1500 is not taxable in NJ. But you're right at the federal level; indeed, the reason why the rebate is not taxable at the federal level is that most taxpayers get no federal tax benefit from their property taxes.
 
You're right, but so is he -- if X pays $10,000 in property tax and then gets a $1500 state rebate (under NJ anchor or this new program), then X can continue to deduct $10,000 on his NJ return while the $1500 is not taxable in NJ. But you're right at the federal level; indeed, the reason why the rebate is not taxable at the federal level is that most taxpayers get no federal tax benefit from their property taxes.
Thanks but I wasn't talking about federal or 1500. I was thinking more about deducting $13000 on your state return when you really only paid $6500.
I know it's not a windfall but could be a couple hundred extra. Just pointing out the math and loophole(?).
 
Thanks but I wasn't talking about federal or 1500. I was thinking more about deducting $13000 on your state return when you really only paid $6500.
I know it's not a windfall but could be a couple hundred extra. Just pointing out the math and loophole(?).

Next year it's 1750
 
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The Governor and legislative leadership have reached agreement on a program to be called "Stay New Jersey." Those over 65 with incomes of $500,000 or less will receive an annual payment from the state of half their property taxes up to a limit of $6500 per year. I mention this because property taxes often come up in discussions on this board of why posters are planning to leave NJ upon retirement.https://nj.gov/governor/news/news/562023/approved/20230621a.shtml

Edit: the limit is $6500, not $6200 as I originally wrote.
I really think that $6,500 is not enough to draw people back. They would still have to pay $6,500 with a much higher cost of living expense.
I'm in NY and my total property tax bill is $7,868.76 a year. What are they paying in Florida, Tennessee,
N & S Carolina or Texas?
 
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I got my Draft notice and was not a student. Immediately I joined an Army Reserve unit at Monmouth and spent the next 6 years going to 2 week summer camps and weekend meetings once a month. Had Basic at Ft Bragg than 6 months training at Ft' Devins in Mass.
 
I really think that $6,500 is not enough to draw people back. They would still have to pay $6,500 with a much higher cost of living expense.
I'm in NY and my total property tax bill is $7,868.76 a year. What are they paying in Florida, Tennessee,
N & S Carolina or Texas?
My taxes will drop to under $4k on a $550k house. Not too much different than those. It is certainly a positive that changes things for me. Will no longer feel the big incentive to leave.
 
I really think that $6,500 is not enough to draw people back. They would still have to pay $6,500 with a much higher cost of living expense.
I'm in NY and my total property tax bill is $7,868.76 a year. What are they paying in Florida, Tennessee,
N & S Carolina or Texas?

Not much less than the 4k you'd pay after the rebate.
 
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Anecdotal but I agree. All my friends are better off than their parents were. We are old gen x and old millennial range. My parents combined hit six figures when I was 17 in 1997. My wife and I make over 5x that. Same with my friends. My buddy who is no rocket scientist bought a 1.2m place in San Fran. My other buddy works for apple and does well. My other buddy is a legit multi millionaire. I feel like if you went to college and picked the right industry it would be impossible not to get to upper middle class.

So i don’t buy it that the baby boomers ruiner the country. They built insane trillion dollar businesses and pushed things forward. All you had to do was hold on to the coattails of those companies.
Prices were very different in 1997 from 2023, as was income. And many corporate jobs had pensions and company-paid for medical and dental and life insurance plans. You didn’t have to dump income into a retirement savings plan and kick-in for medical and dental coverage and realistic life insurance coverage. Housing was far less expensive. And two-income families and one or maybe two kids are the norm these days, so lots of folks are living in high cotton.
 
It seems like another band aid, rather than anyone ever attempting to fix the real property tax issue.
Good luck with that. My county and local taxes haven't gone up for 5 years but the regional school (central) and local k-8 that represents 75% of my taxes somehow manage to increase just under the 2% vote threshold despite enrollment being down 15+% .
 
It seems like another band aid, rather than anyone ever attempting to fix the real property tax issue.
How do you propose to resolve that beyond having the State pay for the entire cost of education?

Teachers now have take home pay basically what they took home in 2011/2012 and there are a significant number of teachers leaving the profession
 
Not exactly a windfall. The SALT limitation will probably kick in at the federal level.

I believe the SALT limit is set to expire next year. Hopefully the Dems take the house so they can let this tax increase sunset.
 
How do you propose to resolve that beyond having the State pay for the entire cost of education?

Teachers now have take home pay basically what they took home in 2011/2012 and there are a significant number of teachers leaving the profession
It's more law enforcement than teachers even.
 
I believe the SALT limit is set to expire next year. Hopefully the Dems take the house so they can let this tax increase sunset.
The SALT limit and all the Trump tax reforms go through 2025.
 
Law enforcement makes much more but they are far less costly in terms of impact on property taxes just based on the numbers of employees
Even with those huge pensions? My cop friend about to retire before 45 with a 200K retirement.
 
If only we could bring back the bread lines and people selling apples to survive. Those were the days my friend!!
My guess is you are a senior who will collect far more in SS than they paid in. It's a ponzi scheme. Not hard to figure out its an abysmal program.
 
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It’s the circle of life. Old people should move away to give the young people the opportunity.
 
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