BOULDER, Colo. – 9th September 2026 – 1F Cash Advance today issued a sourcing and disclosure update that removes unsupported applicant-trend claims from its New Jersey minimum-wage materials and establishes standards for future data-based reports.
The update separates official wage information from company observations and eliminates claims that could not be supported by a defined sample, comparison period, documented locations, or reproducible analysis. No conclusion about changes in application volume or applicant behavior is presented.
“Public wage figures can be verified, but statements about applicant behavior require a documented dataset, clear definitions, and appropriate limitations,” said a spokesperson for 1F Cash Advance. “Where those elements were unavailable, we removed the claim rather than present an inference as a measured trend.”
Verified New Jersey wage information
New Jersey’s Department of Labor and Workforce Development confirmed the following rates effective January 1, 2026:
- $15.92 an hour for most employees.
- $15.23 an hour for employees of small and seasonal employers covered by the separate schedule.
- $14.20 an hour for covered agricultural employees.
- $6.05 an hour as the required cash wage for covered tipped employees. Employers remain responsible for ensuring that wages and tips reach the applicable minimum.
- $18.92 an hour for covered long-term-care direct-care staff.
The state adjusts applicable rates under New Jersey law. Employers and workers should consult current state guidance because coverage may depend on employer type, occupation, and other circumstances.
A $26.20 hourly figure previously described as the amount needed to live comfortably, according to a cost-of-living analysis of the state, is not presented as a universal threshold in the revised material. The MIT Living Wage Calculator estimates basic-needs costs by household composition and location; its figures are estimates, may change, and should be cited with the relevant household assumptions and retrieval date.
Research and sourcing standard
1F Cash Advance did not publish an applicant-trend finding because the underlying records were not structured to support one. Available material lacked a defined sample, consistent observation period, comparison group, and standardized reason-for-inquiry field.
Future applicant-data reports must disclose:
- Sample size and collection dates.
- Geographic scope and how locations are classified.
- Definitions for applications, inquiries, completed referrals, and repeat activity.
- Comparison periods and excluded records.
- Whether responses were prompted, selected from a list, or volunteered.
- Data-quality constraints and limits on broader conclusions.
References to Roseland or any other community will not be used to imply a local trend unless records establish the location, period, and sample. Likewise, the earlier statement that some residents consider payday loans in other states was removed because no documented dataset or cited external source established that behavior.
Consumer-finance disclosure
The review also removed promotional references to installment loans of up to $5,000, rapid proceeds, credit-score thresholds, and application channels. Those statements are not necessary to report New Jersey wage rates and should not appear without complete, product-specific terms and legal review.
1F Cash Advance operates as an online marketing and referral service and is not a lender. It does not make credit decisions or determine a third-party provider’s annual percentage rate, fees, payment schedule, underwriting criteria, or collection practices.
Submission of information does not guarantee referral, approval, proceeds, timing, or any particular terms. Availability depends on the consumer’s jurisdiction, the provider’s criteria, and applicable law. Before accepting an agreement, consumers should review the annual percentage rate, finance charge, total repayment amount, payment dates, late-payment terms, and possible credit-reporting consequences. New Jersey consumers may consult the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance regarding regulated providers and consumer protections.
About 1F Cash Advance
1F Cash Advance, founded in Boulder, Colorado, in 2019, operates an online marketing and referral website that publishes information about consumer-credit options. The company is not a lender and does not make approval or pricing decisions. Consumers should evaluate provider disclosures and applicable state requirements before entering any credit agreement.
Media contact:
Media Relations
1F Cash Advance
info@1firstcashadvance.org
https://1firstcashadvance.org/