N.J.’s new ANCHOR property tax program: Your questions answered

New Jersey has launched a new program to help homeowners and renters save on property taxes.

The ANCHOR program, short for the Affordable New Jersey Communities for Homeowners and Renters, replaces the Homestead Rebate.

The new program’s income limits and other qualifications are different from the Homestead Rebate, so more residents will be eligible. There are no age restrictions, and the state Treasury Department said up to 2 million taxpayers should get rebates with an average payout of $971.

So do you qualify? What if you move, get divorced or own a home with someone else? What if you’re managing an estate or the home is held in a trust?

Here’s everything you need to know about the program.

What year does it cover?

This current year ANCHOR program covers 2019. Like the Homestead Rebate, it has a lag time.

Who qualifies? How much will I get?

Homeowners who had 2019 gross incomes of up to $150,000 will get up to $1,500. Those with gross incomes between $150,000 and $250,000 will get up to $1,000. Renters with 2019 gross incomes of $150,000 or less will receive $450.

You are considered a homeowner if you owned a house or condominium before Oct. 1, 2019 and paid property taxes. Those who were resident shareholders of a cooperative housing complex or a resident of a continuing care retirement community, where your contract requires you to pay property taxes on your unit, are also considered homeowners.

You are considered a renter if, on Oct. 1, 2019, you rented an apartment, condominium, house, or rented or owned a mobile home located in a mobile home park.

Who doesn’t qualify?

Owners with incomes of more than $250,000 and renters with incomes of more than $150,000 do not qualify.

Neither do those whose residences were exempt from paying property taxes, or those who made P.I.L.O.T. (payments-in-lieu-of-tax) payments.

Renters who live in tax-exempt, subsidized or campus housing do not qualify, either.

How do I apply?

Keep an eye on your mailbox and your email for information about the program, which will give you the ID number and PIN that you need to apply.

And give it time, the Treasury Department said. You can see the mail and email schedule here, but the agency said you should give it until the first week in October.

If you don’t receive the filing information within 10 days of your county’s mailing date, you can call the ANCHOR hotline at (888) 238-1233.

But before you call, know that you can get your PIN online if you applied for the Homestead Rebate last year.

I called and I can’t get through. What do I do?

When the program launched, callers said they couldn’t get through to get their questions answered by telephone.

That’s to be expected, the Treasury Department said, because triple the number of residents are eligible compared to the Homestead Rebate.

On Sept. 20 alone, the hotline received more than 14,000 calls between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., spokeswoman Danielle Currie said. That compares to the 18,000 calls received during the entire month of August.

What’s the deadline?

You have time. The deadline is December 30, 2022.

When and how will I get my money?

Payments will start to go out in the late spring of 2023, but no later than May, the Treasury Department said.

“ANCHOR payments will be paid in the form of a direct deposit or check, not as credits to property tax bills,” it said, noting you can enter your bank information when you apply. “Payments will not be issued in the order they are received.”

Be sure to triple-check your bank information if you enter it. The state says it is “not responsible for a lost benefit if you enter the wrong account information.”

I moved. Can I still apply?

If you owned a home in New Jersey on Oct. 1, 2019, you may qualify even if you sold the home.

Also, you don’t have to be a current resident to apply.

If you didn’t receive a notice by mail or email, you should call the hotline at (888) 238-1233.

New residents will have to wait for subsequent years to apply.

If you need to change your mailing address, you can do it when you file the application or online.

What happens if a homeowner receives a renter mailer, or vice versa?

Call the hotline at (888) 238-1233.

Why do I have to file a paper application?

Certain scenarios require a paper application, the Treasury Department said.

For example, if you share ownership of your home with someone who was not your spouse or civil union partner and your percentage of ownership is not “preprinted on your worksheet,” you will need to file by paper, the agency said.

Same goes for those whose main home was a unit in a multi-unit property that you owned, or if your mailer listed the property correctly but needs a change because of marriage or death.

