What kind of assistance can i get

Families who receive TANF must get a job within two years and can only receive this benefit for five years or less in some states. Earned Income Tax Credit is a tax credit for families with at least one child. EITC lifted 6. Head Start is a free or reduced cost program that provides comprehensive early childhood education, health nutrition, and parent involvement services. This program is offered to low-income children, from birth to 5 years old, and their families.

In the program serviced nearly 1 million children and 1. The Department of Education runs the Federal Pell Grant Program to promote postsecondary education college and trade school for students from low-income households. They are designed to go to undergraduate students based on factors such as the cost of attendance at the school and expected family and student contribution.

Each state operates its own unemployment benefits program. These programs pay a cash amount if you lose your job through no fault of your own. Some states also provide extended unemployment benefits when there is high unemployment, meaning you can collect on your unemployment insurance for 13 weeks.

You can apply for an extension once your regular unemployment benefits run out. Although the details for how to apply and qualify vary by state. And remember, you must report all unemployment benefits you received in a given calendar year as income when you file your taxes for that year.

In addition to unemployment benefits through your state, the federal and state government work together to provide all kinds of unemployment help and job training programs. Department of Labor.

These include retraining programs to apprenticeship programs to vocational skills programs to special programs for farm workers, refugees older Americans still in the workforce, and Native Americans.

You can learn about all of these different programs and what you might be able to apply for at the U. The U. Department of Labor also provides self-employment assistance , designed to enable those who are currently unemployed to start their own businesses. In these programs, instead of collecting unemployment insurance benefits, those currently unemployed may instead receive a weekly allowance which they can use towards starting their new business. This will enable you to shop and enroll in a Marketplace Obamacare plan outside of the standard Open Enrollment Period.

If you want to learn more about whether you qualify for an SEP and want advice on how to best shop for an Obamacare plan, the HealthSherpa Consumer Advocate can help. If you need health insurance, give our Consumer Advocates a call at There are a number of government programs available to help defer the costs of utility bills. The Lifeline program run by the Federal Communications Commission FCC helps low-income individuals and families get discounted landline and cell phone service.

Subscribers can receive a Lifeline discount on either a wireline or a wireless service, and you can get one Lifeline service per household. Lifeline is available to eligible low-income consumers in every state, commonwealth, territory, and on Tribal lands. You can check online to see what providers offer Lifeline services in your area and see if and what kind of benefits you might qualify for.

Although the program does not pay for sewage or water bills, it can help subsidize your energy bills and help get those bills down through weatherization improvements to make your home more energy efficient. So, just because you qualify for LIHEAP does not guarantee that you will receive help due to a limited number of funds available for this kind of assistance.

Though there are many excellent government assistance programs out there, there are even more fraudulent scams designed to take advantage of low-income people in need of help. If you are contacted by someone promising a grant or loan through the government to help off-set your costs, this is very likely a scam. If someone contacts you and says you have been awarded a government grant, that you won a drawing for a government grant, or a number of other claims promising you a block of money in the form of a government loan or grant, collect all the information you can from the person and do not give out any information of your own.

These kinds of statements are more often tied to scams meant to harm people, and are not actually affiliated with the federal government. Again, do not give your personal information, including your social security number, bank account numbers, birth date, or any other personal details, to anyone contacting you about a grant or loan.

If you need help for a mental health crisis or are having suicidal thoughts, please call them. Crisis Text Line uses a network of over 1, crisis counselor, all of whom have completed 34 hours of training on reflective listening, collaborative problem solving and crisis management. If you or your family are in need of assistance, visit the organization to find out if you are eligible for each benefit.

For questions about the Affordable Care Act, health insurance, or to enroll in a Marketplace healthcare plan, HealthSherpa is available to help. Get health insurance help at I am a senior with low month s. What programs are available to receive help? Social workers are the primary resources to assist with finding programs that might help you reduce living costs.

I read an article recently that Habitat For Humanities can sometimes help low income Seniors with home repairs. Depending on where you live, you should do an online search to contact your local office. Good Luck to you, Judith.

Im a senior with a very low income ssi. Very hot lately. Is there a way I can get help in adding on a small quest room so I can earn money to pay my bills. Thank you. I am on snap and the card has been stopped several times and I had to pay with. I am a senior on fixed income from social security. I have and Emotional Support pet fwith letter and looking for place to live.

What help is available to me? Am 60 years old with a fixed income monthly my electricity has been disconnected I have tried human resources no help available so my lights will off for They are reaching out With some serious questions and who is supposed to be helping them??

