GovMoneyMapIndependent benefits guides
An independent publication. Not a government agency.

Start with your situation

What do you need help with?

Choose an expense or situation. We will show you where to start reading and what else to check. This is a guide finder, not an eligibility decision or an application.

Choose a topic above, or browse the starting points below.

Food & groceries

Your starting point

Start with how soon you need food and who is in your household. Emergency groceries, ongoing food benefits, and school meals have different application routes. These guides explain those routes without assuming you already receive assistance.

Explore all food guides →
  1. Can College Students Get SNAP? Rules and How to Apply
  2. Expedited SNAP: Getting Food Benefits When Money Runs Out
  3. Free and Reduced-Price School Meals: How to Apply
  4. Senior Meal Programs: Home Delivery and Community Meals

Housing & rent

Your starting point

A housing waiting list, a notice from your landlord, and a home-repair problem need different next steps. Use these guides to find the agency that handles your situation and understand what to prepare before contacting it.

Explore all housing guides →
  1. Emergency Housing and Eviction Help: Where to Start
  2. Finding a Subsidized Apartment Without a Section 8 Voucher
  3. How to Apply for a Section 8 Waiting List
  4. HUD Housing Counseling: Free Help When Mortgage Payments Slip

Utilities & household bills

Your starting point

A bill discount and a home-efficiency program do different jobs. Compare help with the current bill, phone service, and work that may reduce future energy costs. Local availability and application rules matter.

Explore all household bills guides →
  1. Lifeline Phone and Internet Discounts After ACP Ended
  2. LIHEAP Energy-Bill Assistance: How to Apply Locally
  3. Utility Shutoff Notice: What to Do Before the Deadline
  4. Weatherization Assistance: How to Get Your Home Assessed

Health coverage & care costs

Your starting point

Losing insurance, filling a prescription, and receiving a hospital bill are separate problems. Start with the one you need to resolve. These guides point to enrollment routes, cost assistance, and the documents needed for the next step.

Explore all health care guides →
  1. CHIP for Children: How to Apply for Low-Cost Health Coverage
  2. COBRA or Marketplace Insurance After Job Loss?
  3. Community Health Centers: Getting Care on a Sliding Fee Scale
  4. Hospital Financial Assistance: How to Apply for Charity Care

Disability & aging

Your starting point

Disability-related support can involve income, health coverage, employment, or help at home. One application does not resolve all four. Read the guide for your immediate need, then check the related support it identifies.

Explore all disability & aging guides →
  1. Medicaid Home Care: Finding HCBS and Waiver Programs
  2. Social Security Disability Denied: How to Start an Appeal
  3. SSI for a Child With a Disability: How to Start the Application
  4. SSI vs. SSDI: Which Disability Benefit Should You Apply For?

Job loss & training

Your starting point

After a job loss, income support, health coverage, and retraining run through different systems. Use these guides to put the next steps in order and avoid treating a job-search registration as a benefits application.

Explore all work & training guides →
  1. Paid Apprenticeships: How to Find and Apply for a Program
  2. SCSEP: Paid Training for Older Workers Seeking a Job
  3. Unemployment Benefits: Which State Should You Apply In?
  4. Unpaid Wages: How to Ask the Labor Department for Help

Education & student aid

Your starting point

College aid depends on more than completing a form. Your school, enrollment, family circumstances, and the type of award can change the next step. Follow the application through the award decision and what happens afterward.

Explore all education guides →
  1. FAFSA Without Parent Contact: Requesting a Review
  2. Federal Work-Study: From an Aid Offer to a Paid Job
  3. Income Changed? How to Request a Financial Aid Review
  4. SAP Appeal: How to Request Financial Aid Reinstatement

Children & family support

Your starting point

Child care, household cash assistance, and support for caregivers each address a different expense. These guides explain who to contact, what the agency needs to know, and which applications must be made separately.

Explore all family guides →
  1. Child Support Services: How to Apply for Government Help
  2. Head Start and Early Head Start: How to Apply
  3. Kinship Caregiver Help: Cash, Care, and Local Support
  4. Paid Family and Medical Leave: Find Your State's Route

Tax credits & savings

Your starting point

A tax credit, a deduction, and a refund are not the same thing. These guides explain how to identify the tax year and records that matter, and where to get help preparing an accurate return.

Explore all tax & savings guides →
  1. AOTC vs. Lifetime Learning Credit: Which Fits Your Costs?
  2. Can't Pay Your Taxes? IRS Payment Plans and Hardship Help
  3. Child Tax Credit: How to Check and Claim the Credit
  4. Earned Income Tax Credit: Check Eligibility and Claim It

Disaster recovery

Your starting point

Disaster help depends on the declaration, the loss, and the agency. Food, housing, unemployment, and repairs can involve separate applications. Start with the immediate problem and record every application and decision.

Explore all disaster recovery guides →
  1. D-SNAP Disaster Food Benefits: Check Where to Apply
  2. Disaster Unemployment Assistance: How to Apply
  3. FEMA Denial Appeal: Match Documents to the Decision
  4. FEMA Disaster Assistance for Renters and Homeowners

Veterans & military families

Your starting point

VA health care, compensation, education, and housing benefits are separate programs. Start with the support you need, then follow the guide to the official VA requirements and application route.

Explore all veterans guides →
  1. Navigating VA Disability Benefits for Veterans Who Cant Work: Your Guide to Individual Unemployability
  2. Post 9/11 GI Bill vs Montgomery GI Bill: Choosing the Right Education Benefit for Your Future
  3. VA Special Monthly Compensation Eligibility for Severe Disabilities: Your Guide to Enhanced Benefits
  4. Burial in VA National Cemeteries: A Guide to Eligibility and Benefits

Small business

Your starting point

Business loans, research funding, and contracting certifications serve different purposes. These guides separate the type of support from the application process so you can check whether a program fits your business.

Explore all small business guides →
  1. 8(a) Program Eligibility Requirements for Small Businesses: Your Definitive Guide to Qualification
  2. SBA 504 Loan Eligibility for Small Business: Your Guide to Qualification
  3. HUBZone Program: Federal Contracts for Businesses in Underutilized Zones
  4. Military Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loan (MREIDL): Up to $2 Million for Small Businesses