Suffolk County, New York vs Lee County, Florida

NY HEAP has three components: (1) REGULAR Heating Benefit — annual heating bill assistance; (2) EMERGENCY Benefit — for households in danger of utility shut-off or running out of fuel; (3) COOLING Assistance — buy/install air conditioner or fan, opens annually around April 15. Eligibility tied to income (typically ~60% of state median income) and household size. Seniors age 60+ and households with a disabled member or child under 6 get priority. Apply at mybenefits.ny.gov, through the local county DSS, or NYC HRA (212-331-3126 in NYC). Open application windows: Regular HEAP November-April; Emergency HEAP January-April; Cooling April-August.

$200–$1,500/yr

New York's Veterans Emergency Housing Assistance Fund pays up to $2,000 to a veteran facing an immediate housing hardship without the money to cover it. Covered needs include overdue rent, utilities, or property taxes; fire or natural-disaster damage; temporary shelter when housing is lost or uninhabitable; replacing or repairing an essential appliance like a furnace or water heater; and home changes needed for disability access. The veteran must live in New York State, have a discharge other than dishonorable, and have a net worth at or below the VA's limit for the non-service-connected pension. After the application is submitted, a Veterans Benefits Advisor calls to verify the emergency and the household's income, assets, and expenses — and checks for other benefits the household may qualify for.

$500–$2,000/yr

Suffolk County emergency aid: (1) Suffolk DSS for Temporary Assistance, Emergency HEAP, and one-time grants (631-853-8820); (2) Suffolk OFA for senior-specific case management (631-853-8200); (3) Suffolk hospital safety net (631-444-4000); (4) Suffolk transit (631-852-5200); (5) Catholic Charities of Long Island (516-733-7000 Nassau / 631-789-5210 Suffolk); (6) Long Island Cares — The Harry Chapin Regional Food Bank. Dial 211 (United Way) or the Suffolk OFA hotline for general referrals.

$200–$3,000/yr

Suffolk County DSS delivers NY's HEAP: Regular HEAP (annual heating help), Emergency HEAP (utility shut-off / fuel-out crises), and Cooling Assistance (AC unit). Eligibility approximately at 60% State Median Income. Seniors age 60+ may apply through Suffolk OFA (631-853-8200) for priority processing. Suffolk DSS HEAP line: 631-853-8820. Apply online at mybenefits.ny.gov.

$200–$1,500/yr

EPIC is a New York state program that helps more than 325,000 income-eligible seniors age 65+ supplement their out-of-pocket Medicare Part D drug costs. Two plans: (1) FEE PLAN for income up to $20,000 single / $26,000 married — modest annual fee, lowest copays; (2) DEDUCTIBLE PLAN for income $20,001-$75,000 single / $26,001-$100,000 married — meet annual deductible first. EPIC also helps pay Medicare Part D premiums for income up to $23,000 single / $29,000 married. Requires Medicare Part D enrollment (or eligibility). Cannot enroll in EPIC if on Medicaid. Apply at health.ny.gov/health_care/epic or by calling 800-332-3742.

$200–$3,000/yr

New York Medicaid Non-MAGI (Aged/Blind/Disabled) covers comprehensive medical, behavioral health, and long-term services & supports for low-income residents age 65+, blind, or disabled. 2026 limits: single-applicant income $1,836/month (approximately 138% FPL — NY is significantly more generous than the federal floor); single-applicant resources $33,038. Married couples (both applying): $2,489/month income, $44,796 resources. Primary residence exempt up to $1,130,000 equity. Apply through the NY State of Health marketplace, ACCESS HRA (NYC residents), or the local county Department of Social Services. Apply at health.ny.gov or by calling 800-541-2831.

$4,000–$50,000/yr

NY Medicare Savings Programs help Medicare beneficiaries pay Part B premiums and (for QMB) deductibles and coinsurance. NY income limits are HIGHER than the federal floor: QMB up to ~$1,800/month single / $2,432 couple (138% FPL); SLMB to ~$2,160/month single / $2,918 couple (165% FPL); QI to ~$2,427/month single / $3,279 couple (186% FPL). NO RESOURCE TEST in NY (the federal $9,660 / $14,470 resource test was removed in NY as of 2023). Apply through county DSS, NYC HRA (212-331-3126), or the NY State of Health marketplace.

