Find how to get help with paying bills, rent, mortgages, debts and more.

Many people need help paying bills or debt in today’s challenging economy. Or they need free items, such as food, clothes, or other supplies for their household. Families often need assistance so that they do not have to decide between paying their mortgage, credit card debt, food, rent, utility, or medical bills on a monthly basis.

Find information on assistance programs, charity organizations, and other resources that will provide you help. The organizations may offer assistance for paying bills, pass out free stuff, or provide counseling type services among other programs. Agencies will also show you how to save money as well as provide some tips and methods to pay the bills when money is tight. When you and your family are facing a financial hardship, you need to reevaluate the situation, set priorities, and look for emergency assistance.

Find information on programs that offer a number of ways to get help with paying bills. Assistance is available for everything from debts to energy costs, free food, housing, and much more. Resources available that may help with these payments include:

• Landlords continue to increase rental rates to their tenants and many households struggle to keep up. They often need assistance including rent help.
• Help with medical bills and find access low cost health care centers or insurance policies.
• Free mortgage help is available as well as foreclosure prevention or counseling services.
• Debt help can reduce credit card obligations and other payments, such as medical debts.
• Grants and other forms of financial aid can help with electric bills and energy expenses.
• Help with taxes, including income and property.
• Lawyers provide pro-bono and free legal advice to low income families as well as seniors..
• Cash assistance can be provided from the government as a form of public assistance.

Those are eight of the primary expenses that consumers need help paying in today’s challenging economic environment. Or find an extensive list of how to get help and save on other bills, such as groceries, health insurance and child care expenses to name a few. Many of these services are also targeted at helping single parents as well as the vulnerable, such as elderly or disabled. Also find additional sources of free government grants and low income assistance programs.

Local assistance programs and services

Many states, counties, cities, and towns offer support to struggling households and administer financial help. The resources are listed below.

• Find information on federal, state, and local government assistance programs.
• There are numerous charity organizations that can provide emergency assistance for paying bills, rent, food, and that offer support for other basic needs.
• Community action agencies can help the low income as well as unemployed overcome poverty or even find a higher paying job.
• Programs can provide help for senior citizens, including food, free medications, and housing. More details on help for senior citizens.
• Short term help may be offered to families living in poverty as part of church assistance programs.

Select your state below to find a comprehensive listing of all emergency as well as long term financial assistance programs offered in that state. Based on various conditions, households can receive rental assistance, food, free medical care, and energy bill assistance among other resources.

Mortgage help and foreclosure assistance

If you need housing assistance, such as free mortgage help or foreclosure prevention counseling, find how the federal government as well as lenders are offering support. Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase, state governments, and many others are providing mortgage help along with foreclosure prevention services to millions of struggling homeowners.

It is available in an effort to help them keep their homes and stop a foreclosure from occurring. Many states also operate local government mortgage assistance programs, offer foreclosure mediation, and provide grants to help homeowners with paying their mortgages. All of the financial help or free mediation services will help prevent or stop the foreclosure process on a home.

Free food

An estimated 15% of the population is considered to be “food insecure”. This includes many children, senior citizens, and disabled among others. Luckily there are many places to turn to for free food or hot meals. There are pantries, programs for lower income senior citizens such as Meals on Wheels, and charities that focus on helping children. The organizations will offer assistance in an emergency and also direct the client to longer term benefits. Find a detailed listing of food pantries as well as government assistance.

Medical and dental care assistance

With the increasing cost of medical bills, prescription drugs, and even dental care, it can be very difficult to keep up with these bills. While there are some assistance programs for families living in poverty (such as Medicaid), many middle class families struggle. There are resources that can help reduce, or even provide free medical care. Resources range from discount cards to affordable clinics, charity care, and much more.

Each program is different. They can cover a portion of health insurance premiums. There are dozens of resources that help pay for, or provide discounts on, prescription drugs. Patients can also use third parties, such as medical billing advocates, to help ensure they are receiving the most competitive price on their care. Many other options are available as well, and find affordable or free medical care.

