NJ Updates: Events, Deadlines, Programs, Guidance, and More

Need help with your rent? The State Rental Assistance Program will accept pre-applications for the rental assistance waitlist from Monday, January 13, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. through Friday, January 31, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. 

Applicants must be at least 18 years old (or an emancipated minor) and must be New Jersey residents to apply. 6,000 eligible households will be selected through a lottery system and placed on a waiting list to be eligible to receive vouchers as they become available.

New Jersey's statewide minimum wage will increase by $0.36 to $15.49 per hour for most employees on January 1, 2025. Employees of small or seasonal businesses, direct care staffers at long term care facilities, tipped workers, and agricultural employees are subject to a different minimum wage scale.

If you are a New Jersey resident and you do not have health coverage through an employer or other programs, such as Medicare or Medicaid, you have two weeks left to enroll for coverage that starts January 1, 2025.

Nine in 10 people who enroll through Get Covered New Jersey qualify for financial assistance with health insurance premiums, and many pay $10 per month or less.

Quickly find quality, affordable health coverage with the Get Covered New Jersey Shop and Compare tool. Find out in minutes whether you are eligible for financial help. All you need is your zip code, birth date, and income.

Start 2025 anew with health insurance coverage. Get covered today.

The Open Enrollment Period for 2025 coverage at Get Covered New Jersey runs until January 31, 2025. Consumers must enroll by December 31, 2024 for coverage starting January 1, 2025; if they enroll by January 31, 2025, coverage will begin February 1, 2025.

Happy Holidays from NJ.gov!

Parents, relatives, and even friends can give the gift of a brighter future this holiday season by opening an NJBEST 529 College Savings Plan to help save for a child's education expenses. Benefits of this plan include:

• Matching Grant: Residents with adjusted gross incomes (AGIs) of $75,000 or less may be eligible for a one-time match of up to $750 of their initial NJBEST deposit.
• Tax Deduction: Taxpayers with AGIs of $200,000 or less may qualify for a State income tax deduction for NJBEST contributions of up to $10,000 per year.
• Scholarship Opportunity: Beneficiaries who attend a New Jersey college or university may be eligible for a scholarship of up to $6,000, depending on how long the NJBEST plan has been open and how much was deposited into it.

Visit NJBEST.com to learn more and get started today.

Though recent rainfall has allowed for the lifting of fire restrictions, New Jersey remains under a drought warning due to unusually low precipitation. New Jerseyans are urged to conserve water to help manage the State's water supplies.