$2,098–$8,000/yr

Suffolk County's principal public hospital safety net is Stony Brook University Hospital (academic medical center, State University of New York — flagship Suffolk County safety-net) plus Northwell Health Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Catholic Health LI (St. Charles, Good Samaritan, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Francis), and NYU Langone Long Island Health System. The Financial Assistance Program covers uninsured/underinsured Long Island residents — sliding scale — free or steeply discounted care for households up to 400% FPL under NY's uniform Hospital Financial Assistance Law (effective October 2024). Note: NY Medicaid has a generous Aged/Blind/Disabled income limit (~138% FPL) so many low-income Long Island seniors are Medicaid-eligible and would access these hospitals through Medicaid rather than the FAP. Apply at the hospital's financial counseling office or at https://www.stonybrookmedicine.edu/patientcare/oon/financial-assistance. Phone: 631-444-4000.

$500–$25,000/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 New Yorkers who have both Medicare and Medicaid (or Medicaid only), PACE covers all of it with no out-of-pocket cost. PACE in New York is for people 55 and older who are assessed as needing community-based long-term care for more than 120 days at a nursing-home level of care, who live within a PACE organization's service area, and who can be served safely at home. Participants agree to use only PACE-network providers.

$30,000–$80,000/yr

Enhanced STAR provides an increased school property tax exemption for homeowners age 65+ with combined household income up to approximately $110,750 (2026 limit). Available as either a direct exemption on the school tax bill or as a STAR credit check from NY Tax. Must be the primary residence. Apply through the local assessor (for the exemption) or register with NY Tax (for the credit) at tax.ny.gov/star. New applicants since 2015 generally receive the credit version (a check) rather than the exemption.

$200–$1,500/yr

New York pays a monthly annuity to legally blind wartime veterans — and to their unremarried surviving spouses — who live in New York State. The 2025 rate is $141.33 per month, about $1,696 per year. The blindness does not need to be connected to military service: legal blindness means 20/200 vision in the better eye with best correction, or a field of vision limited to 20 degrees. The veteran needs wartime service of at least 90 days on active duty (less if discharged early for a service-connected disability). Apply by mailing the Blind Annuity application and a Report of Legal Blindness form, with the discharge paperwork, to DVS — or call 1-888-838-7697 for help.

$1,695–$1,696/yr

Managed Long Term Care (MLTC) is how New York delivers community-based long-term care to people who need it for more than 120 days. It serves residents (generally age 18 and older, and especially seniors 65+) who have Medicaid — or who qualify for Medicaid — and who are assessed as needing a nursing-home level of care that can instead be provided at home. An MLTC plan coordinates and pays for home care, personal care, Consumer Directed Personal Assistance (CDPAS), home health aide and nursing visits, physical and occupational therapy at home, adult day health care, home-delivered meals, and related services, so a person can remain in the community rather than enter a nursing home. Enrollment begins with a free assessment by the New York Independent Assessor (NYIA), which confirms the need for community-based long-term services and supports; the person must also be financially eligible for New York Medicaid (for 2026, single-applicant income at or below $1,836/month and countable resources at or below $33,038, with spend-down and spousal-impoverishment protections available). Call the New York Independent Assessor at 1-855-222-8350 to request an assessment, then New York Medicaid Choice at 1-888-401-6582 to choose a plan.

$20,000–$80,000/yr

New York operates five State Veterans' Homes — skilled nursing facilities in Oxford, Montrose, St. Albans (Queens), Batavia, and Long Island (Stony Brook) — owned and run by the State Department of Health and SUNY. They serve veterans who need skilled nursing care, and in some cases spouses and Gold Star parents. A spouse may be admitted if married to an eligible veteran for at least one year before applying and also in need of skilled nursing care. The state reports no out-of-pocket cost to the veteran for routine skilled nursing care, with coverage arranged through VA, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits. Call 1-888-838-7697 or a home directly to ask about admission.

Suffolk County OFA serves seniors age 60+ and their caregivers. Services include Title III Congregate Meals + Home-Delivered Meals, Benefits Counseling (HIICAP — NY's SHIP), HEAP intake assistance, EPIC intake, Care Coordination, Caregiver Support, Long-Term Care Ombudsman, and the local Aging & Disability Resource Center (ADRC). Suffolk OFA participates in NY State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) initiatives like the Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NORC) program. Apply by calling OFA at 631-853-8200 or emailing aging.office@suffolkcountyny.gov.

