Question from Robin. Turlock CA
Where can I get financial assistance for monthly expenses we cannot meet?
Expert Answer by Barbara Steinberg
Barbara Steinberg is a certified financial planner, a certified estate advisor, and founder of BSA Advisors, a financial planning firm for senior citizens.
Depending on where you and your parent live and your financial situation, there are federal and state programs that can help. The best place to start is with your county's Office of Senior Services. They can give you advice on how to find services that provide:
- Income assistance (for example, Supplemental Security Income, or SSI)
- Food stamps
- Property tax relief
- Utility and telephone assistance
- Prescription assistance
- Other miscellaneous financial assistance, like home repair
If your parent is a veteran, contact your county's Veterans Service Officer, who can provide you with information about health care and other benefits available to veterans. If your parent needs help reducing their debt, contact a nonprofit credit counseling service such as Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS.) They offer free credit counseling and a nonprofit debt management program.
