Cook County, Illinois vs Maricopa County, Arizona

The Illinois Family Caregiver Support Program (the state's National Family Caregiver Support Program) helps unpaid family caregivers of adults 60+ (and older caregivers raising grandchildren) with information and assistance, caregiver counseling and training, support groups, respite care, and limited supplemental services. No strict income limit (services may be prioritized by need). Delivered through the 13 Area Agencies on Aging and their providers. Call the Senior HelpLine (1-800-252-8966).

$500–$5,000/yr

AABD Cash is a state cash-assistance supplement for Illinois residents age 65+, blind, or disabled who have little or no income. It supplements federal SSI up to the Illinois payment standard and is available to some seniors who do not qualify for SSI. Administered by IDHS; apply through ABE (abe.illinois.gov) or a local Family Community Resource Center.

$600–$6,000/yr

The Illinois Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps low-income households pay heating and cooling bills, with a one-time benefit and reconnection assistance. Illinois also offers the Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP) — a year-round plan capping the energy bill at a percentage of income with monthly bill credits. Households at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level may qualify (seniors 60+ and disabled get priority/early application). Delivered through local Community Action Agencies (in Cook County, CEDA). Apply via HelpIllinoisFamilies (877-411-9276) or your local agency.

$250–$1,500/yr

Illinois law directs counties to fund emergency and interim financial assistance for veterans in need through county Veterans Assistance Commissions (VACs). Under the Military Veterans Assistance Act, honorably discharged veterans, their families, and the families of deceased veterans who need assistance can receive help through the VAC in their county — typically short-term aid toward needs like food, shelter, and utilities, based on each commission's standards of need. The commissions are staffed by fellow veterans and run county by county, so the exact assistance and screening rules are local. An Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs Veteran Service Officer can point to the nearest commission and help with the request.

Illinois LIHEAP for Cook County residents is delivered through CEDA (the Community and Economic Development Association of Cook County) — the designated Community Action Agency / LIHEAP administering agency for both the City of Chicago and suburban Cook. CEDA provides the one-time LIHEAP heating/cooling benefit, the year-round PIPP (Percentage of Income Payment Plan) with monthly bill credits, reconnection assistance, weatherization, and CSBG emergency help (rent/utility/food). Households at or below 60% SMI (was modeled as 200% FPL; corrected 2026-07-07) qualify; seniors 60+ get priority. Apply via CEDA (855-499-2332) or HelpIllinoisFamilies (877-411-9276).

$250–$1,500/yr

Cook County emergency aid: (1) DISTINCTIVE to Illinois — township General Assistance (GA): suburban Cook County townships (e.g., Proviso, Thornton, Maine, Niles, Cicero, Worth, and others) provide emergency 'General Assistance' for residents with little or no income — help with rent, utilities, food, and personal needs (this is Illinois's analog to Indiana's township trustee relief). Find your township supervisor through the county. (2) For City of Chicago residents (Chicago is NOT in a township), the city's Department of Family & Support Services Community Service Centers + the Utility Billing Relief program. (3) CEDA for LIHEAP/CSBG utility and rent help. (4) Cook County Health CareLink for medical bills. (5) Salvation Army / St. Vincent de Paul / Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago. (6) Greater Chicago Food Depository. (7) Dial 211.

$200–$3,000/yr

Illinois Medicaid AABD covers residents age 65+, blind, or disabled. Income limit (2026): 100% of the Federal Poverty Level — about $1,330/month for one person, $1,803/month for a couple. DISTINCTIVE: Illinois raised its AABD asset limit to $17,500 per individual in 2023 (one of the most generous in the country — far above the $2,000 limit in most states). A Medically Needy 'spend-down' is available for those over the income limit. Apply online through ABE (Application for Benefits Eligibility, abe.illinois.gov), at a local Family Community Resource Center, or by calling 1-800-843-6154.

$4,000–$30,000/yr

Illinois Medicare Savings Programs help Medicare beneficiaries pay Medicare costs. QMB (income ≤100% FPL) pays Part A & B premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance; SLMB (≤120% FPL) and QI (≤135% FPL) pay the Part B premium (~$185/month in 2026). DISTINCTIVE: Illinois has NO asset test for MSP — only income counts. QMB/SLMB/QI enrollees also get Extra Help (Part D low-income subsidy) automatically. Apply through ABE (abe.illinois.gov) or with SHIP counseling.

