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Free, In-Person Help to Start a Business
SBDCs, SCORE, Women's Business Centers and VBOCs offer free one-on-one business counseling. What each does and how to find your nearest one through SBA's directory.
WIC: Who Qualifies, What It Covers, and How to Apply
Who qualifies for WIC, how the 185% income limit works, why SNAP or Medicaid can get you in faster, and what the monthly food benefit actually buys.
Filling in the Lifeline Household Worksheet Without Getting Denied
How to complete FCC Form 5631, the Lifeline Household Worksheet, prove you're a separate economic household and clear a duplicate-address error.
SBA Disaster Loans Are Not Just for Businesses
After a declared disaster, SBA lends to homeowners and renters too, up to $500,000 for home repairs and $100,000 for personal property, cars included.
Free government tablets: what Lifeline does and does not cover
Lifeline discounts your monthly service, not devices. Learn where free government tablets really come from, why offers vary, and how to spot a scam offer.
The ACP Has Ended. Here's What You Can Still Get.
The Affordable Connectivity Program ended in June 2024, but Lifeline never did. What you can still get, who qualifies, and how to apply now.
Proving Lifeline Income When You're Self-Employed or Paid Irregularly
Gig work and cash income break the pay-stub route to Lifeline. Why a prior-year tax return works best, and how the three-consecutive-months rule really operates.
When the National Verifier Can't Find Your Address
If the Lifeline National Verifier says it can't find your address, here's how to fix it with a pin drop, a hand-drawn map, or the right utility bill.
The Enhanced Tribal Lifeline Benefit, and Who Can Claim It
Lifeline adds up to $25 a month on qualifying Tribal lands. See who qualifies, which Tribal programmes count, and what to do when your address won't map.
Starting a Business While You're on Benefits: SNAP, SSI, Medicaid
How self-employment income really affects SNAP, SSI and Medicaid: the deductions, the SSI work rules, PASS plans, and exactly what you must report and when.
Medicare Does Not Qualify You for Lifeline. Medicaid Does.
Medicare alone won't get you the Lifeline phone discount, but Medicaid, SSI and the 135% income route can. How seniors on Medicare can still qualify.
Changing Your Name Without Losing Your Lifeline Benefit
Marriage, divorce or a court order can break the database match Lifeline depends on. Here's the order to update your records so your benefit survives.
SBA microloans: borrowing small when banks say no
SBA microloans put up to $50,000 in the hands of small businesses banks turn away. How the nonprofit lenders work, what the money can buy, and how to apply.
Using SNAP to Qualify for Lifeline: Why It Takes Longer
Lifeline with SNAP usually means uploading proof. Why there's no national SNAP database, what your document must show, and why an EBT card photo fails.
Which VA Benefits Qualify You for Lifeline (and Which Don't)
VA disability compensation doesn't qualify you for Lifeline, the needs-based Veterans Pension and Survivors Pension do. Here's how to prove it and apply.
Free government money for a small business is mostly a myth
The federal government does not hand out grants to start a business. Here's what SBA actually funds, the narrow exceptions, and the scams to avoid.
Lost or Stolen Free Government Phone: What to Do First
Lost your Lifeline phone? Report it to your provider fast, understand replacement costs, and beat the 30-day non-usage clock that can end your benefit.
Moving House with Lifeline: What You Must Report and When
Moved home while on Lifeline? You have 30 days to report your new address. Here's why the address matters and how to update it without losing your benefit.
What the $9.25 Lifeline Discount Actually Buys You
The $9.25 Lifeline benefit goes to your provider, not to you. Here's what the FCC's minimum service standards guarantee, and why plans vary so much.
Section 8 and public housing qualify you for a free phone
Federal Public Housing Assistance qualifies you for Lifeline, and HUD's database usually verifies it instantly. Here is exactly which programs count.
Switching Lifeline providers: how a benefit transfer works
You can move your Lifeline benefit to a different company once a month. Here is how a benefit transfer works, and what you keep or lose when you switch.
Lifeline de-enrollment: why it happens and how to fight it
There are four ways to lose your Lifeline benefit, and each has its own notice period. Here is what triggers de-enrollment and how to dispute it.
Lifeline income limits for 2026: the 135% rule explained
Lifeline's income route caps you at 135% of the federal poverty guidelines. Here are the 2026 limits by household size, and what counts as income.
The National Verifier: how Lifeline decides whether you qualify
Before any carrier can enroll you, the National Verifier checks federal databases for your name. Here is what it sees, why it fails, and how to fix it.
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