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What Is Considered Low Income for Seniors in New Jersey?
Date Updated: November 25, 2024
Written by:
Rachel Lustbader is a writer and editor with a background in healthcare and technology. Her work has been published on websites including HealthCare.com, BiteSizeBio.com, BetterHelp.com, Caring.com, and PayingforSeniorCare.com. She studied health science and public health at Boston University.
Both of Rachel’s grandmothers had very positive experiences in senior living communities, and Rachel saw firsthand the impact that kind, committed caregivers and community managers can have on seniors’ and their family members’ lives. With her work at Caring, Rachel hopes to help other families find communities, caregivers, and at-home products that benefit elderly loved ones and make life less stressful for family caregivers
To be considered a low-income senior in New Jersey, a single individual who is 65 years old or above must have a gross monthly income of $1,255 or less, which is equal to the Federal Poverty Level. A person's financial assets must exceed $4,000. For a senior couple, the monthly income limit is $1,703, with a maximum of $6,000 in allowable resources.
Older citizens in New Jersey, however, may be entitled to certain benefits even if their incomes are higher than those listed, depending on their needs and each program's eligibility requirements. The Division of Community Affairs publishes a guide to housing for seniors on social security in NJ, which lists income-restricted units, including veterans' housing.
Which Home Health Care Benefits Are Available to Low-Income Seniors in New Jersey?
Older New Jersey residents with lower incomes can apply for various statewide health-related programs to pay for services delivered in low-income senior housing in NJ. These include Medicaid Long Term Services and Supports, which includes health care at home in nursing homes or special care nursing facilities, such as memory care units. Other covered costs may include home-delivered meals, respite care, and mental health and addiction services.
New Jersey's Medicaid managed care program is called NJ FamilyCare, which delivers home and community-based services to seniors who are either living at home or in a facility. The income limit for an individual senior applying for NJ FamilyCare is $1,215 or less per month.
Seniors who need home health care in New Jersey can also apply for services through the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, a Medicare and Medicaid program that provides home care services to residents wishing to avoid or delay nursing home living.
Low-income programs for seniors who need support at home offset the costs of home health care in New Jersey, which average more than $6,000 a month, according to the Genworth Cost of Care Survey for 2023.
What Other Types of Programs Can Low-Income New Jersey Seniors Access?
Some of the other health- and medical-related programs for low-income seniors living in New Jersey include:
- Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled, which has an annual income limit of $42,142
- New Jersey Medicare Savings Programs, which help pay Medicare premiums and other payments to those who qualify