Where to Find Financial Help for Single Moms

In the United States, being a single mom is a common occurrence. With approximately 25% of children under 18 years old living with only one parent, the U.S. has the highest single-parent rate globally. This rate is more than triple the worldwide average of 7%.

However, being a single parent places a significant financial burden on the solo parent, as they must provide for multiple dependents without the support of a spouse's dual income. While this can be frustrating, it's important to note that there is assistance available for single moms.

Figuring Out Your Needs

Single moms are usually moving so fast between jobs, kids, and maybe continuing education that they don't often have time to figure out exactly what it is they need. They just know they need help. 

Yet, writing out your specific needs can be beneficial because it helps you target your time to resources that meet your needs. There are a ton of resources out there but each is usually specific to one thing like housing or food. Understanding what you need is your first step in getting assistance. 

Start with Your Taxes

It's common for single moms and single filers to do their own taxes without realizing they might be missing out on potential deductions or refunds. That's why it's worthwhile to seek advice from a tax professional to ensure you're not overlooking anything.

Many tax service providers offer a complimentary review of your previous tax return to identify areas where they can assist you.

By doing so, you may discover benefits that you've been unaware of, such as the Child Care Tax Credit, designed to support necessary child care expenses, or the head of household credit, available to single parents and individuals in specific situations. Additionally, there's the earned income credit that you might be eligible for.

Use Local Resources

Most single moms looking for help see online ads about grants or federal funding. However, most federal monies are pushed to the state level, which then often pushes resources to regional or local offices. 

Find out what local assistance is available for things like utilities and housing in your state. Most states have a fund to help lower-income families pay for utilities and the best place to start that research is by calling your local utility companies including power, gas, water, cable, internet, and cell phone companies. 

Federal programs exist for providing free cell phones and internet to low-income families with children and older Americans. Senior citizens raising children can also get discounted rates for some of these services.

Check with Your State

Some states, like California and Georgia, are providing extra financial help to almost all their citizens. This comes in either the form of additional stimulus checks or money distributed from surplus funds in the state coffers. 

The requirements are lenient as most states simply demand that you be a resident who has filed your taxes. In those cases, the money will come to you automatically as part of your tax refund. 

Research Housing Help

When facing challenges with housing-related expenses, it's essential to conduct thorough research and explore available options for assistance. One effective step is to get in touch with your mortgage company directly, as they can provide valuable information and connect you with state and federal programs designed to help individuals with mortgage payments.

Additionally, there are grants available through Housing and Urban Development (HUD) specifically targeted toward lower-income individuals who aspire to become homeowners. These grants can offer assistance in the form of a down payment, with the government contributing a portion of the required funds.

By investigating these resources, you can potentially find support that will alleviate the financial burdens associated with housing.

Assistance for Military Veterans

Those who are active or former military can get financial help through military credit unions, and the American Legion. The American Legion has a national emergency fund, an auxiliary emergency fund, and a temporary financial assistance fund. 

Veterans and active-duty personnel and eligible dependents can also apply for the Veterans of Foreign Wars’ (VFW) Unmet Needs grant program. 

This program helps pay for housing and vehicle expenses, utilities, childcare, and medical expenses.
Additionally, even if you are a military personnel, your children can possibly receive benefits if their father is or was active military. This would be handled through the Veteran's Administration. 

You don't have to go through the federal office of the VA for help. Many cities and counties have local offices with counselors that can provide assistance and answer questions.

Social Security Benefits

Women who have been divorced for many years may still be entitled to a portion of their former husband's Social Security checks, provided they have reached retirement age or if their former husband is disabled. Social Security benefits can also be obtained if you have a special needs or disabled child, with the money helping to cover the additional expenses associated with caring for your child.

Seeking grants can be a viable option for financial assistance, with various grants available for specific situations. Industries often have grants for individuals who have worked in that particular industry and are currently facing hardships.

• For example, the Children of Restaurant Employees (CORE) organization offers financial aid to food and beverage service employees with children, assisting with expenses such as rent, mortgage, medical supplies, or childcare.
• The Justice Federal Credit Union Foundation (JFCU) provides grants ranging from $250 to $3,000 to offer temporary assistance during difficult times. Labor Unions also offer support to employees in times of hardship, connecting them with mortgage help, credit cards, personal loans, or supplemental insurance.

To find out about industry-specific assistance, contacting the leading association for that industry in your state is a good starting point, as every industry has an association that can provide relevant information for your situation.