Hello Anna, could you give me some more info of the program that helped you? My mother in law is on disability and they are needing help getting into a home. Her husband was a truck driver until a couple weeks ago he hurt his back and had major surgery.

I happen to come across your comment. Thank the Lord he goes to work and pays a crazy amount for a weekly place but I am on disability and have incredible health and mental health issues.

I want to get back into a home any help would mean the world. I have been trying everything. Phone calls emails nothing yet. I have a friend currently applying for disability benefits. He is currently not working and has no plans to work. He applied for food stamps and was unable to complete all the documents needed in our to receive any benefits being that it was during Mardi Gras and the documentation that was requested could not be obtained. We could not get in touch the the appropriate people to get the documents needed to move forward with the application.

Can he re-apply again. I am his friend and he lives in an apartment I have behind my home. I am helping him out with his food situation right now but on the norm he buys and prepares his own meals. It is beginning to be a struggle for me.

I have also allowed him to live there in the apt rent free until his disability benefits start coming. Of course he plans to pay back some of the rent that he has been unable to pay me due to no income at the moment. I grew up with this person and I feel i need to help him out during this rough time. He has no family here to help him. How can he get food stamps without having to jump through hoops while waiting for disability benefits so he can at least buy his own food and prepare his own meals as he use to.

SSI cash benefits are paid out monthly and are intended to cover basic needs like food, housing and clothing. SSI is different from Social Security, which determines eligibility based on your work history.

Some people who are eligible for SSI might also be eligible for Social Security benefits, but they're different programs. You can take a short quiz on the Social Security Administration website to find out if you meet eligibility requirements for SSI.

TANF is a program focused on helping to support eligible families with a monthly cash payment to cover basic needs. There are usually limits on how long you can get the payments rules vary by state , so make sure you have a plan in place to make ends meet. Like many other assistance programs, you'll need to look up the state you live in to see the list of eligibility requirements and apply locally. The child tax credit is a tax benefit that helps people support their families.

The updated child tax program also includes an advance of the tax credit, paid out on a monthly basis to eligible families with children younger than 18 years of age in You can check to see if you're enrolled to receive payments on the IRS website. EITC provides some relief for low- to moderate-income workers and families. At tax time, you apply the credit directly toward your tax bill, and if you're eligible, you'll likely get a refund.

You can check to see if you qualify by using this tool on the IRS website. To get SNAP benefits, you'll need to apply through your state's program. Each state has a different application form and process, and you'll have to meet certain requirements like income limits.

Additionally, there may be rules about how long you can receive SNAP that vary by state. Medical Benefits If your income is low and you need help with medical costs for you or your family, you might be eligible for additional programs focused on meeting the health needs of Americans with limited income. There are many government benefit programs, and all of them have their own requirements you need to meet. For example, there may be requirements that have to do with citizenship status, family size or income.

Luckily, a lot of programs require many of the same types of documents—government-issued photo IDs, passports, employment authorization cards and pay stubs, for instance. Check with your state agency's local office to confirm your eligibility. You can also get a sense of whether you'll qualify or not by doing your research ahead of time. What to Watch Out For One note of caution: Despite what you may have heard, the government doesn't give out loans or grants directly to citizens.

Don't share your personal or financial information with anyone claiming otherwise. It can seem like a hassle to go through the official channels for government benefits, but it will save you a lot of trouble in the future. The Bottom Line If you're struggling financially, it's important to know what options are available to you.

The federal government offers a wide variety of assistance programs geared toward helping those in need with the basic necessities—from food and housing to medical care. There's no shame in reaching out for assistance when times get tough. Most government assistance programs have time limits on them, so being proactive about your financial situation and planning ahead can help you build a solid foundation, no matter what season of life you're in.

The federal government provided relief for unemployed individuals during the pandemic through three special programs:. All three of these programs officially expired on Sept. Eligible individuals may still qualify for unemployment claims as long as they are still unemployed and are within the first 26 weeks of their UI benefits. Source: U.

Department of Labor and CareerOneStop. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families TANF , also known as welfare , is another federally funded, state-run benefits program designed to help families achieve independence following temporary difficulty. Qualified recipients may receive help with food, housing, home energy, childcare, and job training. TANF recipients must engage in some type of work activity as defined by their state. Each state runs its own TANF program and determines eligibility criteria.

To sign up for benefits, you can apply at your local county social services agency or call your state TANF office for local contact information.

