Stay NJ Payment Schedule: Quarterly Installments
Stay NJ pays in four quarterly installments — February, May, August, and November 2026 for the 2024 benefit year. 2025-year payments are expected from February 2027.
Quick answer
When does Stay NJ pay?
Stay NJ pays in four equal quarterly installments. For the program’s first benefit year (2024), installments were issued around February 15, May 15, August 15, and November 15, 2026. Payments for the 2025 benefit year — the PAS-1 you file by November 2, 2026 — are expected to begin around February 2027, subject to state budget appropriations.
Key takeaways
- Four equal installments per benefit year — roughly February 15, May 15, August 15, November 15 — timed near quarterly property tax due dates.
- The 2024 benefit year’s August 15 and November 15, 2026 installments are still ahead as of this writing.
- 2025-year payments (from the current PAS-1 season) are expected to start February 2027, pending budget appropriations.
- Stay NJ pays about a year behind the benefit year — that lag is by design, not a delay in your application.
- Direct deposit set on your PAS-1 applies to every installment; checks add mail time each quarter.
On this page
The installment calendar
| Benefit year | Application | Installments |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 (first ever) | 2024 PAS-1 (filed 2025) | ~Feb 15, May 15, Aug 15, Nov 15, 2026 |
| 2025 (current season) | 2025 PAS-1 — due Nov 2, 2026 | Expected from ~Feb 2027, then quarterly (subject to appropriations) |
Each installment is one quarter of your annual benefit: a $4,000 Stay NJ benefit arrives as four payments of $1,000. The quarterly rhythm intentionally mirrors New Jersey’s property tax quarters (due February 1, May 1, August 1, November 1), so relief lands roughly when bills do.
Direct deposit vs. check, every quarter
- Direct deposit: chosen once on your online PAS-1, applies to all four installments — each lands within days of the issue date.
- Paper checks:mailed each quarter; add 1–3 weeks per installment, four times a year. If you’re on paper, this is the strongest argument for switching to online filing next season.
Changed banks or moved mid-cycle? Update your details with the Division (1-800-323-4400 automated, or the property tax relief hotline at 1-888-238-1233) before the next installment date — returned payments re-queue for reissue and can skip a cycle.
Approved mid-cycle? Here's what happens
Applications approved after the first installment date don’t lose money — missed installments are caught up. In the 2024-year cycle, homeowners approved after February received their February portion combined with a later payment. Expect the same pattern for 2025-year payments: approval in, say, May 2027 would deliver the February+May portions together, then normal quarterly payments after.
If an installment date passes with no payment and no catch-up, check your Stay NJ status — a review hold or a returned payment is the usual cause.
The appropriations caveat, honestly
Stay NJ payments depend on the legislature funding the program in each state budget. The first cycle was funded and paid on schedule in 2026; the Treasury frames future cycles as “subject to appropriations.” That’s standard language — but with a program this new and this expensive, dates can move with budget politics.
We track every confirmed funding decision and schedule change in Stay NJ program changes and post timely items in updates — check there before assuming a missed date means a problem with your application.
Frequently asked questions
What are the remaining Stay NJ payment dates in 2026?
For the 2024 benefit year: installments around August 15 and November 15, 2026. The next new cycle (2025 benefit year) is expected to begin around February 2027.
Why is Stay NJ quarterly when ANCHOR is one payment?
The Stay NJ Act deliberately splits the benefit to align with quarterly property tax due dates — smoothing cash flow for seniors instead of one lump sum. ANCHOR and the Senior Freeze remain single annual payments.
I filed my PAS-1 in July 2026. When will my Stay NJ money arrive?
Your filing covers the 2025 benefit year, so expect the first quarterly installment around February 2027 (subject to appropriations) — while the same filing pays your Senior Freeze by December 1, 2026 and ANCHOR in the fall of 2026.
Are Stay NJ installments taxable?
Not by New Jersey — property tax relief benefits aren’t NJ taxable income. Federally, tax treatment can depend on whether you itemize and deduct property taxes; if you itemize, talk to your tax preparer about the recovery rules.
Sources
This guide was fact-checked against the following official sources:
- Stay NJ — Property Tax Relief for Senior Citizens — NJ Division of Taxation
- NJ Treasury News — NJ Department of the Treasury
- Property Tax Relief Programs — NJ Division of Taxation
Last reviewed · See our editorial policy for how guides are fact-checked and corrected.
What changed on this page
- — Initial publication: 2024-year quarterly installments (Feb/May/Aug/Nov 2026) and expected February 2027 start for 2025-year payments, verified against NJ Division of Taxation and Treasury announcements.
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NJ Programs Editorial Team · Research & Editorial
The editorial team researches, writes, and maintains every guide on this site, checking each fact against official NJ Division of Taxation publications before and after publication.