GovBenefits is a screening tool to help you find government benefits that you may be eligible to receive.

GovBenefits does NOT offer application services for benefits and cannot guarantee eligibility for specific programs. In addition, GovBenefits is not designed to be a comprehensive listing of all assistance programs for which someone is eligible. Its purpose is to give you a list of benefits you MAY be eligible to receive and then to provide information about how to apply for those programs. (Back to Top)

What benefits will GovBenefits screen for? Currently GovBenefits offers information on a limited set of benefits programs administered by a variety of Federal agencies. This list of included programs will be expanding regularly in an effort to provide you with the complete picture of what government benefits you may be eligible to receive. (Back to Top)

How much time will it take to answer all the questions? Depending on your personal situation, please allow 5 to 15 minutes to answer all the questions. The more benefits you may be eligible to receive, the more questions you are likely to be asked. (Back to Top)

What types of questions will GovBenefits ask? GovBenefits will ask several broad questions about your personal situation. These questions will become more specific as the system narrows the list of possible benefits you may be eligible to receive. GovBenefits is completely confidential and will NOT ask any information that could be used to identify you (i.e., name, address, phone number, Social Security number, etc.) (Back to Top)

Do I have to answer all the questions? GovBenefits recommends that you answer all of the questions presented. Answering all the questions increases the accuracy of the assessment of your eligibility for government assistance. (Back to Top)

What if I am looking for a specific benefits program? If you would like to learn more about a specific benefits program, the easiest way to find that information is to use the search tool on the left frame. Simply enter the program name or keywords, and the system will return a list of all the GovBenefits programs that apply to your search criteria. The search tool does not address whether you might be eligible to receive benefit programs - to find a list of programs that you may be eligible to receive you must complete the GovBenefits screening process that begins on the Home page. (Back to Top)

What if I am helping someone else? If you are answering these questions on behalf of someone else (including a child), the term "you" applies to that person. Answer the questions as they apply to the person you are helping. (Back to Top)

What if I want to apply for a benefits program? You cannot apply for a specific benefits program directly through GovBenefits. Refer to the contact information provided for each program to determine the appropriate next step. (Back to Top)

How often should I use GovBenefits? GovBenefits is free, so try it as often as you like. We recommend that you visit GovBenefits as time passes or after major life events. New program eligibility criteria, entirely new programs, and/or your own life changes might result in your potential eligibility for benefits that you might otherwise have missed. (Back to Top)

How does the search work? The search function finds benefit programs based on the words or phrases you enter into the search text box. There are three methods for searching the GovBenefits web site:

To find a program using a phrase, enter the phrase in quotes:

"Mortgage Insurance" This will return all programs containing the phrase "Mortgage Insurance" in either the title or the description.

To find a program containing two or more specified words, enter each of the words preceded by a plus:

+Home +Insurance This will return all programs containing both the words "home" and "insurance" in either the title or the description.

To find a program containing any one of a number of words, enter each word with a space between each: Home Flood This will return all programs containing either the word "home" or "flood" in either the title or the description. Phrases and words can be combined, for example: "Flood Insurance" +Home or "Flood Insurance" home. Combining ands (+) and ors (no sign) is not supported and will produce unanticipated results.