Qualifying for TANF does not disqualify you for other government benefits. Social Security Disability Insurance benefits are paid to people who cannot work for at least one year due to a medical condition or who are expected to die from that condition. To be eligible, you must:. The Social Security Disability Planner helps you determine if you are eligible. If you believe you qualify, you can apply online.

SSI consists of a monthly payment to help with the cost of food, clothing, and shelter and can let you qualify for Medicaid coverage as well as food stamps. SSI qualification requirements, which are spelled out on the SSI eligibility webpage , generally require you to be 65 or older, and blind or disabled.

You must also:. Source: Social Security Administration. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid FAFSA is the government access point for all forms of student financial aid, including grants and scholarships, student loans, and work-study programs. These programs provide financial help to college students with demonstrated financial needs. Eligibility is based on:. Additional requirements can be found on the Federal Student Aid webpage.

Due to the COVID pandemic, student loan payments, including principal and interest, on federally held student loans were automatically suspended through Sept. This was further extended by President Joe Biden until Jan. However, the suspension only applies to federal student loans held by the Department of Education. The Department of Education also stopped the collection of defaulted federal student loans.

This applies to loans in nonpayment. As a result, garnishment of wages and any offset of tax refunds and Social Security benefits have also been stopped through Jan. The American Rescue Plan passed by Congress and signed by President Biden in March includes a provision that makes all student loan forgiveness from Jan. Your household is eligible if at least one member meets one of the following criteria:.

To apply, do one of the following:. There are three forms of subsidized rental housing: privately owned subsidized housing, the housing choice voucher HCV program formerly Section 8 , and U. With privately-owned housing, you find the housing you want and apply for it at the rental office.

You can search for housing at Resources. With HCV, you find your own apartment or house, and then the government pays the amount for which you qualify while you pay the difference. Wait times for both HCV and public housing programs may be long, depending on where you are applying. To be eligible for privately owned subsidized housing, you must:. To be eligible for housing choice or HUD public housing, you must:.

As noted above, apply for privately owned housing at the rental office. For the other two programs:. The table below compares all three housing programs and the requirements for each. Source: USA. HUD has several programs designed to help you purchase a home if you qualify for them. One part of HUD, known as the Federal Housing Administration FHA , insures mortgages, which makes it easier for buyers to become homeowners thanks to less strict eligibility requirements.

The program is popular with first-time homebuyers but not limited to them. Eligibility for an FHA loan depends in part on your ability to post a down payment of 3. You must also make sure the home is priced within the loan limit for an FHA home in its location. The HUD homeownership voucher program lets low-income families in the HCV program, including those in public housing, use their vouchers to meet monthly mortgage payments and other expenses when buying a home for the first time.

The Department of Veterans Affairs VA offers home loan programs to active-duty service members, surviving spouses, and veterans. VA loans are provided by private lenders, with the VA guaranteeing a significant portion of the loan. Mortgage lending discrimination is illegal. If you think you've been discriminated against based on race, religion, sex, marital status, use of public assistance, national origin, disability, or age, there are steps you can take.

In addition to housing programs administered by the federal government, state housing finance agencies and state HUD offices offer special programs as well. HUD also funds counseling agencies nationwide that give advice on topics related to housing, including buying a home. This table compares basic eligibility requirements for various government homeownership programs, including FICO credit score and debt-to-income ratio requirements.

Department of Veterans Affairs. On Aug. If you are facing eviction as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, help in the form of rental assistance is available provided you can obtain it in time now that the federal eviction moratorium has ended. Homeowners facing foreclosure can get help as well.

Some programs, such as those established through the American Rescue Plan Act, are specific to the coronavirus emergency. Others have been around, including many available at state and local levels.

If your mortgage is backed by a government program, a moratorium on foreclosures and evictions has been put into place for those impacted by COVID The mortgage payment forbearance enrollment window closed on June 30, The Biden administration extended this window one more time until Sept. REO properties are bank-owned properties that were seized as a result of default. The expiration date for the foreclosure moratorium of VA loans from the Department of Veterans Affairs was also extended once more through Sept.

From emergency food needs to ongoing nutrition assistance, the federal government, in partnership with states, offers free and low-cost food programs for families and individuals. Some programs have changed the rules during the coronavirus emergency. The hotline, which will connect you with emergency food providers, government programs, and social service agencies, operates Monday through Friday from a. Eastern Time. SNAP no longer officially called food stamps helps needy families supplement their food budget in order to move toward self-sufficiency.

Eligibility is determined by individual states that administer the program. You apply in the state where you live by contacting your state agency.