Heather Halpern

Struggling Americans Often Are Not Aware of Available Benefits America is supposed to be the home of freedom and dreams. This is not always the case. Many Americans struggle to provide themselves and their families with basic necessities such as food, clothing, and a roof over their heads. Many become homeless and feel helpless. Struggling Americans often are not aware of available benefits. We have outlined some of the available benefits below 1. Federal Renter’s Assistance: This program is for tenants/renters or landlords who rent out their properties. Renters who are having financial difficulties paying utilities, rent, or other housing costs may qualify. Landlords who are trying to stay out of financial ruin with tenants who are not able to pay may also qualify. The U.S Department of Treasury’s Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) is distributing aid to towns, cities, and states to be used to offset costs for landlords and tenants. Over the last few years, federal emergency rental assistance programs have been encouraging applicants from both renters and landlords. Landlords may be asked to submit or give consent regarding their tenant's applicants. Sometimes the payments are made directly to the landlord. Every location is different and as such, it is important to directly contact rental assistance programs in your immediate area. Find rental assistance programs in your local area by visiting HERE. 2. Mortgage Forbearance. Another benefit available to struggling Americans is the ability to utilize a mortgage forbearance. Mortgage companies and/or lenders may allow a borrower to pause or reduce their mortgage payments. When this happens it is called forbearance. This is usually only granted for a limited amount of time after the borrower is able to show significant evidence that they are going through financial difficulty. With most forbearances, there are no penalties, additional interest, or fees associated with the pause of payments. Gaining approval for a forbearance does not mean your loan is erased or forgiven. The borrower is still responsible for paying all missed or reduced payments. If you have questions, comments, or concerns regarding a forbearance the below resources may be a good place to start. Speak to a Housing Counselor HERE Seek Legal Assistance HERE File a Complaint Against Your Mortgage Company HERE Every mortgage is different and as such, it is important to reach out to your specific mortgage company or lender. 3. Student Loan Forbearance. The third benefit that struggling American may not know is available is student loan forbearance. Student loans will never disappear. Even if you claim bankruptcy, student loans will not be forgiven. Similar to mortgage forbearance, student loan forbearance gives the borrower a paused or reduced student loan payment. Student loan forbearances are usually only granted for a limited amount of time and only after the borrower is able to show significant evidence that they are going through financial difficulty. With most student loan forbearances, no additional interest is added and no additional fees or penalties will be added to your loan due. Being granted a student loan approval forbearance does not mean your loan is forgiven or erased. The borrower is still responsible for paying any and all reduced or missed payments. 4. Nutrition Assistance The fourth type of benefit that struggling Americans may not know is available to them is nutritional assistance. There are a multitude of nutritional assistance programs out there. We have outlined two of the biggest ones below: a. SNAP: This program gives low-income families nutritional benefits. This program helps offset the cost of food by providing a monthly budget to families who qualify. Those families are then able to purchase pre-approved healthy food. In order for a family to qualify for SNAP benefits, they must apply only in the state in which they currently live. There are also specific criteria they must meet. This includes income and resources limitations. These limits are updated on an annual basis. Locate your state SNAP office HERE b. TANF Program: This is a federal grant program. Unlike SNAP, benefits are not paid directly to families. Instead, the grants are paid to provide communities with program with flexibility in operating programs des that offer cash assistance and other services to low-income families with children.TANF works with programs that have one or more of the following four purposes: Provide assistance where needed to keep children in the homes of their families. Stop the need for parents to stay on government programs by helping them with preparation for marriage and work. Reduce and prevent the number of out-of-wedlock pregnancies Encourage the importance of two-parent families Not all states have a TANF program. See if your state has a TANF program HERE Not everyone in America is living the American dream. There are many benefits available for Americans who are struggling. Federal Renter’s Assistance, Mortgage Forbearance, Student Loan Forbearance, and Nutritional Assistance programs are all available to struggling Americans. There is nothing wrong with asking for help when you need it.