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Governor Phil Murphy • Lt. Governor Tahesha Way

Division of Taxation

Homeowners

Eligibility Requirements

You are eligible if you met these requirements:

  • 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 not more than $250,000.

Filing Deadline

You have until Friday, December 29, 2023, to file an application.

All property tax relief program information provided here is based on current law and is subject to change.

If you filed an ANCHOR application for tax year 2019 for the same property you owned and occupied on October 1, 2020, access the online ID and PIN application to get your ID and PIN.

If you did not file an ANCHOR application last year or cannot retrieve your ID and PIN through the online system, you may still be able to request an ID and PIN by:

You will be asked to enter the amount of your gross income from line 29 of your 2020 New Jersey Income Tax return (NJ-1040). If you do not have your 2020 NJ-1040 you may enter the gross income amount from your 2022 NJ-1040. If you were not required to file a New Jersey Income Tax return, report zero as your gross income.

If you are an executor or surviving spouse/civil union partner, filing on behalf of an eligible homeowner who died on or after October 1, 2020, you must file a paper application. You can print a paper application or upload a completed application through the electronic filing system. You will be able to attach supporting documents with the application (i.e., death certificate).

Do not include the deceased spouse’s name on the application.

Estates

If you file on behalf of an estate, we will issue the approved benefit in the name of the estate. You should speak to your bank and/or seek guidance from your attorney prior to closing the estate bank account.

You may not claim an ANCHOR benefit if:

  • Your principal residence (main home) was completely exempt from paying property taxes;
  • You made P.I.L.O.T. (Payments-in-Lieu-of-Tax) payments to your municipality. These payments are not considered property taxes for purposes of the ANCHOR benefit for homeowners.

You are not eligible to claim a benefit for a:

  • Vacation home;
  • "Second home;"
  • Property you owned and rented to someone else.

If you were a resident shareholder of a cooperative housing complex or you owned a condominium and you paid property taxes on the unit, you are considered a homeowner for purposes of applying for the ANCHOR benefit. You are not considered to be living in a multiple-unit property. Answer "no" to the multi-unit question when filing.

If you were a resident of a continuing care retirement community and your continuing care contract required you to pay the proportionate share of property taxes attributable to the unit, you are considered a homeowner for purposes of applying for the ANCHOR benefit. You are not considered to be living in a multiple-unit property. Answer "no" to the multi-unit question when filing.

Assisted Living Facilities (ALFs). If you own a home, but were a temporary resident of an ALF, and you maintained your primary domicile, you are eligible to apply for the ANCHOR benefit. You must file for the home that you owned on October 1 of the application year.

If you did not maintain your primary domicile, you should not file the application.

What You Need to File

You will need the assigned property identification number and PIN of your principal residence (main home) you owned and occupied on October 1, 2020, to file by phone or online. Also, be prepared to provide your:

  • Social Security number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) and, if applicable, the SSN/ITIN of your spouse or civil union partner;
  • New Jersey gross income from Line 29 of your 2020 or 2022  NJ-1040. (If you are not required to file an NJ-1040 for either 2020 or 2022, report "0.");
  • 2020 filing status;
  • Date of birth and, if applicable, your spouse's/CU partner's date of birth;
  • Driver's License or state Non-Driver Identification Card number.

You will also be asked if:

  • You owned the property with someone who is not your spouse/CU partner. If yes, what percentage did you own?

If you owned the property with someone who was not your spouse/civil union partner and there is no percentage preprinted on your application, you must file a paper application.

  • The property had more than one unit. If yes, what percentage of the property did you use as your main home?

If the property consisted of more than one residential unit and there is no percentage preprinted on your application, you must file a paper application. You do not qualify if your property has more than four units or if it has more than one commercial unit.

Confirmation Number

If you received an "ANCHOR Benefit Confirmation Letter," keep the letter as proof of your eligibility. We will file an application on your behalf. You may check the status of your benefit. If any of the information in your letter needs to be changed, file an application online.

If you filed by phone, do not hang up until you receive your confirmation number.

If you filed online, you must choose CONFIRM at the end to receive your confirmation number. Keep this number for your records as proof that you filed an ANCHOR application.


Last Updated: Friday, 12/01/23