$2,200–$8,000/yr

Illinois SHIP provides free, unbiased counseling on Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Part D drug plans, Medigap/supplements, Medicare Savings Programs, and Extra Help. Trained volunteers help compare plans during Open Enrollment, resolve billing/appeals, and screen for benefits. Free to all Medicare beneficiaries and their caregivers. Call the Senior HelpLine (1-800-252-8966) to reach a local SHIP counselor.

up to $2,000/yr

Cook County hospital safety net: Cook County Health (CCH) — the public safety-net system anchored by John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital and Provident Hospital plus a large clinic network. CareLink is CCH's financial-assistance program for uninsured/underinsured Cook County residents, giving a 30%, 50%, or 100% discount on clinic visits, labs, hospital stays, and ER/urgent care based on income (sliding to ~200-250% of the Federal Poverty Level). CCH also runs CountyCare, the county's Medicaid managed-care plan (the highest-rated Medicaid plan in Illinois). Apply for CareLink at Stroger Hospital (1969 W. Ogden Ave.) or any CCH site.

$500–$40,000/yr

PACE is a comprehensive, integrated care program for seniors who are certified as needing a nursing-home level of care but want to keep living in the community. A single PACE organization becomes the participant's complete medical home — primary care, specialists, hospital care, prescriptions, physical and occupational therapy, dental, vision, hearing, mental health, transportation to appointments, meals, and adult day care at a PACE center. For Illinoisans who have both Medicare and Medicaid, PACE covers all of it with no out-of-pocket cost. Illinois launched PACE in 2024; designated organizations include OSF HealthCare PACE, Lawndale Christian Health Center (Chicago's West Side), Stella's Place (the Metro-East area), Kinship PACE, and BoldAge PACE. PACE is for people 55 and older who need a nursing-facility level of care, live within a PACE organization's service area, and can be served safely in the community. Participants agree to use only PACE-network providers.

$30,000–$80,000/yr

The Community Care Program (CCP) is Illinois's flagship in-home and community-based service program helping residents age 60+ stay in their own homes instead of a nursing facility. Services: in-home care (homemaker, personal care), adult day services, and emergency home response. DISTINCTIVE — eligibility is by ASSESSED NEED, not income: there is NO income limit (income only affects any cost-share), and the non-exempt asset limit is $17,500. Applicants must be assessed (by a Care Coordination Unit) as needing nursing-home-level long-term care. Illinois's PASSPORT/CHOICE equivalent. Call the Senior HelpLine (1-800-252-8966) or your local CCU.

$3,000–$25,000/yr

Comprehensive Care in Residential Settings is an Illinois demonstration project that offers a social model of affordable assisted living. It combines affordable rent with state-assisted care services provided through the Illinois Department on Aging's Community Care Program. Services include 24-hour security, three meals a day, help with activities of daily living, an emergency response system, housekeeping, laundry, and medication management. Services are tailored to each resident through an assessment done by a local Care Coordination Unit. To qualify you must be 60 or older, live in Illinois, be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen, have non-exempt assets of $17,500 or less (your home, car, and personal furnishings do not count), have an assessed need for long-term care measured by the Determination of Need assessment, and apply for Medicaid. Call the Senior HelpLine at 1-800-252-8966 to find your local Care Coordination Unit.

Illinois operates five Veterans' Homes — in Anna, Chicago, LaSalle, Manteno, and Quincy — providing skilled nursing and memory care for qualified veterans, with limited independent-living (domiciliary) options at Anna and Quincy. Residents pay a maintenance charge based on monthly income only, and the inability to contribute to the cost of care does not prevent admission. Eligibility requires an honorable discharge, qualifying military service, and Illinois residency (entered service as an Illinois resident, or lived in Illinois for the year before applying). Spouses, widows, and widowers of honorably discharged veterans may be admitted at the Anna and Quincy homes, based on availability. Contact a home directly or an IDVA Veteran Service Officer to start an application.

