Self Help Tools

Posted and up-to-date on 4/29/2020 Introduction Many people who will get a stimulus check under the CARES Act may also receive public benefits. You may be worried about whether getting a stimulus check will change your eligibility for public benefits.

Posted and up-to-date on 12/15/2020 I need MaineCare, TANF, and/or SNAP (food stamps), where do I go to apply? These services are run through the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

Up-to-date as of 12/15/2020 Is the Social Security Administration Open? Yes, but there have been changes because of COVID-19.

SSI benefits are the benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) that come on the 1st of the month. If SSA finds that you have gotten too much money in your SSI benefit, they will send you a Notice of Overpayment.

NOTE: This information is offered by the IRS for Tax Year 2017.  This includes both rules for making the payment (if you don't have health insurance) and rules about who is "exempt" (does not have to pay).  Many people with very low incomes and people with certain immigrant statuses do not have to pay. 

Do you get a health care tax subsidy for health insurance you bought through the "federal marketplace." Learn about your duty to report certain financial changes.

The IRS explains the tax consequences of failing to obtain health care coverage before the March 31, 2014 deadline.

Some low income people are eligible for Mainecare. Most other people with low incomes can get help paying for health insurance. The IRS gives instant tax credits to help with the cost.   There are many places to get help finding health insurance:

Immigrants who are not official U.S. citizens may be eligible for Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, if they meet certain qualifications.  SSI can help people who are elderly or disabled, and have little or no income.

If the Social Security Administration (SSA) finds that you have gotten too much money in your Social Security benefit, they will send you a Notice of Overpayment. Social Security overpayments can happen for many reasons. Sometimes it is because you didn’t report something that could affect your eligibility, like how much you worked despite your… More