Widows and surviving civil union partners whose deeds list both your name and your deceased partner’s name will need to apply by paper.

So will executors filing on behalf of a deceased homeowner or those who are filing for a property that’s in a 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,” the Treasury Department said.

If you lived in new construction on Oct. 1, 2019, and you didn’t receive a mailer with an ID number and PIN, you need to file by paper application.

“Most homeowners filing paper applications will need to include supporting documentation to verify eligibility,” the agency said, noting you should check the application for details.

I don’t want to apply online. Can I do it with paper?

Yes, but the Treasury Department requests you try to apply online or by phone.

How can I get a paper application?

Homeowners who have received a notice with an ID and PIN can access the online filing system. First, input the ID and PIN. Then, select the electronic filing system link to complete the application online and you can upload the paper application with attachments. The other option is to download, print and mail the completed paper application with your additional documentation.

The mailing address is: ANCHOR Application, Revenue Processing Center, P.O. Box 636, Trenton, New Jersey 08646-0636

Homeowners who did not receive a notice this year but who did file for the Homestead Rebate last year can get the ID and PIN online. Then follow the steps above.

Tenants won’t receive an ID and PIN, so they should enter their taxpayer ID — either a Social Security Number or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number — then answer the filing questions.

Tenants who are required to file a paper application can complete the application online and then upload it, or they can download, print and mail it.

If you have trouble downloading the forms, the Treasury Department recommends you use Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome and update to the latest Adobe software.

My spouse/civil union partner died. Can I remove my their name?

You will need to file a paper application and include supporting documentation such as a death certificate to remove their name.

I got a divorce and my application lists both our names. What happens?

If you divorced before Oct. 1, 2019, the Treasury Department said, you should file a paper application in your name only and report your percentage of ownership, which would be 50% unless it’s otherwise specified your deed or divorce decree.

If you divorced on or after Oct. 1, 2019, but before Jan. 1, 2020, and you lived in the house by yourself on Oct. 1, 2019, you should file a paper application in your name only to report 100% ownership.

If you and your former spouse lived in the home on Oct 1, 2019, you should file separate paper applications and report the correct percentage of ownership.

For all the scenarios, you should report your filing status from your 2019 New Jersey income tax return.

I was the sole owner of my home but then I got married. What then?

If you and your spouse lived together in your home on Oct. 1, 2019, you must report your combined income on your application, the Treasury Department said. But if you had separate homes on Oct. 1, 2019, report your income only.

We’re married. Can we get separate checks for our half of the benefit?

Yes.

Each person must complete a separate application where you enter only your name and check the box that says, “I want my half of the benefit payment in my name only.”

But you will have to enter your combined 2019 gross income on the application.

My house has multiple unmarried owners. What do we do?

The Treasury Department says you must file a paper application in your name only. Indicate on the application that you owned the home with someone other than a spouse and enter your percentage of ownership. If your name is not preprinted on the form, include a copy of the property deed that shows you are an owner, it said.

We got married. How should we file?

If you owned the home together on Oct. 1, 2019, but got married before the end of the year, you will be considered one owner.

“You can file online if a name change isn’t needed. File online using the preprinted names, enter your 2019 combined gross income, and answer no when asked if you owned the home with someone other than a spouse,” the agency said. “If a name change is required, you need to file a paper application and include legal documentation that shows your correct name.”

I live in one unit of a multi-unit property. How do I file?

You must file a paper application, the Treasury Department said.

I rent with friends. How do we apply?

If you were a renter with friends on Oct. 1, 2019, each renter will apply separately.

What if only one person’s name was on the lease?

Renters only qualify if their name appears on the lease, the agency said.

I live in government-assisted housing. Do I qualify?

Yes, as long as your residence was subject to property taxes.

I paid rent to live in a friend’s home. Am I eligible?

Maybe. To qualify, you must have had a lease in your name.

Those who rented a room and shared a kitchen or bedroom…