Start here: which guide fits your situation?
Pick the line that sounds most like you. Each opens a full step-by-step guide.
I need money urgentlyNeed money urgently? Where to find emergency financial helpOne-time emergency help.I lost my jobHow to file for unemployment benefits after losing your jobFile for unemployment this week.I cannot work because of a disabilityHow to apply for Social Security disability (SSDI)SSDI and SSI disability benefits.I have children and very low incomeHow to apply for TANF cash assistance for familiesCash assistance for families.I want my tax refund and creditsFree tax filing help near you: VITA and TCEFree tax filing, EITC and Child Tax Credit.I am overwhelmed by debtOverwhelmed by debt? Free nonprofit credit counselling and your optionsFree nonprofit credit counselling.I need a lawyer but cannot payHow to get a free lawyer for eviction, benefits, debt or family problemsFree civil legal aid.My benefits were deniedBenefits denied? How to appeal Medicaid, TANF, SSI, unemployment and moreHow to appeal any benefit.
Step-by-step guides in this topic
Each guide answers one specific question in depth.
How to apply for TANF cash assistance for familiesApply for TANF through your state's social services or human services agency, usually on the same application as Medicaid and, in many states,…Read the guide →How to file for unemployment benefits after losing your jobFile for unemployment with your state's unemployment insurance agency - usually online - the same week you lose your job. You generally qualify if…Read the guide →How to apply for SSI if you are older, blind or disabled with low incomeApply for SSI through the Social Security Administration online (for some applicants), by phone at 1-800-772-1213, or at a local office. You must…Read the guide →How to apply for Social Security disability (SSDI)Apply for SSDI with the Social Security Administration online, by phone at 1-800-772-1213, or in person. You need enough recent work credits and a…Read the guide →Earned Income Tax Credit: do you qualify and how to claim itThe EITC is a refundable federal tax credit for people who work and have low to moderate earned income. You claim it by filing a federal tax…Read the guide →Child Tax Credit: how much you can get and how to claim itThe Child Tax Credit (CTC) is claimed on your federal tax return for each qualifying child under 17 with a valid Social Security number. Part of…Read the guide →Free tax filing help near you: VITA and TCEVITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) offers free tax preparation by IRS-certified volunteers for people who generally earn under a set income…Read the guide →Overwhelmed by debt? Free nonprofit credit counselling and your optionsStart with a free session at a nonprofit credit counselling agency accredited by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling or the Financial…Read the guide →How to get a free lawyer for eviction, benefits, debt or family problemsFree civil legal aid is provided by nonprofit legal aid organisations, many funded by the Legal Services Corporation, to people with low income.…Read the guide →Can't pay your taxes? IRS payment plans and hardship optionsIf you owe taxes you cannot pay, file your return on time anyway to avoid the larger failure-to-file penalty, then contact the IRS about a payment…Read the guide →How to get help paying for child careApply for a child care subsidy through your state's Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) agency - often the human services department or a local…Read the guide →Need money urgently? Where to find emergency financial helpFor emergency financial help, call 211 and ask about one-time assistance from community action agencies, the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities,…Read the guide →Benefits denied? How to appeal Medicaid, TANF, SSI, unemployment and moreTo appeal a benefits denial, read the notice for the reason and deadline, request an appeal or fair hearing in writing before the deadline, ask to…Read the guide →Leaving an abusive relationship: financial help, housing and safety resourcesIf you are experiencing abuse, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (or text START to 88788) for confidential support and…Read the guide →
Programmes we point you to
Every one of these is free to apply for, and you apply directly. We are not affiliated with any of them and earn nothing from them.
Nonprofit credit counselling
What it isA free review of your debts and a plan, sometimes including a debt management plan at reduced interest.
Who it is forAnyone. The initial session is free at genuine nonprofit agencies.
How to applyThrough the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. Be wary of anything advertised as debt settlement.
Free civil legal aid
What it isFree representation in non-criminal matters - eviction, benefits denials, domestic violence, debt collection, consumer cases.
Who it is forPeople under the income limit. Many offices take housing cases as a priority.
How to applyFind your local legal aid office and call as early in the problem as possible.
Unemployment insurance
What it isWeekly payments while you look for work, run by each state.
Who it is forPeople who lost a job through no fault of their own and meet the state's work history test.
How to applyThrough your state's unemployment office. File immediately - most states pay from the week you claim, not the week you lost the job.
IRS hardship options
What it isPayment plans, a pause in collection when you genuinely cannot pay, and settlement for less than you owe in some cases.
Who it is forTaxpayers who owe and cannot pay. The Taxpayer Advocate Service helps free of charge when the IRS process has stalled.
How to applyDirectly with the IRS, or through the Taxpayer Advocate Service.
