You can file your New Jersey state income tax return for free three ways: through the Division of Taxation’s own NJ Online Filing portal, which has no income cap; through IRS Free File software, open to taxpayers with an adjusted gross income of $89,000 or less; or in person through an IRS-sponsored VITA or TCE site if you qualify. The deadline for your 2025 return is April 15, 2026.
Your Free Filing Options
NJ Online Filing
The Division of Taxation runs its own free filing portal, sometimes called NJ e-File. There is no income limit, and it’s open to both residents and non-residents.1State of New Jersey – Department of the Treasury. E-File Individual Income Tax Returns It works best for straightforward returns. Before you can start, the system will ask you to verify your identity using either your prior-year New Jersey return or a state-issued PIN, so pull those out first.
IRS Free File
The IRS partners with commercial tax software companies to offer free federal filing, and most partners include a free state return as well. For returns filed in 2026, the program is open to taxpayers whose adjusted gross income is $89,000 or less.2Internal Revenue Service. 2026 Tax Filing Season Opens With Several Free Filing Options Available Each partner sets its own rules on age and state eligibility, so not every provider offers a free New Jersey return.3Internal Revenue Service. E-file: Do Your Taxes for Free Use the IRS “Find your trusted partner” tool and filter for providers that include New Jersey at no charge before you start entering data.
Free In-Person Help: VITA and TCE
If you’d rather have a trained volunteer prepare the return with you, two IRS-sponsored programs operate sites across New Jersey. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program serves people with low to moderate income (generally $69,000 or less), people with disabilities, and taxpayers with limited English.4Internal Revenue Service. Free Tax Return Preparation for Qualifying Taxpayers Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) focuses on taxpayers 60 and older and is especially useful for pension and retirement questions.
To find a VITA site, call 1-800-906-9887 or use the IRS Site Locator. For a TCE/AARP Tax-Aide location, call 1-888-AARP-NOW. You do not need to be an AARP member.5NJ Division of Taxation. Free Tax Preparation Services for Taxpayers
What You Need Before You Start
Gather these documents before you log in or walk into a VITA site. Missing paperwork is the main reason a free filing session stalls.
- Social Security numbers for you, your spouse, and every dependent.
- All W-2s, plus any 1099s for interest, dividends, freelance income, or retirement distributions.
- Your federal return, finished or in progress. Several lines on the New Jersey return pull from it.
- Total property taxes paid or total rent paid during the year, for the property tax deduction or credit.
- Form 1095-B or 1095-C showing your health coverage, because New Jersey has its own insurance mandate.
- Your prior-year NJ return. The online portal uses it to verify your identity.
If you plan to claim the New Jersey Earned Income Tax Credit, bring proof of earned income and documentation for any qualifying children, such as birth certificates and records showing where the child lived during the year.
Who Has to File at All
You’re required to file a New Jersey return if your gross income exceeded $10,000 as a single filer or $20,000 if you’re married filing jointly. Even below those thresholds, filing is worth doing if you’re owed a refund or qualify for the New Jersey EITC.
NJ-Specific Items the Software Will Ask About
The free online systems do the math for you, but a few New Jersey items differ from the federal return in ways that affect what you owe or get back. Knowing they exist helps you answer the prompts correctly and avoid leaving money on the table.
Exemptions
New Jersey offers several flat-dollar exemptions that reduce taxable income:
- Personal exemption of $1,000 per person (yourself and spouse if filing jointly).
- Additional $1,000 if you’re 65 or older.
- Additional $1,000 if you’re blind or disabled.
- $6,000 for a qualifying veteran honorably discharged from active duty.6NJ Division of Taxation. Income Tax Exemption for Veterans
The senior exemption is separate from the $250 property tax deduction available to homeowners 65 or older or those who are disabled. That one comes off your property tax bill, not your income tax.7NJ.gov. $250 Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Deduction
Retirement Income Exclusion
If you’re 62 or older (or receiving a disability pension) and your total income is $150,000 or less, you can exclude a substantial amount of pension, annuity, and IRA withdrawal income from New Jersey taxable income.8State of NJ – Division of Taxation. Retirement Income Exclusions For total income of $100,000 or less, the maximums are:
- Married filing jointly: up to $100,000
- Single or head of household: up to $75,000
- Married filing separately: up to $50,000
Between $100,001 and $150,000, a reduced percentage applies. Above $150,000 in total income, the exclusion goes away entirely.
New Jersey Earned Income Tax Credit
The NJ EITC is a refundable credit equal to 40% of your federal Earned Income Tax Credit.9NJ.gov. Calculate NJEITC – New Jersey Earned Income Tax Credit If your federal EITC comes to $3,000, your New Jersey credit is $1,200. Because it’s refundable, you receive it even if you owe no state tax. Part-year residents have the credit prorated by the number of months they lived in the state.
Health Insurance Mandate
New Jersey still requires residents to carry minimum essential coverage, even though the federal penalty has been zero for years. If you had a gap in coverage, you may owe a Shared Responsibility Payment on your NJ-1040. The amount is based on income and family size and is capped at the statewide average annual premium for a Bronze-level health plan. For individual taxpayers in the 2025 tax year, the penalty runs from $695 to $4,908. For a family of two adults and three dependents with household income of $200,000 or below, it runs from $2,443 to $4,500.10NJ.gov. NJ Health Insurance Mandate – Shared Responsibility Payment If you had full-year coverage, the Form 1095 you received confirms it and you owe nothing. Certain hardship and short-gap exemptions can also apply.
Submitting, Paying, and Tracking Your Refund
Once you’ve reviewed each line, submit the return electronically. The system issues a confirmation number. Save it; that’s your proof of filing. If you owe, the portal routes you to a payment screen where you can schedule an electronic check or pay by card. If you’re due a refund, enter your bank routing and account numbers for direct deposit.
You can check refund status through the Division of Taxation’s online tool using your Social Security number and the exact refund amount from your return.11NJ Division of Taxation. Check the Status of Your New Jersey Income Tax Refund Give it time. Electronic returns take at least four weeks to process, and paper returns take at least 12.12NJ.gov. Check Your Refund Status Returns flagged for review take longer regardless of how they were filed.
If You Can’t File by April 15
New Jersey will give you until October 15, 2026, to submit your return. You have two paths to the extension:13NJ Division of Taxation. When to File and Pay
- If you’ve already filed a federal extension, attach a copy or your IRS confirmation number to your NJ return. No separate state form is needed.
- Otherwise, file Form NJ-630 online or by mail by April 15, 2026.
An extension to file is not an extension to pay. If you owe tax and don’t pay by April 15, interest and penalties begin accruing on the unpaid balance, extension or no extension. Pay what you can by the original deadline even if the return itself goes in later.
Fixing a Mistake After You File
If you catch an error later, file Form NJ-1040X for residents. You have to complete the entire amended return rather than just the changed lines, and you include all supporting documents like W-2s and 1099s even for items you aren’t changing.14NJ Division of Taxation. Income Tax – How and When to Amend
The Division currently offers only a paper amended return, though some third-party software may support electronic amendments. To claim a refund on an amended return, you must file within three years of the original due date or two years from the date you paid the tax, whichever is later. One tight deadline to watch: if the IRS changes your federal Earned Income Credit (which changes your NJ EITC), you have 90 days from the IRS notification to file the amended New Jersey return.