Affordable assisted living for people who would otherwise need a nursing home. Illinois Medicaid pays a certified Supportive Living Program building for personal care, medication oversight, intermittent nursing, meals and snacks, housekeeping, laundry, social and health programs, and 24-hour staff. The resident lives in an apartment with a kitchenette and private bathroom and pays only room and board (a monthly charge based on the SSI rate; residents keep a $120 personal needs allowance). It is for Illinois residents age 65 and older, or ages 22 to 64 with a physical disability, who are screened as needing nursing-facility level of care. Find a certified building on the HFS provider list and call the Bureau of Long-Term Care at 217-782-0545 or toll-free 844-528-8444.

The Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program gives income-eligible seniors age 60+ coupons/vouchers to buy fresh fruits, vegetables, honey, and herbs at participating farmers markets and roadside stands. Income limit is about 185% of the Federal Poverty Level (~$2,413/month for one person in 2026). Benefits are seasonal and limited; distributed through local Area Agencies on Aging and senior centers. Call the Senior HelpLine (1-800-252-8966).

$50–$80/yr

Cook County is served by TWO Area Agencies on Aging: the City of Chicago Department of Family & Support Services (DFSS) Senior Services Division is the AAA for the City of Chicago, and AgeOptions is the AAA for suburban Cook County. Both provide Aging & Disability Resource Network information and assistance, home-delivered and congregate meals, the Community Care Program intake (CCU referral), caregiver support, benefits enrollment (SNAP/Medicare/Benefit Access), and senior centers. Chicago residents call DFSS (312-744-4016); suburban Cook residents call AgeOptions (708-383-0258) or the Senior HelpLine (1-800-252-8966).

$1,500–$6,000/yr

Illinois provides fishing and hunting licenses free of charge to veterans who receive VA compensation for a service-connected disability of 10% or greater, or a VA pension for total disability. The benefit applies regardless of the veteran's state of residency. To use it, get a Disability Affidavit (the Illinois Hunting and Fishing Privilege card) through a local IDVA Veteran Service Office — bring the DD-214 and current verification of VA compensation or pension. Veterans who do not meet the disability threshold can still buy Illinois resident hunting and fishing licenses at half the regular fee.

Illinois Veteran Service Officers (VSOs) — trained and accredited by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs — provide free assistance to veterans and their dependents and survivors with federal and state benefits: VA disability compensation, pension, Aid and Attendance, healthcare, burial, and survivor claims. Getting the VA rating right matters twice in Illinois, because the rating drives federal compensation and the state property-tax exemption tier. IDVA runs full-time and part-time offices across the state, help is available remotely, and no one needs to pay a private company to file a VA claim. Find the nearest VSO through the locator on the IDVA website.

Illinois Care Connections provides free technology and assistive devices to Illinoisans age 60 and older who live in the community. Devices are meant to help people stay safely at home, take part in activities, and keep in touch with family and friends. Examples include tablets, laptops, headphones and Wi-Fi routers; canes, walkers, wheelchairs, shower chairs and adaptive kitchen tools; and smart-home items like video doorbells, keyless locks and voice assistants. There are no income or asset limits, but there must be a physical, functional, cognitive, or psychological need that keeps you from doing a task at home or in the community, or that leaves you socially isolated. Devices and usage instructions are provided at no cost. You cannot refer yourself: a referral must come from an Area Agency on Aging, an AAA-funded provider, an Adult Day Service, Adult Protective Services, a Care Coordination Unit, or a Home Care Ombudsman. The program does not cover hearing aids, prescription items, installed grab bars or shower seats, or electric scooters and wheelchairs. Contact IATP at 217-522-7985 with questions about a referral.

Illinois operates one state veterans cemetery: Sunset Veterans Cemetery, on the grounds of the Illinois Veterans' Home at Quincy. The cemetery provides interment and perpetual care for eligible veterans and spouses, with more than 7,000 veterans and spouses at rest there dating back to the Civil War. It is recognized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration as a state veterans cemetery. Contact the Quincy home to ask about eligibility and arrangements. Veterans elsewhere in Illinois can also use the VA national cemeteries in the state, such as Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery near Joliet.

An Illinois veteran with a service-connected VA disability rating of 70% or higher pays no property tax on the first $250,000 of the home's equalized assessed value (EAV) — for most homes, that wipes out the entire property tax bill. This is the top tier of the Standard Homestead Exemption for Veterans with Disabilities (SHEVD) and one of the largest dollar benefits in Illinois. World War II veterans qualify for the exemption regardless of disability level. An unmarried surviving spouse can keep the exemption on the home, or carry it to a new primary residence. Apply with Form PTAX-342 at the Chief County Assessment Office, then re-verify each year with Form PTAX-342-R.

