Think of all the expenses you need to look after as an individual. You might think of things like housing (buying or renting), utility bills, food, transportation, and the list goes on. There are also other major expenses that we have to look into from time to time, such as education and healthcare. When we start to add the numbers up, things can get pretty stressful. But after all, it’s all well and good. All we need to look after is ourselves. But what about families?

For a family with at least one kid, expenses are tripled. Whatever food was available, now there needs to be almost three times the amount. The same goes for electricity use, or the space available in your house. And, those “other major expenses” such as healthcare or education are likely to incur more often.

Now, with the economy slowed down due to a global pandemic and ongoing political conflicts, things are definitely getting more expensive. Keep in mind that families need to have safe, sanitary places for the kids to grow. We also need to think of the prices of schools, medication, and monthly bills. With all that in mind, it’s no surprise that about 40% of American family households are facing financial challenges.

On the bright side of things, the government is constantly working on helping out those who are strapped on cash. There are several government assistance programs that serve different scenarios and needs. We always love to recommend checking out Benefits.gov. The website provides a comprehensive list of most-if-not-all available government assistance programs. You can also go through the questionnaire function called Benefit Finder. The idea behind the questionnaire is to help you narrow down the programs you’re eligible for.

Families Have A Wide Selection Of Assistance Programs To Choose From

We could figure out from what we discussed earlier that American families could use help with every expense. Ranging from housing to education, to healthcare, all the way to nutrition. Thankfully, the government has programs that cover each and every one of those. However, to make full use of these programs, you need to make sure you’re eligible for them. That’s where the website we mentioned earlier, Benefits.gov could really come in handy.

If you invest your time and energy into applying for programs, you need to make sure you qualify for them. Applying for any program you’re not eligible for is an utter waste of time and energy. A lot of these programs will also vary in qualifications and benefits from one state to the other. So, it’s a good idea to check in with your local concerned offices for the most accurate information.

Housing

It wouldn’t take a second to figure out that the housing market has been going insane lately. Since the start of the pandemic, housing prices have increased by 20%. In the meanwhile, businesses have been closing down and unemployment has been on the rise. It’s safe to say that safe and sanitary housing is not as accessible as it was just 5 years ago. Whether you want to buy a place or rent one, things are getting pricey.

But all hope is not lost. Among the many government assistance programs, there are those that tackle the housing issue. Some will focus on helping you out with your mortgage, others with down payments. But for this article, we’ll highlight a government assistance program that helps out with the rent issue. This government assistance program is called Section 8 housing. It’s also known as Housing Choice Vouchers.

What Section 8 Is All About

To understand Section 8 housing, we first need to talk about who it’s meant for. Section 8 housing is a program that focuses on helping low-income families. When we say low-income, we mean people who make significantly less than their local average. So, the whole idea behind Section 8 housing is to help the low-income folks with paying for rent. Helping carry the load of housing costs, the government can then enable these people to invest their money into other stuff, like education or healthcare.

So, let’s go through a rundown of how this program works. We talked about how the program is also known as Housing Choice Vouchers. That’s exactly what the program is all about, vouchers. Essentially, low-income folk can use these vouchers to help pay for their rent. On average, eligible voucher holders should invest 30% of their income towards their rent. The vouchers can be used to pay for the rest.

Eligibility For Section 8

We pointed out before how knowing if you’re eligible for any government assistance program is basically the name of the game. So, it’s crucial to know if you’re eligible for a program before you spend the time and effort required to apply for it. In the case of Section 8 housing, there’s basically a one-stop shop for any and all information about it. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) created offices called Public Housing Authority, or PHA for short. PHAs are where you can get all your most reliable information on Section 8, as well as other government housing programs. Those offices are also where the whole application process for Section 8 will go down. HUD also created a map on which you can find your nearest PHA.

So, about that eligibility. First of all, the program is meant for low-income families. Basically, you’ll need to be making less than 50% of your local income median to qualify. That means if the average income in your local city/county is let’s say $40,000, you’ll need to make no more than $20,000 to qualify for Section 8.  Secondly, although needless to say, you need to be a US citizen or an eligible immigrant to qualify. You’ll also need to be 18 years old or above. Finally, you’ll need to have a clean criminal record, especially of any drug-related crimes. PHAs will mostly focus on the 3 years prior to your application. One more thing we should probably mention is that different PHAs might have different eligibility terms, so you definitely want to check in with your local PHA before applying.

Childcare 

Every expense that we mentioned before, whether it’s food, utility, rent or transportation is multiplied when you have kids. You should also expect to add a few others, such as education and healthcare to the mix. A lot of folks out there are pretty scared of having kids for that very reason. The sheer thought of having so many bills to pay ought to scare anyone away from making their families. However, just like there are government assistance programs that help with everything else, childcare gets its fair share of the pie. Here’s a list of family financial assistance programs you could look into:

Child Care And Development Fund

This program is here to help working parents, or parents in work-related training. The Child Care And Development Fund aims to provide a safe and developed environment for kids to grow. There are a few qualifications you should look into if you’re interested in the program:

• The fund aims to help parents/primary caregivers of a child no older than 13 years old or
• Parents/primary caregivers of a disabled person no older than 19 years old
• Applicants for this program must prove they’re employed or
• Enrolled in work-related training or education (only available in certain states)

For any inquiries about the Child Care And Development Fund, contact your state territorial or tribal Child Care and Development subsidy agency. Check out this page to find your nearest state or territorial Child Care And Development Fund Office. And, if you’re looking for the tribal Child Care And Development Fund offices, click on this page.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

This is another government assistance program aimed at helping working parents and families. The federal government created the program and distributes the funds among state governments, then leaves them to run it. So, the idea behind the program is pretty simple. The government wants to make sure that families stay stable so kids can grow up in suitable environments. The second aim is that the government wants people to achieve self-sufficiency. That means they want families to be able finance themselves, and reduce their reliance on government assistance. TANF’s goals can be easily summarized in the following points:

• Help children grow up in their own homes or in the homes of their relatives. To achieve that assistance is provided to needy families.
• Put an end to the parents’ reliance on government benefits by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage.
• Reduce the rate of out-of-wedlock pregnancies
• Push forward the development and stability of two-parent families

The way TANF works is pretty simple. First, you’ll need to contact your local social service office to inquire about the program. Second, you should fill in an application that you can do online, or in paper then sent by mail. Once that application is processed, someone from social services will call you to confirm all the information you provided. If it all goes well, social services will want to interview you. You can do that interview whenever and wherever you want. You can also have that interview on the phone you need to.

One thing you should know about TANF is that it’s not just about free hand-outs. Applying parents need to work, or be in the process of looking for work to qualify for TANF. There are certain cases in which going through work-related training and/or education can also qualify you for TANF.