The official-help directory.

The federal government's plain-language index of benefit programs (successor to Benefits.gov) — food, housing, health, cash, disability.

Who: Everyone; it's a directory.

One free, confidential call or website connecting you to local help: food, rent, utilities, shelter, childcare, crisis support. Available across most of the United States, in many languages, usually 24/7.

Who: Everyone. No eligibility — it's a navigator, not a benefit.

ZIP-code search across food, housing, transit, care and legal programs — the widest local-program index outside 211.

Who: Everyone; it's a directory.

Temporary monthly cash help for very-low-income families with children, plus work-support services. Amounts and rules vary widely by state.

Who: Families with children under strict state income limits. You may qualify depending on income, household size, disability status, age, location, and other factors. Programs and rules change by state and year — the official link is the authority.

County-level agencies bundling emergency funds, utility help, weatherization, job programs, childcare and more under one roof.

Who: Varies by program; the intake call sorts it.

Monthly grocery money on an EBT card, usable at most grocery stores and many farmers markets.

Who: Households under state income limits — many WORKING households qualify. You may qualify depending on income, household size, disability status, age, location, and other factors. Programs and rules change by state and year — the official link is the authority.

Specific healthy foods, infant formula, breastfeeding support and nutrition help for pregnant/postpartum parents and children under 5.

Who: Pregnant, postpartum, and young families under income limits (higher than many expect; automatic if on SNAP/Medicaid in most states). You may qualify depending on income, household size, disability status, age, location, and other factors. Programs and rules change by state and year — the official link is the authority.

Free or reduced-price breakfast and lunch at school; many districts now serve all students free under community eligibility.

Who: Families under income limits — one form at the school office. You may qualify depending on income, household size, disability status, age, location, and other factors. Programs and rules change by state and year — the official link is the authority.

Free groceries — often including fresh produce — at pantries in effectively every US county. Most ask at most a name and household size.

Who: Anyone in need. First visits rarely require documents.

Help paying rent: housing choice vouchers (Section 8), public housing and subsidized buildings through local public housing agencies. Waitlists are real; getting ON them early is the strategy.

Who: Income-based, varies by area. You may qualify depending on income, household size, disability status, age, location, and other factors. Programs and rules change by state and year — the official link is the authority.

Free or low-cost advice on eviction, foreclosure, buying, and renting — the legitimate version of every 'housing rescue' ad.

Who: Everyone.

Free civil legal help — evictions, benefits denials, debt lawsuits, family matters — for people who qualify by income.

Who: Income-qualified. You may qualify depending on income, household size, disability status, age, location, and other factors. Programs and rules change by state and year — the official link is the authority.

Help paying heating/cooling bills, crisis help at shutoff, and some weatherization. Seasonal funds — apply early.

Who: Income-qualified households. You may qualify depending on income, household size, disability status, age, location, and other factors. Programs and rules change by state and year — the official link is the authority.

Free home energy upgrades (insulation, sealing, furnace work) that cut bills permanently for income-qualified households.

Who: Income-qualified; priority for seniors, disability, kids. You may qualify depending on income, household size, disability status, age, location, and other factors. Programs and rules change by state and year — the official link is the authority.

Monthly discount on phone or internet service for qualifying households — a working number is job-search infrastructure.

Who: Income-based or via SNAP/Medicaid/SSI enrollment. You may qualify depending on income, household size, disability status, age, location, and other factors. Programs and rules change by state and year — the official link is the authority.

Free or very-low-cost health coverage. In many states, coverage can be retroactive up to three months before you applied.

Who: Income-based; expanded in most states. Apply any time of year — job loss and income drops are exactly when to (re)apply. You may qualify depending on income, household size, disability status, age, location, and other factors. Programs and rules change by state and year — the official link is the authority.

Low-cost health coverage for children in families that earn too much for Medicaid but can't afford private insurance.

Who: Children (and pregnant people in some states) under state limits. You may qualify depending on income, household size, disability status, age, location, and other factors. Programs and rules change by state and year — the official link is the authority.

Health plans with income-based subsidies. Losing a job or coverage opens a special enrollment period outside the annual window.

Who: US residents without affordable employer coverage. You may qualify depending on income, household size, disability status, age, location, and other factors. Programs and rules change by state and year — the official link is the authority.

Medical, dental and mental-health care priced on a sliding scale down to $0, insurance or not. Federally funded, in most communities.

Who: Everyone; fees scale with income.

Call or text 988 for free, confidential mental-health crisis support, 24/7. Money crises are health crises too.

Who: Everyone.

Free local job centers: search help, resume workshops, training money (WIOA), and apprenticeship connections.

Who: Everyone; extra programs for laid-off workers and youth.

Temporary weekly income after losing work through no fault of your own. Benefits start from FILING date — apply the same week.