$3,000–$9,000/yr

Illinois reduces the taxable value of a disabled veteran's home based on the VA disability rating: a service-connected rating of 30–49% takes $2,500 off the home's equalized assessed value (EAV), and 50–69% takes off $5,000. The exemption applies to the primary residence through the Standard Homestead Exemption for Veterans with Disabilities (SHEVD). Veterans rated 70% or higher get a much larger benefit — the first $250,000 of EAV is fully exempt — listed separately in these results. An unmarried surviving spouse can keep the exemption on the home, or carry it to a new primary residence. Apply with Form PTAX-342 at the Chief County Assessment Office, then re-verify each year with Form PTAX-342-R.

$150–$500/yr

Illinois offers stacked senior property-tax relief: (1) the Senior Citizens Homestead Exemption (an EAV reduction for homeowners 65+, no income test); (2) the Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption — for homeowners 65+ with total household income of $65,000 or less (some counties up to $75,000) — which FREEZES the home's equalized assessed value at the base year so it does not rise with inflation; and (3) the Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral, which lets qualifying seniors defer up to $7,500/year of property tax as a state loan repaid from the estate. Apply through your county Supervisor of Assessments / Assessor (in Cook County, the Cook County Assessor).

$150–$4,000/yr

The Benefit Access Program (administered by the Illinois Department on Aging) gives qualified seniors age 65+ and adults with disabilities a FREE RIDE TRANSIT BENEFIT on RTA-area transit (CTA, Pace, and Metra in the Chicago region) plus reduced fares downstate, AND a reduced ($24) license-plate registration fee. Means-tested: total gross income for the last tax year must be under $33,562 (1-person household), $44,533 (2-person), or $55,500 (3-person). Apply online at the Illinois Department on Aging Benefit Access portal; you then take approval to RTA (or your transit agency) for a Ride Free permit.

$300–$2,000/yr

Cook County is the core of the RTA service region (CTA buses + 'L' trains, Pace suburban buses, Metra commuter rail). Seniors age 65+ ride at REDUCED fare with an RTA Reduced Fare permit, and ride FREE under the Ride Free Transit Benefit if they qualify for the Illinois Benefit Access Program (income under $33,562 single / $44,533 couple). RTA also runs ADA paratransit (Pace ADA Paratransit) for those who cannot use fixed-route. Apply for the permit through RTA after Benefit Access approval.

$400–$2,500/yr

This program helps family and unpaid caregivers with information, help getting services, individual counseling, support groups, caregiver training, respite care, and limited supplemental services. It serves caregivers age 18+ caring for someone 60 or older (or any age with Alzheimer's/dementia), and older relatives age 55+ raising children or caring for an adult with a disability. Contact your local Area Agency on Aging or the Arizona Caregiver Resource Line.

The Area Agency on Aging, Region One is the federally designated agency that plans and funds Older Americans Act services for Maricopa County adults age 60 and older, their family caregivers, and adults with disabilities. Covered communities include Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Glendale, Chandler, and the large retirement communities of Sun City and Sun City West. Services include case management, home-delivered and congregate meals, homemaking and personal care, family caregiver support and respite, and free Medicare and benefits counseling. Reach the 24-hour Senior HELP LINE at 602-264-4357 or the main line at 1-888-783-7500 to start.

$1,200–$6,000/yr

The Military Family Relief Fund helps Arizona service members, veterans, and their families through financial hardship caused by the service member's military service — up to $20,000 per family, based on need. There are two parts: a post-9/11 fund and a pre-9/11 fund, so veterans of Vietnam, Korea, and other earlier eras can apply too. The core requirement is that the service member was deceased, wounded, injured, or became seriously ill in connection with service, has an Arizona connection (deployed from an Arizona base, Arizona home of record, Arizona National Guard, or established residency), and has lived in Arizona for at least the 12 months before applying. Help can include living expenses such as mortgage, rent, and utilities. An advisory committee reviews each application.

