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Governor Phil Murphy • Lt. Governor Tahesha Way, Esq.

Division of Taxation

Renters

Eligibility requirements

You are eligible for an ANCHOR benefit based on 2020 residency, income, and age, if you met these requirements:

  • You were a New Jersey resident; and
  • Your 2020 New Jersey gross income was not more than $150,000; and
  • Your name was on the lease or rental agreement; and
  • You paid rent; and
  • You rented and occupied a residence in New Jersey that was your principal residence (main home) on October 1, 2020; and
  • The rental property was subject to local property taxes, (see Qualified and Non-Qualified Rental Properties).

I received an ANCHOR Benefit Confirmation Letter

We Will File for You; No Action Required by You

If the information in your confirmation letter remains the same as your prior filing, no action is required on your part. Benefit payments will be issued using the same method and banking information used in your prior filing and contained in your confirmation letter. The letter serves as your confirmation of filing and we will not send you an additional confirmation number. However, you can check the status of your benefit payment beginning in mid-October.  

If any information from your prior filing changed, you must file your application to update these changes (using one of the methods to the right) before September 30, 2023. If you file online, be sure to choose “CONFIRM” at the end of the process to receive a confirmation number. If you file by phone, do not hang up until you receive your confirmation number. Keep this number for your records as proof that you filed an updated application. We do not issue confirmation numbers for paper applications.

You will not be able to make adjustments to your application after September 30, 2023. Payments will be issued using the information we have on file.

Some people who received an ANCHOR benefit last year may receive a green or purple filing packet in the mail instead of a confirmation letter. If you received one of these packets, follow the instructions in the packet to apply for your benefit.

I did not receive an ANCHOR Benefit Confirmation Letter or filing packet. Can I still apply for the benefit?

If you did not receive a confirmation letter or filing packet, but meet the qualifications for the benefit, you may still apply for the program. Renters may file using the online option, and do not need an ID and PIN.

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.

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.

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

  • Social Security number (SSN) / 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 New Jersey Income Tax return (NJ 1040). If you are not required to file an NJ-1040, report"0.";
    • 2020 filing status;
    • Date of birth and, if applicable, your spouse's/CU partner's date of birth.

    You will also be asked:

    • If you/spouse/CU partner were blind/disabled as of December 31, 2020;
    • If you shared rent with anyone other than your spouse/CU partner on October 1, 2020;
    • For the names of all other renters, if any, sharing the rent on that property;
    • For your routing and account number from your bank, if requesting a direct deposit of your benefit.

    Confirmation Number

    If you received an "ANCHOR Benefit Confirmation Letter," the letter is your confirmation of filing. Keep the letter for your records. If you file 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.

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 an eligible renter died before filing an application, either the surviving spouse/civil union partner or a personal representative should file the application.

Surviving Spouse/Civil Union Partner. Enter only your name on the application, even if your spouse/CU partner died during 2020 and your filing status is married/CU couple, filing joint return.

Personal Representative. If you are filing on behalf of an eligible renter who died on or after October 1, 2020, you must:

  • Enter the decedent's last name, first name, and initial, followed by "estate of;" and
  • Enter the mailing address where the check is to be sent (if not choosing direct deposit); and
  • Check the box indicating the renter is deceased. You may be asked for documentation at a later date.

A personal representative filing on behalf of a deceased renter must sign in his or her official capacity. If it is a joint application, the surviving spouse/civil union partner must also sign (if filing by paper).

If there is no personal representative for the deceased renter, the spouse/CU partner signs the application and writes "Filing as Surviving Spouse" or "Filing as surviving Civil Union Partner" in the signature section (if filing by paper).

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.

The address you use to claim the ANCHOR benefit must have been your main home on October 1, 2020. In general, your residence must have been subject to property tax.

Qualified Rental Properties

P.I.L.O.T (Payment In Lieu Of Taxes). There is one type of property that is exempt from the property tax requirement. Renters who lived in rental units that operate under a P.I.L.O.T agreement with their municipality are eligible to apply for the ANCHOR benefit.

Mobile Homes. If you owned or rented a mobile home that was located in a mobile home park, you are considered a renter for purposes of applying for the ANCHOR benefit.

Condominiums and Co-ops. If you rented a condominium unit or a unit in a cooperative housing complex, you are considered a renter for purposes of applying for the ANCHOR benefit.

Non-Qualified Rental Properties

Renters who lived in the following types of residences do not qualify to apply for the ANCHOR benefit:

  • Tax-exempt housing or other residences owned by New Jersey, county, municipal, or federal government;
  • On-campus apartments at New Jersey colleges and universities;
  • Residences owned by religious, charitable, or other non-profit organizations (including on-campus apartments at private nonprofit colleges and universities); and
  • All other properties exempt from local property taxes.

If you are not sure whether the residence you rented was subject to local property taxes, contact your building manager or the municipal tax assessor for information.


Last Updated: Friday, 09/15/23