Private grants offered through foundations like the Bill Pulte Foundation can also assist on a national scale. It's important to note that applying for these grants may involve competition, and the acceptance process can take weeks or months. 

Some foundations may have specific deadlines and eligibility requirements that must be met, so it's essential to carefully review the details of any grants that interest you.

Food Programs

Food is crucial for families with children and there are three types of programs to help single mothers feed their kids. The SNAP program replaced the traditional food stamp program and is based on your income and resources. 

Money is put on an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card that can be used to pay for groceries at stores that accept the cards. 

• The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program provides pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women and their children with healthy foods up to the children turning 5 years old.
• The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) offers reduced or free breakfasts or lunches to children in low-income homes. It also covers meals when children are out of school in the summer and can be a great resource. 

There are other resources available through non-profit groups that offer food and snacks for children, particularly during the summer. While many are national, some are local so you should start looking up local non-profits first as they are the easiest to get fast help. 

Apps That Will Save You Money

Our smartphones have become incredibly valuable tools, offering a wide range of apps that can help us save money and make smart investments. While the choice of which apps to use ultimately rests with the individual, several highly recommended ones can serve as a great starting point.

One category of apps that can provide substantial savings is those offering discounted grocery coupons. These apps allow you to browse and select coupons for various grocery items, helping you save money on your everyday purchases. By taking advantage of these discounts, you can significantly reduce your grocery expenses over time. Another useful type of app is those that offer cash back on gas purchases.

These apps typically partner with gas stations and reward you with a certain percentage of cash back for each fuel purchase. This can add up over time, providing you with some extra savings on a regular expense. Additionally, some apps enable you to invest even with small amounts of money.

These apps offer the option to invest your spare change by rounding up your purchases to the nearest dollar and investing the difference. This allows you to accumulate small amounts of money over time, which can be invested in stocks of big companies. While the returns may not be immediate, this approach can contribute to long-term wealth accumulation.

One significant advantage of these apps is that they are generally free to use, making them accessible to a wide range of individuals. By leveraging the features of these apps, you can save money on everyday expenses and gradually build your wealth over time.

Find Car Mechanic Organizations

One of a single mom's biggest issues is keeping her car running. Now, there are non-profits where mechanics and volunteers donate their time to fix cars for single moms and women in need at no charge. 

Some of these groups even acquire vehicles and repair them to give to single mothers who need transportation for work and kids. Most of these groups are associated with larger churches so that is the place to ask for information in your area.

Getting a Personal Loan

There are times when, as a single mom, you have money coming in but it's not enough to meet an unexpected expense like a washer breaking down or a child who needs some dental work requiring a co-payment. 

You may be one of those that fall through the cracks for help in that you make too much to qualify for grants, Medicaid, or other assistance but not enough to pay for surprise problems.

These are things that could be covered with a personal loan. Yet, many women have less-than-perfect credit because they've been paying for everything on their own. You can still apply for help with Simple Fast Loans.

Advantages of Applying

Simple Fast Loans operates in the majority of U.S. states and offers a fast online application process that you can do from your home or office. It doesn't require any collateral and there isn't a heavy load of paperwork to prove your creditworthiness. 

Simple Fast Loans has loan amounts ranging from $200 to $3,000 and it gives you a quick online decision once you apply. Even those with bad or no credit can apply as Simple Fast Loans uses other factors to determine approval and how much you can borrow. 

A loan from this company has benefits over other loan alternatives, like payday loans. Simple Fast Loans provides an installment plan so you will have equal payments due monthly. That makes it easier to budget for a personal loan and relieves stress. 

One of the best features of Simple Fast Loans is that it deposits cash directly into your checking account as soon as the next business day. That means you can quickly fund your emergency without worry!

How To Apply

Applying for a personal loan from Simple Fast Loans is super easy. You will need some things before you go to the online form on the website. Things required include:

• Your legal name
• Your legal address
• Your Social Security number
• Proof of earnings like a paystub or checking statement
• An active checking account in your name
• Proof of your ID such as a driver's license or a passport

Get these things in front of you and then apply using the online form. A decision is made quickly so you will know how much you can borrow soon after applying. Some paperwork will be sent electronically for you to sign. 

Simple Fast Loans is transparent in the easy-to-ready paperwork so you will understand the terms. Its friendly customer service department is also able to answer your questions and is readily available if you ever have a problem. 

Apply for Help Now

It only takes a few minutes to submit an application with Simple Fast Loans for an installment loan that can help you fund your emergency. It can be a real help for single moms caught in a cash pinch. 

Find out how much you can borrow by filling out the form today!