$500–$20,000/yr

LIHEAP helps Arizona households pay heating and cooling utility bills and handle energy emergencies. Eligibility is based on income at or below 60% of the State Median Income — in federal fiscal year 2026 that is about $33,690/year for one person, $44,056 for two, $54,422 for three, and $64,789 for a household of four (higher for larger households). Households already getting SNAP or cash assistance are automatically income-eligible. Apply through your local Community Action Agency.

$200–$1,500/yr

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps Maricopa County households with limited income pay electric and gas bills, with extra crisis help to prevent shutoffs during Arizona's dangerous summer heat. Outside the cities of Glendale, Mesa, and Phoenix, the county's Human Services Department delivers LIHEAP through Community Action Program (CAP) offices; residents of those three cities apply through their city program. Apply online through the Human Services client portal or through a local Community Action office; 2-1-1 Arizona can route callers to the nearest site. LIHEAP service line: 1-866-494-1981.

$200–$1,140/yr

AHCCCS is Arizona's Medicaid program. The SSI-MAO pathway covers people who are age 65 or older, blind, or have a disability, with income at or below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level ($1,330/month for one person, $1,804 for a couple, as of February 2026). There is no separate asset test listed for SSI-MAO on the AHCCCS eligibility chart, and there is no premium. Coverage is delivered through an AHCCCS managed-care health plan. Apply at Health-e-Arizona Plus.

$4,000–$30,000/yr

Arizona's SHIP gives free, unbiased Medicare counseling. Trained counselors help compare Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Part D drug plans, and Medigap, and help enroll in programs that lower Medicare costs (Extra Help and the Medicare Savings Program). Counselors do not sell or endorse any plan. Call 1-800-432-4040.

Valleywise Health is the public safety-net hospital system for Maricopa County, run by the county Special Health Care District. Its financial assistance program lowers or eliminates hospital bills for uninsured and low-income patients based on household size and income relative to the Federal Poverty Level, with a sliding discount for higher incomes. Patients in the Phoenix metro also have financial-assistance options at Banner Health (bannerhealth.com), HonorHealth (honorhealth.com), and Dignity Health / CommonSpirit St. Joseph's (dignityhealth.org); Valleywise is highlighted here as the county's safety-net provider. Call Eligibility Specialists at 602-344-2550 to apply.

Arizona's aging network provides non-Medicaid in-home and community support for residents age 60 and older — personal care, homemaker help, home-delivered and congregate meals, case management, assisted transportation, and caregiver support — so older adults can stay in their own home. Area Agency on Aging case managers determine eligibility. Contact your local Area Agency on Aging.

ALTCS is Arizona's Medicaid long-term-care program. It pays for nursing-facility care and home & community-based services (personal care, home care, adult day care) for people who need a nursing-home level of care, so many can stay in their own home. You must need that level of care, have income at or below 300% of the SSI benefit rate ($2,982/month in 2026), and have countable resources of $2,000 or less. Apply through the ALTCS office or Health-e-Arizona Plus.

$10,000–$80,000/yr

Arizona runs four State Veteran Homes providing skilled nursing care for veterans and their spouses: Phoenix (104 beds), Tucson (120 beds, with a 30-bed memory care unit), Flagstaff (80 beds, with memory care and a Medicare rehab unit), and Yuma (80 beds, with a 20-bed memory care unit). The homes are state-owned and Medicare-certified, and the memory care units serve residents with Alzheimer's or other dementia. Admission is open to an honorably-separated veteran or the spouse of a veteran who needs skilled nursing care as determined by a physician. Residents pay a daily rate, and VA benefits can offset the cost — an ADVS Veteran Benefits Counselor works in each home and can help sort out what the VA will cover.

Medicare Savings Programs help people with Medicare pay their Part B premium, and (at the QMB level) also deductibles, coinsurance, and copays. Arizona has three levels — QMB, SLMB, and QI-1 — with rising income limits. In 2026 the highest level (QI-1) reaches about $1,796/month for one person and $2,435/month for a couple. Arizona applies NO asset/resource test to these programs. Apply at Health-e-Arizona Plus.

$2,100–$8,000/yr

This program gives Arizona residents age 60 or older a $50 coupon (once a year) to buy fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs from participating farmers. Household income must be at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level (about $2,461/month for one person, $3,337 for two), or you can qualify by being in the Commodity Senior Food Program. Coupons are first-come, first-served and mailed to eligible seniors. Apply through the Arizona Farmers Market Nutrition Program.

