Every year, billions of dollars in benefits go unclaimed by seniors who qualify for them but never apply — often because they don’t know the programs exist, or assume they won’t qualify. Here’s a plain-language rundown of what to check into.
LIHEAP (Home Energy Assistance)
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program helps cover heating and cooling costs. Income limits vary by state, and many people who’d qualify never apply simply because they haven’t heard of it.
SNAP (Food Assistance)
SNAP isn’t just for families with kids. Many seniors on fixed incomes qualify for monthly food assistance and don’t realize it. Rules around what counts as income are more forgiving for seniors than most people expect.
Medicare Savings Programs & Extra Help
If Medicare premiums, deductibles, or copays are a strain, Medicare Savings Programs may cover them. Extra Help, a related program, lowers the cost of Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. Both are income-based and often go unclaimed.
Property Tax Exemptions
Many states and counties offer property tax reductions or freezes for seniors, sometimes based on age alone, sometimes on income. These programs are usually run at the county level, so it’s worth a direct call to your local tax assessor’s office.
VA Aid & Attendance
Veterans and surviving spouses who need help with daily living activities may qualify for this VA pension benefit, on top of any other VA benefits already received. It’s underused, in part because it isn’t automatically included with standard VA pension applications.
Lifeline (Phone & Internet Discount)
Lifeline provides a discount on phone or internet service for those who qualify based on income or participation in another assistance program like SNAP or Medicaid.
How to Find Out What You Qualify For
Rather than guessing, two free tools can screen you for most of these programs at once. BenefitsCheckUp, run by the National Council on Aging, matches you to benefits based on your situation. Your local SHIP counselor (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) offers free, unbiased, one-on-one help — especially useful for anything Medicare-related.