Official Site of The State of New Jersey

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Eligibility

1. Who is eligible for the ANCHOR program?

   New Jersey homeowners who meet the requirements based on 2020 residency, income, and age, are eligible for an ANCHOR homeowner benefit if:

   • You were a New Jersey resident; and
   • You owned and occupied a home in New Jersey that was your principal residence (main home) on October 1, 2020; and
   • 2020 property taxes were paid on that home; and
   • Your 2020 New Jersey gross income was $250,000 or less.

2. Do I have to be a current New Jersey resident to apply?

   No. You must have owned and occupied a home in New Jersey as your principal residence on October 1, 2020. However, applicants who moved after October 1, 2020, are eligible if they met the other 2020 program qualifications.

Tax Year 2020 Filing Information

3. What is the filing deadline?

   If you received the ANCHOR Benefit Confirmation Letter notifying you that you qualify and you do nothing else, we will file the application for you and pay the benefit based on information in that letter. However, if you need to change any information, you have until September 30, 2023, to file an application on your own.

   All other applicants have until Friday, December 29, 2023, to file applications. 

4. When will I receive my ANCHOR Benefit?

   Payments will be issued on a rolling basis. Most applicants can expect to receive their payment approximately 90 days after filing the application, unless we request additional information to process your claim.

5.  I received an ANCHOR benefit (for tax year 2019). Do I have to apply for the current benefit?

   If you receive an ANCHOR Benefit Confirmation Letter and all of the information contained in the letter is correct, you do not have to file an application for the current benefit. We will file an application on your behalf based on your previously filed application.

6.  I received an ANCHOR Benefit Confirmation Letter, but my information has changed. What do I do?

   If any information from your prior filing changed, you must file your application on your own to update these changes before September 30, 2023. We will not make adjustments to your name, address or banking information after September 30, 2023. Payments will be issued using the information we have on file.

7.  I did not receive an ANCHOR Benefit Confirmation Letter notifying me that I qualify. Can I still apply?

   Yes. You should receive a green filing packet in the mail by September 1, 2023, with filing instructions. The packet will include your Identification Number and PIN. Do not discard the packet so you can have the ID number and PIN for future reference.

8. I did not receive an ANCHOR Benefit (for tax year 2019), an ANCHOR Benefit Confirmation Letter, or filing packet. Can I still apply for the benefit?

   If you meet the qualifications for the current benefit, you may still apply for the program.

   Most homeowners may file online, or by phone at (877) 658-2972, with an identification number (ID) and PIN. However, if you bought your home in 2020, altered your deed, or had certain life changes such as a divorce or death of a spouse, you must file an application by mail.

   All other applicants have until Friday, December 29, 2023, to file applications.

9. How much is the benefit for homeowners?

   2020 Gross Income (NJ-1040 Line 29)	In 2020, age 64 or younger	In 2020, age 65 or older
   $150,000 or less	$1,500	$1,750
   $150,001 - $250,000	$1,000	$1,250

Common Homeowner Filing Questions

10. When must I file a paper application?

    You are required to file a paper ANCHOR application (Form ANCHOR-H ) if:

    • You shared ownership of your main home with someone who was not your spouse/civil union (CU) partner and your percentage of ownership is not preprinted on your worksheet;
    • Your main home was a unit in a multi-unit property that you owned;
    • You received an ANCHOR information mailer for the correct property, but the name on the mailer is not yours or needs to be changed due to marriage, death, etc.;
    • You are a widow(er)/surviving civil union partner and your deed lists both your name and the name of your deceased spouse;
    • You are an executor filing on behalf of a deceased homeowner (you must include a death certificate with the application);
    • You occupied a newly constructed home on October 1, 2020, for which you did not receive an ANCHOR mailer with an Identification Number and PIN;
    • You are considered a homeowner for purposes of applying for the ANCHOR benefit, but you were not the actual owner of record on October 1, 2020;
    • You and your spouse/civil union partner maintained the same main home and require separate ANCHOR benefit payments;
    • You are filing for a property held in trust. (You are considered an eligible owner of a property owned by a trust if you are a beneficiary, or the deed or trust agreement explicitly states that you have a life estate in the property.)