Free tax preparation (VITA)
What it isIRS-certified volunteers who prepare your return for free - the route to refundable credits that are often the largest payment a low-income household sees all year.
Who it is forGenerally people on low to moderate incomes, people with disabilities, and limited-English speakers.
How to applyCall 1-800-906-9887 or use the IRS site locator.
TANF - cash assistance
What it isMonthly cash help for families with children, plus work support, run by each state.
Who it is forVery low-income families with dependent children. Rules and amounts vary enormously by state.
How to applyThrough your state social services or human services agency, often on the same application as Medicaid.
What to have ready
- Photo ID and Social Security number
- A list of your debts with the amount and who holds each one
- Recent pay stubs or proof of income
- Any court papers, collection letters, or IRS notices - with the envelopes, because the dates matter
- Last year's tax return, for tax matters
Missing something on this list is rarely a reason not to start. Most offices will open a case and let you bring the rest afterwards — but the application date is what counts, so start now.
What people miss
The parts that are true, rarely explained, and change the outcome.
Legal aid is free and most people never call it
Eviction defence, benefit appeals and debt collection cases are core legal aid work. The single biggest predictor of keeping your home in an eviction case is having representation.
Free tax prep is where the real money is
Refundable credits regularly return thousands of dollars to low-income working households, and a large share of eligible people never claim them. VITA costs nothing and files for you.
The IRS has a hardship status
If paying would leave you unable to cover basic living costs, collection can be paused. It is not advertised, and you have to ask.
Debt settlement is not credit counselling
Nonprofit counselling is free to start and works with your creditors. Paid settlement firms charge heavily, often tell you to stop paying, and can leave you in a worse position. The distinction matters.
Appeal deadlines are short and strict
Benefit denials, eviction filings and tax notices all carry a deadline measured in days or weeks. Missing it usually ends the matter regardless of how strong your case was.
Free versions beat paid ones
For tax preparation, debt advice, legal help and benefit appeals, free nonprofit and public services are usually better than paid alternatives - and paid 'relief' companies are where scams concentrate. Start with VITA, nonprofit credit counselling and legal aid.
Common questions
I was denied benefits. Can I do anything?
Yes - every major programme has an appeals process, and denials are overturned regularly. The deadline is short and printed on the denial letter. Legal aid handles these cases for free.
Should I pay a company to fix my credit or settle my debt?
Be very careful. Nothing a credit repair company can legally do is something you cannot do free yourself, and debt settlement carries real risk. Start with a free session at a nonprofit counselling agency before paying anyone.
I cannot pay my taxes at all.
File anyway. The penalty for not filing is far larger than the penalty for not paying, and filing is what opens the door to payment plans and hardship status.
Where can I get emergency money?
Call 211 for one-time help from community action agencies, charities and congregations, usually paid directly to a landlord, utility or vendor. Families with children can ask their state about TANF emergency or diversion payments. Avoid payday and title loans.
How do I get cash assistance?
Apply for TANF through your state social services agency, usually on the same application as Medicaid and other state benefits. It serves very low-income families with children and includes work requirements and time limits, with rules that vary greatly by state.
What benefits can I get if I lose my job?
File for unemployment immediately, apply for Medicaid or a Marketplace plan, call 211 about local help with bills, and visit an American Job Center about free retraining through the Dislocated Worker programme.
Can I get disability benefits?
SSDI pays people with enough work history who cannot work because of a serious long-term condition; SSI pays people who are older, blind or disabled with very limited income and resources. Apply through Social Security, and appeal if denied - many approvals come on appeal.
How do I file my taxes for free?
Use a VITA or TCE site, where IRS-certified volunteers prepare returns free - call 1-800-906-9887 to find one. They make sure you claim the EITC and Child Tax Credit.
How do I get a free lawyer?
Contact your local legal aid office through the Legal Services Corporation directory, LawHelp.org or 211. Legal aid handles eviction, benefits denials, debt lawsuits, domestic violence and more for people with low income.
How do I appeal a benefits denial?
Read the notice for the reason and deadline, request a hearing or reconsideration in writing before it, ask to keep benefits during the appeal if available, gather evidence, and contact legal aid.
How do I get the Earned Income Tax Credit?
File a federal tax return and claim it, even if you are not otherwise required to file. Free VITA sites help working families claim the EITC and Child Tax Credit correctly.
Can I get help with child care costs?
State child care subsidies through the Child Care and Development Fund help working and studying parents pay for care, and Head Start and Early Head Start are free for eligible families.
Related topics
Programme rules, income limits and deadlines change every year and differ
by state and county. We have deliberately left exact figures off this page so
it cannot go stale — follow the official links above for current numbers,
or call us and we will talk it through.