Who Qualifies For Government Assistance

Learn About School Meal Programs

Children from qualified households with a low income can get healthy meals or milk.

• Two programs provide free or reduced-price meals at school:

• Theyre enrolled in Head Start

Your children may qualify if your household income is within the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines. These guidelines are based on federal poverty guidelines.

• If your income is no more than 130 percent of the poverty level, they should qualify for free meals.

• If your income is no more than 185 percent of the poverty level, they should qualify for reduced-price meals.

The summer food service program is open to all children and teens 18 and under at locations around the country. Find a site near you.

What Is The Lifeline Assistance Program

Lifeline Assistance is the Federal Communication Commissions long running program designed to provide equal access to phone service for all Americans. It specifically caters to low-income residents who may not otherwise be able to afford a cell phone device or plan. The program entitles those who are eligible to wireless service for $9.25/month. It also applies to internet service, also priced at $9.25/month.

You can read more about the Lifeline program here.

How Much Is The Federal Tax Credit

First and foremost, its important to understand three little words the government slips in front of the $7,500 credit may and up to. As in, youmay qualify for up to $7,500 in federal tax credit for your electric vehicle. At first glance, this credit may sound like a simple flat rate, but that is unfortunately not the case.

For example, if you purchased a Ford F-150 Lightning and owed say, $3,500 in income tax this year, then that is the federal tax credit you would receive. If you owed $10,000 in federal income tax, then you would qualify for the full $7,500 credit.

Its important to note that any unused portion of the $7,500 is not available as a refund, nor as a credit for next years taxes. Bummer.

However, under new terms of the tax deal, you may be able to snag that credit up front at the point of sale of your EV. More on that below.

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Low Income Heating Energy Assistance

LIHEAP is another energy-saving benefits program that focuses on heating and cooling energy costs. Other areas of support include assistance with energy bill payment, energy-related repairs, handling energy crises, and weatherization. To be eligible for this program, you should require assistance with energy bill payments and your household income must fall under a specified limit.

You may get more help about applying to the program by contacting your state-level LIHEAP agency, as mentioned in the following link. You may also contact the toll-free number: 1-866-674-6327

Other Types Of Help If Youre Homeless

Visit Benefits.gov to find out if youre eligible and how to apply for other types of help. This may include financial assistance, transportation, food, counseling, and more.

If you dont have medical insurance, you can use HRSA health centers. They give checkups, treatment when youre sick, pregnancy care, and immunizations for your children.

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What Proof Will I Need To Provide To My Worker

When you are applying for, or getting, help for yourself or for someone else, you will be asked to provide proof of certain things, such as those listed below. Your worker will tell you which of these things you must provide. If you bring proof with you when you first come in to apply for assistance, you may be able to get help sooner.

If you drop documentation off at your local department of social services, you should ask for a receipt to prove what documentation you left. The receipt should have your name, the specific documentation that you dropped off, the time, date, county name and the name of the social services worker who provided the receipt.

If you cannot get the proof you need, ask your worker to help you. If the local department of social services already has proof of the things that do not change, such as your social security number, you do not need to provide them again.

The documents listed above are the most commonly used. This list is not complete because there are other documents you can use.

How Do I Apply For Temporary Assistance

To find out if you are eligible to receive Temporary Assistance, including help with an emergency, you need to file an application with your county Department of Social Services or, if you live in one of the five boroughs of New York City, with your local Job Center.

You can find the location of your online, or by calling the toll-free OTDA Hotline at 1-800-342-3009.

You can apply online at myBenefits.ny.gov or fill out the and file it at your local department of Social Services. You should identify any emergency needs you may have at this time. If you have an emergency, you will be interviewed and told in writing about the decision on your emergency the same day you apply.

For Temporary Assistance, your interview should be within seven working days of your filing an application. You should be told within 30 days of the date you filed your application if your application for Family Assistance is approved or denied, or be told within 45 days of the date you filed your application for Safety Net Assistance if your application is approved or denied.

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Learn About The Childrens Health Insurance Program

If your income is too high for Medicaid, your child may still qualify for the Childrens Health Insurance Program . It covers medical and dental care for uninsured children and teens up to age 19.