11. I cannot download the paper application. What should I do?

    This may be a browser or software issue. You should use Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome and upgrade to the latest Adobe software to download a paper application. If after you select to download the PDF you receive a, "Please wait..." message, go to your "Files" folder, choose your "Downloads" folder and open the PDF "ANCHOR_Homeowners_2020."

12. Where do I find the amount of my 2020 New Jersey gross income to report on my application?

    Your 2020 New Jersey gross income can be found on line 29 of your 2020 New Jersey Income Tax return (NJ-1040). If you do not have access to your 2020 NJ-1040, you may use the amount from your 2022 NJ-1040. Report your income as $0 if you did not file  an NJ-1040 for 2020 or 2022, you did not earn any income, or enough income to be required to file a NJ-1040 for those years.
    

13. Do I have to report my ANCHOR benefit on my New Jersey Income Tax return?

    No. ANCHOR benefit payments are not reportable as New Jersey income.

14. Is there an age restriction for ANCHOR?

    No.

15.  I am 65 years old. How much will I receive?

    This year’s benefit provides an additional $250 for New Jersey residents who were 65 or older as of December 31, 2020. If you met the other requirements and reported 2020 New Jersey gross income of $150,000 or less, your benefit would be $1,750. If you met the requirements and earned between $150,001 and $250,000 in 2020, your benefit would be $1,250.

Divorced Homeowners

16. My ANCHOR filing information lists my name and my former spouse's name. How do I file?

    You must file a paper application to change the preprinted filing information. Be sure to include supporting documents, such as a divorce decree, with your application.

Deceased Homeowners

17.   My ANCHOR filing information has my name and my deceased spouse's name. How do I remove my spouse's name?

    You must file a paper application to change the preprinted filing information. Be sure to include supporting documents, such as a death certificate, with your application.

    
    

18. I am filing the application on behalf of an estate. Should I leave the bank account open until I receive the ANCHOR payment?

    Speak to your bank and/or seek guidance about bank accounts from your attorney before closing the estate account.

Multiple Owners

19. On October 1, 2020, I owned a home with someone who was not my spouse. The preprinted name/property record indicates multiple names. How do I file?

    You must file a paper application in your name only. On the paper application, you need to indicate you owned the property with someone other than a spouse, and fill in your proportionate share of ownership. If your name is not preprinted, include a copy of the property deed that shows you are an owner.

20. My fiance and I shared ownership of our home on October 1, 2020. We married after October 1, 2020, but before December 31, 2020. How should we file?

    You are considered one owner since you were married on or before December 31, 2020. You can file online if a name change is not needed. File online using the preprinted names, enter your 2020 combined gross income, and answer "no" when asked if you owned the home with someone other than a spouse.

    If a name change is required, you need to file a paper application and include legal documentation, such as a marriage certificate, that shows your correct name.

21. What if I did not marry until after December 31, 2020?

    In addition to income, your eligibility is based on when you owned and occupied the property on October 1, 2020, and what your tax filing status was in 2020. If you co-owned the property on October 1, 2020, but were unmarried as of December 31, 2020, you are considered multi-owners and each person must file their own application.

Multiple Unit Properties

22. I owned a multi-unit property, and lived in one of the units. My filing information is not preprinted with the percentage of property I use as my principal residence. How do I file?

    You must file a paper application if you meet the other eligibility requirements.

Co-Occupancy Questions

23. I owned a home, and I rented out two bedrooms to renters. All three of us live in the home. Both renters signed their own lease. Are we all eligible for the benefit?

    Yes. You are eligible for ANCHOR as a homeowner, and the others are eligible as renters. Each individual has to file their own ANCHOR application.

24. I was the sole owner of my principal residence on October 1, 2020, but I was married. What income do I report on my 2020 ANCHOR application?

    If you and your spouse lived together in your home on October 1, 2020, you must report your combined income on your ANCHOR application. However, if your spouse maintained a separate principal residence on October 1, 2020, you should report only your income on the application.

Trusts

25. Am I eligible to file if a trust owns the property?

    To be eligible, you must be a beneficiary of the trust, occupy the home as your main home on October 1, 2020, and meet the income requirements. The 2020 property taxes must have been paid by June 1, 2021. File a paper application, and submit a copy of the trust agreement for proof of eligibility.