Rent help

Many government programs, community action agencies, charities, and local non-profit agencies provide housing and short term rent help. The support provided to tenants also involves stabilization services to help the family keep their current home or apartment. Funds can pay back rent, security deposits, and help tenants avoid an eviction. Learn more on rental assistance.

Energy and utility bills

There are several government programs as well as resources offered by utility companies or charities that can help individuals pay their utility costs. There may be payment plans or money for heating or other energy bills. Qualified individuals may even be able to get free weatherization improvements to their homes to help them reduce the amount they need to pay on their monthly bills. Read more on energy assistance programs that are administered by your local utility company.

Or find a more extensive listing of government, non-profit, charity and local utility electric bill assistance programs. There are many resources available. Priority is often given to a household with a child, disabled member, or elderly resident. Options to save money on energy bills or to prevent a disconnection can include weatherization, cash grants, and various low income assistance programs.

Disability benefits

Millions of individuals go onto either short or long term disability. A health care crisis can impact many otherwise hard-working people, including veterans, seniors, or individuals that have always been fully employed. The amount of cash assistance available from SSI, an employer, or a state government is often very minimal. There is often a need  for further financial help.

Whether the disability is physical or mental, there are a number of programs that provide financial assistance. Using a combination of loans as well as grants, there is help for transportation needs, including cars or free rides. The disabled can also get low cost medications, assistance paying for utility or medical bills, food, and housing. These additional resources will be in addition to any SSI benefits. Many government and non-profits offer disability help as well as referrals.

Free assistance for seasonal living expenses

There are many organizations that offer free items year round. What may be provided to a low income family or someone living on a fixed income (such as a senior citizen or individual with a disability) will change throughout the year. Some government agencies will offer money for paying bills, transportation costs or housing needs and other charities help by offering free household stuff, such as furniture, to the needy. Some of the support is financial in nature and other charities may offer material goods. Find how to get stuff for free.

Students need to have the items they need, whether it is a uniform, clothing, books, or other goods. Adding this extra expense to their other ongoing monthly bills can be difficult. There are programs run by churches or charities that offer free school supplies to low to moderate income families that may not otherwise be able to afford them for their children.

There are a variety of grant programs that operate year round. Some provide financial help while others just offer the material goods that a family needs. The funding will come and go, but based on the agency, there may be grants to pay for expenses ranging from energy bills to transportation, rent or housing costs, medical needs, and much more. Some of these programs also provide free supplies to the applicant, and examples of those may be household goods, furniture, and more. Find information on grants to help pay bills.

Free legal assistance

Attorneys from non-profit law firms can provide legal assistance. This service is for very low income families as well as senior citizens. The advice from a lawyer can help prevent evictions and they offer free foreclosure prevention assistance. There is also representation for civil problems, free advice on mortgage delinquency solutions, and legal help for utility service disconnections. Information on free legal advice.

Challenge your property taxes

With all too many homeowners continuing to fall behind on their mortgages, one additional expense that is often difficult to pay is the annual real estate tax expense. If left unpaid, this too can lead to a foreclosure. You can contest your property tax assessment to lower your annual bill. The success rate of doing this is very high due to the regulations in place in many local housing markets. Find how to reduce your property taxes.

Loans that help pay bills, including for emergencies

Payday loans, peer to peer lending, and low interest Credit Union loans are one option. Learn the truth about the various types, including the pros and cons to using them. There may be some limited situations in which borrowing money can be a great option to provide you short term help with paying bills. Read more on payday loans.

Families that are struggling due to past challenges can also get financial assistance from loans for borrowers with no credit. Charities, private lenders, and even some government programs may provide these funds. Borrowers with limited or poor credit scores may also quality for this form of financial aid.

There are also no-interest loans available. This is generally offered to a borrower instead of a grant. The cash is available for paying bills, car repairs, housing costs, debt reduction, and more. The funds will eventually need to be repaid, but the interest rate is zero and other fees are often waived. Find more details on free loans for families.

If you are saying to yourself “I need help”, then the information you find on needhelppayingbills will provide you the resources as well as contact information you need. There are many charities as well as government resources that offer assistance with paying bills, debt, mortgage help, and more.

By Jon McNamara

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