Is my child eligible for CHIP?

CHIP qualifications are different in every state. In most cases, they depend on income.

How do I apply for CHIP benefits?

You have two ways to apply for CHIP:

• Fill out an application through the Health Insurance Marketplace.

What else do I need to know about CHIP?

• You can apply for and enroll in Medicaid or CHIP anytime during the year.

• Get information on other common types of health insurance, such as Medicare, and find help paying for medical bills.

Who Qualifies For Student Loan Forgiveness

In August 2022, President Biden announced a plan for student loan forgiveness for up to $20,000 in federal loans per borrower. To receive the maximum forgiveness, a borrower must earn less than $125,000 a year and have received a Pell Grant in college. Those who did not receive a Pell Grant are eligible for $10,000 in forgiveness.

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Assistance For Children With Severe Disabilities

If you are a parent caring for a child with a severe disability, you may be able to receive financial support through the Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities Program.

This program provides financial support for low-income to moderate-income families to cover some of the extra costs of caring for a child who has a severe disability.

You can apply for ACSD:

• by contacting your local office

Get Help With Utility Bills

Need help paying your heating or phone bill? These programs may be able to help:

• The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program helps low-income households cover heating and cooling costs. Grants are issued via states, which receive funding from the Department of Health and Human Services. Each state sets its own eligibility requirements, including income levels.

• The Lifeline program offers discounted phone or internet service. You must meet certain eligibility requirements.

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Your Situation Determines The Amount Of Benefits Granted

The amount of your monthly benefits depends on whether you can work and whether you are single or have a spouse. The amount can range from $690 for a single person who works to $1596 for a couple who are unable to work . The amounts increase slightly each year.

The amount of money you receive is not affected by how many children you have. Social assistance is separate from the Quebec Family Allowance and Canada Child Benefit.

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Hawaii Financial And Snap Benefits Rights And Responsibilities

Who May Receive Financial Aid

To receive financial aid, you must meet the requirements for at least one of the following programs:

Temporary Assistance to Needy Families with Dependent Children

The child must be:

• under the age of 18. If he is 18, he may be eligible until age 19 if he is a full-time student in high school or a vocational or technical training program or an equivalent level.
• living with a relative or foster parent.

The parent or relative must:

• give the department any child support money that the household receives.
• cooperate in locating and obtaining support from the absent parent.
• register each person in the household for Social Security Numbers.
• participate in a work program if required.

Program For the Aged, Blind or Disabled

To be eligible, you must apply for Supplemental Security Income at a Social Security Office. If you are receiving SSI and need more financial help, you may also apply for assistance from the Department.

To be eligible for the Aged, Blind or Disabled Program, you must be:

• 65 years old or older or
• legally blind or

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Get Personalized Help With Your Search

Find a HUD-approved housing counselor in your area online or call to find a local housing counseling agency Housing Counseling Agency: an organization with experts who provide advice on buying a home, renting, avoiding mortgage default and foreclosure, and credit issues.. The counselor may be from a non-profit organization approved to offer advice on housing assistance.

How Does Ssi Work

The SSI program offers monthly payments to cover basic needs such as food, shelter, and clothing. The amount you receive varies, as most states and the District of Columbia may add money to your federal SSI payment only Arizona, Mississippi, North Dakota, and West Virginia are exceptions. Furthermore, in some cases, you may get a smaller amount from SSI because you already receive a pension from previous employment.

The monthly maximum federal amount for SSI is $841 for an individual and $1,261 for an individual with a spouse.

You can apply online for SSI or by phone at 1-800-772-1213. It takes three to five months to get approved for SSI.

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Vita And Tce Tax Filing Assistance Programs

The IRS has two in-person tax assistance programs: the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program and Tax Counseling for the Elderly . Both offer free tax-preparation assistance to qualified individuals. VITA generally applies to you if your income is $57,000 or less, you are disabled, or you have limited English-speaking skills. TCE is for citizens aged 60 or older.

You can find VITA and TCE program sites using either the IRS TCE/VITA locator tool or the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide site locator tool.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, all TCE sites and many VITA sites are closed until further notice. Use the VITA locator tool to find out if a site near you is open.

