NJ Property Tax Rebate Checks Slashed: See By How Much

Many New Jersey residents are finding their third Stay NJ payment in the mail this week. But some seniors may be surprised to see it's less than the previous two so far this year. Less by half, in fact.

The slashing comes after the state passed a record-high, $60.7 billion budget in July. While the spending plan accounts for the largest amount of tax relief in history, major changes were made to Stay NJ.

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Stay NJ was introduced in 2025 to help senior citizens with tax relief, with the purpose of encouraging them to stay in the Garden State upon retiring.

The changes passed in July not only change the amount paid and eligibility requirements with regard to Stay NJ in the future, but they also cut the amount residents can receive in 2024 relief.

More: These NJ Homeowners Are Getting A Bigger Property Tax Rebate

For instance, those who received $600 in their last Stay NJ payment can expect a $300 check in August.

The fourth and final installment of 2024 Stay NJ relief is expected to arrive in December, and will likely again be half of what the first two checks were.

In the future, under the newly adopted budget, residents who qualify for Stay NJ will still be able to see a maximum benefit of $6,500. However, the income qualifier ceiling has dropped from $500,000 to $200,000, meaning that those who make more than that will not be eligible for any Stay NJ relief.

In other words, those making up to $150,000 will qualify for up to $5,000 in Stay NJ benefits, and those making up to $200,000 will qualify for up to $4,000. Eligible residents who bring home less than $100,000 in 2026 would qualify for the full $6,500 relief.

Applications for property tax relief are available now. Seniors can apply via the PAS-1, a combined application which allows users to apply for ANCHOR, Stay NJ, and Senior Freeze all in one go. Even if you aren't eligible for all three programs, you can still apply via this application.

Those who are only eligible for ANCHOR (non-seniors) can now apply for that tax relief. Click here to learn more.

The deadline to file for 2025 property tax relief is Nov. 2.

Those looking for help in filing property tax relief applications can attend one of the Division of Taxation's several assistance events across the state. Click here to find one near you.