-
How Formerly Incarcerated People Access Federal Job Training
Finding stable employment after incarceration is one of the most significant factors in long-term stability, and it is also one of the most difficult challenges returning citizens face. Employers run background checks. Licensing boards exclude applicants with certain convictions. Federal benefit programs restrict access based on conviction history. And yet a parallel set of federal…
-
New Research Shows Most Eligible Adults Skip the Extra Help Program
There is a federal program that eliminates most prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries with low incomes. It covers Part D premiums, deductibles, and copays, reducing what many seniors and disabled adults pay for medications from hundreds of dollars per month to a few dollars per prescription. It has existed since 2006. It is free…
-
Inheritance vs Debt: Which One Wins When Someone Passes Away
One of the most common fears people have when a family member dies in debt is that the debt will pass to them. Collectors sometimes reinforce this fear, contacting surviving family members immediately and implying an obligation to pay. Understanding what the law actually says about debt after death is one of the most practically…
-
LIHEAP vs Local Utility Aid: Which One Covers More
When a utility bill becomes unmanageable, most people know to look for help but are not sure which program to go to first. LIHEAP is the name most people recognize. Local utility assistance programs are less well known but often more flexible. The difference between the two is not simply about which one gives more…
-
How Funeral Bills Qualify for Emergency Financial Aid
The average funeral in the United States costs between $8,000 and $12,000. For a family that was not financially prepared for a loss, that bill arrives at the worst possible moment. What most people do not know is that financial assistance for funeral and burial costs is available from multiple sources, including federal programs, state…
-
Top 10 Bill Assistance Programs That Are Completely Overlooked
Most people searching for help with bills go straight to LIHEAP or their local utility company. Those are solid starting points, but they are not the whole picture. Dozens of programs exist at the federal, state, and nonprofit level that most households never hear about. Some have short application windows. Others are buried inside government…
-
Top 7 Free or Low-Cost Mental Health Programs Most People Miss
Therapy is expensive. A single session with a private therapist runs anywhere from $100 to $300 without insurance. For millions of Americans, that price point puts consistent mental health care completely out of reach. What most people do not realize is that free mental health care exists at multiple levels, from federal programs to community-based…
-
Frequently Asked Questions About Unemployment for Self-Employed Workers
Self-employed workers are one of the most confused groups when it comes to unemployment benefits. The traditional system was not built for them, and for most of American history it simply excluded them. Then the pandemic changed things. New programs opened up, new rules were written, and a lot of self-employed people discovered for the…
-
Top 10 Overlooked Financial Aid Programs for Families Raising Grandchildren
More than 2.5 million grandparents in the United States are raising their grandchildren without the help of the child’s parents. That number has grown steadily over the past decade. What has not grown at the same pace is awareness of the financial support that exists specifically for these families. Most grandparents step into this role…
-
Questions You Should Ask Before Hiring a Credit Repair Company
Credit repair companies do a brisk business targeting people who are frustrated with their credit scores and willing to pay for help. Some of them deliver real value. Others charge hundreds of dollars for work you are fully allowed to do yourself for free. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) receives thousands of complaints about credit…