$50/yr

Arizona's Veteran Benefits Counselors give free help to veterans, their dependents, and survivors with federal and state benefits — preparing and filing VA disability compensation and pension claims, appealing VA decisions, representing claimants at VA hearings, filing survivor benefits, requesting military records, and certifying DD-214 discharge paperwork. All counselors are accredited by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Getting the VA rating right matters twice in Arizona: the rating drives federal compensation AND the state property tax exemption, which is prorated by the disability percentage. Counselors work in person, by phone, or virtually across Arizona, including at the State Veteran Homes in Flagstaff, Phoenix, Tucson, and Yuma. No one needs to pay a private company to file a VA claim.

Arizona law gives a free hunting and fishing license to a veteran who receives U.S. government compensation for a permanent service-connected disability rated 100% disabling. The complimentary license carries the privileges of a combination hunting and fishing license. The veteran must have lived in Arizona for at least one year before applying. When the VA letter shows the 100% rating is permanent and will not be re-evaluated, the license is issued for the holder's lifetime — otherwise it is valid for three years at a time. Apply through the Arizona Game and Fish Department with a copy of the VA benefits letter.

Arizona operates three state veterans' cemeteries: the Arizona Veterans' Memorial Cemetery at Camp Navajo in Bellemont (near Flagstaff), the Arizona Veterans' Memorial Cemetery at Marana (near Tucson), and the Southern Arizona Veterans' Memorial Cemetery in Sierra Vista. Burial for an eligible veteran includes the gravesite, opening and closing, a concrete liner for casket burials, a government marker, and perpetual care at no cost. Spouses, un-remarried widows and widowers, minor children, and in some cases unmarried adult dependent children may also be buried there — and an eligible spouse may be buried even if they pass away before the veteran. Options include in-ground casket burial, in-ground urn burial, and columbarium placement. Applying ahead of need settles the eligibility paperwork in advance and spares the family that step later.

Arizona reduces property taxes for veterans with a VA disability rating. For 2026 the exemption is $4,873 of assessed value, multiplied by the disability percentage — a 50% rating exempts about $2,437 of assessed value, and both service-connected and non-service-connected VA ratings count. New for tax year 2026: a veteran rated 100% service-connected has the home fully exempt from property tax, even if the property is jointly owned, and the surviving spouse keeps that full exemption while living in the home and unmarried. Household income for the prior year must be $39,865 or less ($47,826 with a minor or disabled child at home) — but Social Security and VA payments do not count toward that limit, so many retirees qualify on paper income that looks higher. Apply with the county assessor between early January and March 1, with the VA letter showing the rating.

$40–$2,000/yr

This is a refundable Arizona income-tax credit (up to $502) for low-income residents who are 65 or older, or who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI). It helps with property tax OR rent paid on your main Arizona home — so renters can claim it too. You must have lived in Arizona all year and have very low household income (as defined for this credit). File Form 140PTC by April 15.

up to $502/yr

Arizona gives a property-tax exemption (reducing assessed value by $4,873 for 2026) to widows, widowers, and people with a total and permanent disability who own a home in Arizona. Household income from all sources must be $39,865 or less (or $47,826 with minor children or a disabled dependent), and the total assessed value of your Arizona property must be $36,454 or less. Apply to your county assessor between the first Monday in January and March 1.

$100–$600/yr

This program freezes the taxable (limited) value of the home for Arizona homeowners age 65 or older, so that value can't rise while you qualify. To qualify, at least one owner must be 65+, you must have owned and lived in the home for the prior two years as your primary residence, and your 3-year-average total income from all sources must be $47,712 or less (one owner) or $59,640 or less (two or more owners). Apply to your county assessor on Form 82104 by September 1.

$100–$1,500/yr

Valley Metro operates buses and light rail across the Phoenix metro area and offers a Reduced Fare program for riders age 65 and older, Medicare cardholders, and people with disabilities — roughly half of the standard fare with a Reduced Fare ID card. Riders who cannot use fixed-route service due to a disability can use city Dial-a-Ride ADA paratransit and the RideChoice program, which books trips through taxis and rideshare partners. Serves Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Glendale, Tempe, Chandler, and surrounding cities. Call 602-716-2100 for paratransit or apply for a Reduced Fare ID card online.

$200–$1,200/yr