These days, regular customers at the store often stop mid-checkout to ask, "Is it too late to apply for Stay NJ?"

At first, I only had a vague idea, but after being asked so many times, I dug into the state treasury website and the news. There are more changes from last year than I expected, so I'm taking some time to sort it out after closing the store.

To get straight to the point, the deadline is November 2, 2026. This is the deadline for the 2025 PAS-1 application.

PAS-1 is a form that allows you to apply for three programs with one application: Anchor, Senior Freeze, and Stay NJ.

Stay NJ is property tax assistance for homeowners aged 65 and older. It's known that you can get back 50% of your property taxes, which has generated a lot of interest.

However, this is where many people get confused. The 50% property tax refund is not guaranteed; there is a cap based on income.

Starting with the 2025 applications, the income limit has been lowered to $200,000. Last year, the limit was $500,000, so this is quite a significant change.

The caps are also divided by income brackets. For incomes under $100,000, the maximum annual amount is $6,500.

For incomes over $100,000 but under $150,000, the maximum is $5,000. For incomes over $150,000 but under $200,000, the maximum is $4,000.

If your income exceeds $200,000, you will not be eligible for Stay NJ. Even those who received it last year may not qualify this year, which is honestly a bit disappointing.

Let's go over the eligibility criteria one by one. Either you or your spouse must be 65 or older during 2025.

Additionally, you must have owned and lived in that home for all 12 months of 2025. If you moved in partway through the year, you may not qualify.

There is also a requirement that the home must be subject to property taxes or PILOT (Payments in Lieu of Taxes). Renters or mobile home owners are not eligible for Stay NJ.

It's also good to know the calculation order. Stay NJ is calculated after Anchor and Senior Freeze, filling in the difference.

So, you can think of it as a structure that combines the three programs to match half of the property tax. If you expect to receive only the Stay NJ amount separately, the calculations won't align.

Payments are issued quarterly by check, four times a year. The 2025 applications being submitted now have approvals for payments in February and May 2027.

The remaining payments for August and November will be confirmed once the 2028 state budget is passed. I was a bit surprised to see this myself.

This time, the additional $250 for homeowners aged 65 and older has been removed from Anchor. You might be confused by the different amounts from last year, so keep that in mind.

Senior Freeze has its own income criteria. For 2024, the income must be below $168,268, and for 2025, it must be below $172,475.

You can apply online at the state property tax relief website (propertytaxrelief.nj.gov). It's also possible to download a paper form and send it by mail.

Homeowners under 65 and most tenants have had their Anchor applications processed automatically. However, homeowners aged 65 and older must submit the PAS-1 themselves.

You can check the status of your application at propertytaxreliefstatus.nj.gov. I recommend checking back about a week or two after submission.

If any documents are missing or information is incorrect, the state may request additional verification. It's a good idea to keep an eye on your mailbox a bit more than usual.

The tip I give to seniors at the store is simple: gather your 2025 property tax bill and income documents in one place ahead of time.

If the English forms are daunting, it's better to get help from your children or others and set aside a day to finish it. The site gets busy right before the deadline, and it can be stressful.

If you're on the edge of an income bracket or have a complicated property title, be sure to check separately. It varies by individual circumstances, so it's safest to confirm with a tax professional or expert.

Everyone knows about the property tax burden in New Jersey. Those living in Bergen County probably sigh every time they receive a bill.

From a business perspective, it's important for local seniors to keep their homes and stay in them for the store to survive. So, this program feels very relevant to us.

While it's unfortunate that the income limit has been lowered, it's still a significant help for those who qualify. I hope no one misses out on receiving assistance just because they miss the deadline.

If it were me, I would gather the documents and submit them online by this weekend. Mark November 2 on your calendar!