Prepare Yourself And Your Family

• Make sure your state ID or drivers license is current and available. Shelters and assistance programs may have strict ID requirements.
• If possible, store your belongings. Shelters have limits on how much you may bring.
• Arrange for your mail to be delivered somewhere or talk to your local post office. Many have special services for people who are homeless. You may be able to get a free PO box or receive general delivery service.
• Pack a bag for yourself and each member of your family.
• Keep important documents and needed medications with you.

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How Your Snap Benefits Work

• Your state will issue benefits each month on a plastic electronic benefits transfer card. Much like a credit or debit card, you can use your EBT card to buy eligible food items. You must buy them from:

What help is available through Medicaid?

Medicaid provides free or low-cost medical benefits to eligible:

• Adults with a low income
• People who are age 65 or over
• People with disabilities

Am I eligible for Medicaid?

Check with your states Medicaid office to see if you or your family members are eligible for benefits. In general, it depends on at least one or a combination of:

• Number of people in your family
• If you are pregnant or have a disability

How do I apply for Medicaid?

There are two ways to apply for Medicaid:

• Contact your state Medicaid agency. You must be a resident of the state where you are applying for benefits.
• Fill out an application through the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Federal Pell Grant Program

The Department of Education runs the Federal Pell Grant Program to promote postsecondary education for students from low-income households. Grants are similar to scholarships and dont need to be repaid. 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. In 2017, there were approximately 4,800 participating postsecondary institutions and grants were awarded for amounts between $592 and $5,920, with the average award totaling $4,050 per recipient.

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Its All About You We Want To Help You Make The Right Legal Decisions

We strive to help you make confident insurance and legal decisions. Finding trusted and reliable insurance quotes and legal advice should be easy. This doesnt influence our content. Our opinions are our own.

Government assistance for nursing home care, usually referred to as Medicaid in most states, or Medi-Cal in California, is a combination of state and federal aid provided to qualified state residents. Requirements vary somewhat from state to state, but most require a single individual to have no more than about $2,000 in cash and other resources before they can get benefits.

Certain assets, such as a home, a car, and some trusts are not included in this amount, so you will not lose where you live in order to qualify, and married couples are allowed additional resources. Under the qualification rules, an individual must spend virtually all his or her income on nursing home care.

Spend-Down Rules

Medicaid allows you to reduce or spend down your assets to reach the qualification level of $2,000 by paying off debt, making home modifications, buying a car and prepaying funeral expenses. Other methods of reducing your assets, however, such as giving gifts, transferring property and creating certain annuities, can trigger a penalty or disqualification for benefits if done too close in time to your application, or in too great an amount.

Disposing of the Assets.

Examples

Can I Get Help For A Mental Health Crisis

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK can connect you with a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area, anytime 24/7. If you need help for a mental health crisis or are having suicidal thoughts, please call them.

You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line for 24/7 crisis interventions. Crisis Text Line uses a network of over 1,500 crisis counselor, all of whom have completed 34 hours of training on reflective listening, collaborative problem solving and crisis management.

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What You Could Get

Ontario Works offers:

• money to help you and your eligible family members with living expenses, including food, and rent
• health benefits for you and your eligible family members
• employment supports to help you find and keep a job

If you are eligible for Ontario Works, the amount of money you get will depend on your specific situation. In most cases, you must participate in employment-related activities to receive financial help.

You could receive up to $733 a month for basic needs and shelter if you are single.

You may receive more than this for:

Aca Health Insurance Marketplace

Healthcare.gov is home to the Health Insurance Marketplace, created by the Affordable Care Act , an Obama administration program designed to provide affordable health insurance to uninsured Americans. Anyone who doesnt have health insurance can obtain coverage through the Marketplace. Those who fall below certain income limits can receive subsidies that lower the cost of coverage.

The Marketplace normally has an annual enrollment period to obtain or change coverage. However, as part of President Bidens response to the coronavirus pandemic, there was a special enrollment period from Feb. 15, 2021, to May 15, 2021, during which any individual could obtain coverage through the Marketplace. Furthermore, they may be able to receive a special tax credit, which would lower the plans premium.

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