New Jersey Medicaid Income Limits
Updated August 2026
The table below reflects the NJ FamilyCare Income Chart effective January 1, 2026, published at njfamilycare.dhs.state.nj.us — verify current figures there or by calling 1-800-701-0710.
NJ FamilyCare children's income limit: 355% FPL
New Jersey covers children at up to 355% of the Federal Poverty Level — among the highest thresholds for children's Medicaid/CHIP coverage in the United States. A family of four earning roughly $115,000 per year (2026 estimate) may still qualify their children for NJ FamilyCare. Many higher-income NJ families never check because they assume they earn too much. They're often wrong.
NJ FamilyCare income limits by coverage group
| Coverage group | Income limit (% FPL) | Monthly limit, family of 4 (2026) | Asset test? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adults 19–64 (ACA expansion, Medicaid) | 0–138% FPL | $3,795/mo | No |
| Pregnant women (NJSPCP) & Plan First family planning | 0–205% FPL | $5,638/mo | No |
| Children — no premium, no copay | 0–150% FPL | Up to $4,125/mo | No |
| Children — NJ FamilyCare, copay applies | >150–355% FPL | $4,126–$9,763/mo | No |
| Aged, blind, disabled (standard) | Varies by program | Contact DMAHS | Yes — $4,000 (individual) |
Adults 19–64 (ACA expansion, Medicaid)
- Income limit (% FPL)
- 0–138% FPL
- Monthly limit, family of 4 (2026)
- $3,795/mo
- Asset test?
- No
Pregnant women (NJSPCP) & Plan First family planning
- Income limit (% FPL)
- 0–205% FPL
- Monthly limit, family of 4 (2026)
- $5,638/mo
- Asset test?
- No
Children — no premium, no copay
- Income limit (% FPL)
- 0–150% FPL
- Monthly limit, family of 4 (2026)
- Up to $4,125/mo
- Asset test?
- No
Children — NJ FamilyCare, copay applies
- Income limit (% FPL)
- >150–355% FPL
- Monthly limit, family of 4 (2026)
- $4,126–$9,763/mo
- Asset test?
- No
Aged, blind, disabled (standard)
- Income limit (% FPL)
- Varies by program
- Monthly limit, family of 4 (2026)
- Contact DMAHS
- Asset test?
- Yes — $4,000 (individual)
How MAGI income is calculated
Most NJ FamilyCare programs use Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) methodology to determine eligibility. MAGI-based programs have no asset test — savings, home equity, and vehicle value don't count against you.
What counts as MAGI income: wages, salary, self-employment earnings, Social Security income (some), rental income, and investment income. What doesn't count: child support received, workers' compensation, veterans' benefits, and certain tax credits. For most working families, MAGI is close to — but not identical to — gross income on your tax return.
A 5% FPL income disregard applies to MAGI-based categories. In practice, this means the effective income cutoff for adults is about 143% FPL, not 138%. DMAHS applies this automatically.
Children's copays above 150% FPL — no monthly premium
NJ FamilyCare charges no monthly premium for children at any income level, including the highest tier approaching 355% FPL. Instead, families above 150% FPL pay per-visit copays: $5–$10 per service between 150% and 200% FPL, and $5–$35 per service between 200% and 355% FPL. Below 150% FPL, children's coverage has no premium and no copay.
Because there is no monthly premium at any tier, families sometimes assume higher-income coverage must cost more up front than it does — the cost exposure is limited to per-visit copays, not a recurring bill. Check current copay schedules at njfamilycare.dhs.state.nj.us or through NJHelps.gov when you apply.
Asset limits for aged, blind, and disabled programs
Seniors and people with disabilities who apply for NJ FamilyCare through non-MAGI pathways face an asset test. New Jersey's asset limit is $4,000 for an individual — higher than the $2,000 federal minimum that many states use, but still relatively restrictive. For couples, the limit is $6,000 in most standard programs.
Excluded assets include: your primary home (with conditions), one vehicle, life insurance with low cash value, and irrevocable burial arrangements. Long-term care Medicaid has additional spousal impoverishment rules — see the seniors and long-term care section for details on the Community Spouse Resource Allowance.
Medicare Savings Programs (QMB) in New Jersey
New Jersey residents searching "NJ QMB income limits" are usually looking for one of three related programs bundled under the Medicare Savings Programs umbrella: Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB), Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB), and Qualifying Individual (QI). All three help New Jersey residents who are enrolled in both Medicare and NJ FamilyCare pay for Medicare's premiums and, for QMB specifically, its cost-sharing as well.
| Program | Situation | Monthly income limit |
|---|---|---|
| QMB | Individual | $1,350/mo |
| QMB | Married couple | $1,824/mo |
| SLMB | Individual | $1,616/mo |
| SLMB | Married couple | $2,184/mo |
| QI | Individual | $1,816/mo |
| QI | Married couple | $2,455/mo |
QMB
- Situation
- Individual
- Monthly income limit
- $1,350/mo
QMB
- Situation
- Married couple
- Monthly income limit
- $1,824/mo
SLMB
- Situation
- Individual
- Monthly income limit
- $1,616/mo
SLMB
- Situation
- Married couple
- Monthly income limit
- $2,184/mo
QI
- Situation
- Individual
- Monthly income limit
- $1,816/mo
QI
- Situation
- Married couple
- Monthly income limit
- $2,455/mo
QMB is the most comprehensive tier. In 2026, an individual qualifies with monthly income up to $1,350 and resources up to $9,950; a married couple qualifies up to $1,824/mo in income with $14,910 in countable resources. QMB pays your Part A premium if you owe one, the full Part B premium ($202.90/mo in 2026), and all Medicare deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments — federal law bars any Medicare provider from billing a QMB enrollee for that cost-sharing, regardless of what the provider's own billing system says. SLMB (income up to $1,616/mo individual, $2,184/mo couple) and QI (up to $1,816/mo individual, $2,455/mo couple) use the same resource limits but only cover the Part B premium.
These resource limits are separate from — and more generous than — the $4,000 asset limit New Jersey applies to its own aged, blind, and disabled Medicaid category described above. Apply for a Medicare Savings Program the same way you'd apply for NJ FamilyCare: through NJHelps.gov, by calling the NJ FamilyCare hotline at 1-800-701-0710, or by mailing a paper application to your county Board of Social Services through DMAHS. Note that QI has capped annual federal funding and is awarded first-come, first-served — enrollees must reapply every year.
Anyone enrolled in QMB, SLMB, or QI is automatically enrolled in Extra Help, the federal subsidy that caps Medicare Part D drug copays at no more than $12.65 per covered prescription in 2026 — a meaningful saving layered on top of the premium assistance.
NJ FamilyCare (New Jersey Medicaid)
Visit the official New Jersey Medicaid websiteIncome Limits in Nearby States
Related guides
Income Limits
Current income cutoffs by state and household size, tied to the Federal Poverty Level.
Read more →Spend-Down
How to qualify by deducting medical bills from income that's above the limit.
Read more →QMB Program
What the QMB program covers, what a QMB card proves, and how to apply.
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