Who: Recent workers meeting state earnings rules; some part-time and reduced-hours situations qualify. You may qualify depending on income, household size, disability status, age, location, and other factors. Programs and rules change by state and year — the official link is the authority.

Monthly cash for people with very low income AND low assets who are 65+, blind, or disabled — separate from SSDI and no work history required.

Who: Strict income/asset limits. You may qualify depending on income, household size, disability status, age, location, and other factors. Programs and rules change by state and year — the official link is the authority.

Monthly benefits for people unable to work due to disability, based on prior work credits. Denials are common; appeals succeed regularly — deadlines matter.

Who: Workers with qualifying disability and work history. You may qualify depending on income, household size, disability status, age, location, and other factors. Programs and rules change by state and year — the official link is the authority.

Connects older adults and caregivers to local aging services: meals, transport, in-home help, benefits counseling (and SHIP for Medicare help).

Who: Older adults and caregivers.

Retirement, survivors and family benefits based on work history.

Who: Workers with enough credits, their spouses/survivors/children. You may qualify depending on income, household size, disability status, age, location, and other factors. Programs and rules change by state and year — the official link is the authority.

Health care, disability compensation, pensions, home loans, education and homelessness programs for veterans and some family members.

Who: Veterans and eligible family. You may qualify depending on income, household size, disability status, age, location, and other factors. Programs and rules change by state and year — the official link is the authority.

State childcare subsidies, Head Start (free preschool + services for low-income families), and how to find licensed care.

Who: Income-based; Head Start also weighs need factors. You may qualify depending on income, household size, disability status, age, location, and other factors. Programs and rules change by state and year — the official link is the authority.

One free, confidential call or website connecting you to local help: food, rent, utilities, shelter, childcare, crisis support. Available across most of the United States, in many languages, usually 24/7.

Who: Everyone. No eligibility — it's a navigator, not a benefit.

IRS-certified volunteers prepare and file taxes free — and claim credits like the EITC, which can be worth thousands. Past years can be filed too.

Who: Generally lower/moderate incomes, disabilities, limited English, 60+. You may qualify depending on income, household size, disability status, age, location, and other factors. Programs and rules change by state and year — the official link is the authority.

Free civil legal help — evictions, benefits denials, debt lawsuits, family matters — for people who qualify by income.

Who: Income-qualified. You may qualify depending on income, household size, disability status, age, location, and other factors. Programs and rules change by state and year — the official link is the authority.

States hold billions in forgotten deposits, refunds, wages and accounts. Searching your name is free; claims are free. Never pay a 'finder.'

Who: Anyone — search every state you've lived in.

1-800-799-7233 (call), text START to 88788, or chat online. Safety planning includes financial safety planning.

Who: Everyone. Financial abuse counts.

Federal help after declared disasters: housing, repairs, some expenses.

Who: Residents of declared-disaster areas. You may qualify depending on income, household size, disability status, age, location, and other factors. Programs and rules change by state and year — the official link is the authority.

Free full-picture money and debt counseling from the nonprofit network; can set up debt management plans with creditor-negotiated rates.

Who: Everyone; the review is free.

The federal consumer bureau's tools, sample letters, complaint system and counselor finders.

Who: Everyone.

Your full credit reports from all three bureaus, free (now weekly). The ONLY federally authorized source — imitators charge.

Who: Everyone.

Report scams and fraud; the FTC's consumer site also documents every current scam pattern.

Who: Everyone.

Registered apprenticeships by state and trade — paid from day one, credential at the end.

Who: Everyone; some programs have age/education requirements.

The federal government's own job board — real listings, transparent pay scales.

Who: Everyone; veterans get preference points.

Screens older adults for thousands of benefit programs — food, medicine, utilities — in one questionnaire.

Who: Adults 55+ and caregivers.

Official Medicare enrollment and the free State Health Insurance assistance Program counselors who untangle plan choices.

Who: 65+ and qualifying disabilities.

Dial 988 then press 1, or text 838255 — 24/7 crisis support for veterans and families.

Who: Veterans, service members, families.

Free guided federal filing for most incomes via IRS-partnered software; Free File Fillable Forms for everyone else.

Who: Income-capped for guided software (limit set yearly by the IRS).

Free tax preparation focused on 50+ and lower incomes — the country's largest volunteer tax service.

Who: Everyone; focus on 50+ / moderate incomes.

Searches many states' unclaimed-property databases at once; claims route to the official state sites, free.

Who: Everyone — search every state you've lived in.

Finds local accessible-transportation programs for older adults and people with disabilities.

Who: Older adults, disabilities, caregivers.

Map-based search for affordable housing, public housing agencies and HUD field offices.

Who: Everyone.

Your earnings record, benefit estimates and claims — the official account portal.

Who: Everyone with a work history.