$1,500–$5,500/yr

New York resident veterans with a service-related disability of 40% or more pay just $5 for the first hunting, fishing, or trapping license bought in a calendar year — and the other license types are free that same year. Qualifying veterans also get free bowhunting and muzzleloading privileges (with a base hunting license) and preference in the Deer Management Permit selection. Enrollment happens once: bring a VA letter showing the case number and a service-related disability of 40% or more to any license issuing agent. After that, licenses can be renewed online, by phone at 1-866-933-2257, or at an agent location without showing the letter again.

New York State's Veterans Benefits Advisors — each a veteran — prepare and file VA claims at no cost for veterans, spouses, children, and parents, working from field offices across the state. They help with disability compensation, the non-service-connected pension, Dependency and Indemnity Compensation for survivors, Special Monthly Compensation, and appeals, and they gather the supporting documents. Getting the VA rating right matters twice in New York: the rating drives federal compensation AND the disability add-on to the state's veterans property tax exemptions. No one needs to pay a private company to file a VA claim. Call 1-888-838-7697 or book a phone or video consultation online.

New York's first state-run veterans cemetery — the New York State Veterans Cemetery – Finger Lakes — sits on 162 acres along Seneca Lake in Romulus, Seneca County, and is open for interments. The State Department of Veterans' Services has managed it since February 2023. Burial is available to veterans discharged from active duty under other than dishonorable conditions, plus the veteran's legal spouse and eligible dependent children; certain reservists and National Guard members also qualify. Each burial includes a 30-minute committal service at the cemetery shelter, with cemetery staff completing the interment. Making pre-arrangements with a funeral director ahead of need keeps the discharge paperwork easy to find when it matters.

New York reduces the assessed value of a wartime veteran's primary residence for property tax purposes: 15% off for serving during a designated time of war (or earning an expeditionary medal), an additional 10% for serving in a combat zone, and a further reduction for a service-connected disability equal to half the VA disability rating. Each county, city, town, village, and school district chooses whether to offer the exemption and sets its own dollar caps, so the benefit differs from one locality to the next. The home must be the primary residence, owned by the veteran, the veteran's spouse, or the unremarried surviving spouse. Apply once with Form RP-458-a at the local assessor's office — in most communities the deadline is March 1. The base 15% benefit does not require any disability rating.

$100–$2,500/yr

New York offers a separate property tax exemption for veterans who served on active duty during the Cold War period — September 2, 1945 through December 26, 1991 — even without wartime or combat service. Where a locality has adopted it, the exemption reduces the home's assessed value by 10% or 15% (the locality chooses), with locally-set dollar caps. A veteran with a service-connected disability gets a further reduction equal to half the VA disability rating, and that disability portion never expires. The basic exemption lasts 10 years unless the locality has removed the time limit. The home must be owned by the veteran, the veteran's spouse, or the unremarried surviving spouse. Apply at the local assessor's office.

Suffolk County Transit (SCT) covers Suffolk County with fixed-route bus service and ADA paratransit. Reduced senior fares for riders age 60+ (Suffolk) or 65+ (Nassau, via MTA Reduced-Fare MetroCard). MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) connects Suffolk to NYC and is governed by separate MTA Reduced-Fare rules. Apply at the Suffolk County transit operator or via MTA for Reduced-Fare MetroCard. Phone: 631-852-5200.

$300–$2,500/yr

Florida's Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps income-eligible households pay home heating and cooling bills, with crisis help when a shutoff is imminent or service is already off. The program is funded federally and run statewide by FloridaCommerce, but you apply through your county's local provider — usually a Community Action Agency, council on aging, or local government office. Households qualify with income at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines (or 60% of the state median income); priority goes to households with a member 60 or older, a person with a disability, or a young child. Payments usually go straight to the utility company.

$350–$1,000/yr

Florida Medicaid for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled — commonly called MEDS-AD — is the state's comprehensive Medicaid coverage for low-income seniors 65 and older (and people who are blind or disabled at any age). It covers doctor visits, hospital care, prescription drugs, lab work, durable medical equipment, and community-based long-term care, and it works alongside Medicare to pay for what Medicare doesn't. Florida is a 1634 state, which means anyone who qualifies for federal SSI is automatically enrolled in Medicaid — no separate application is needed. Seniors who aren't on SSI can still qualify through the MEDS-AD pathway, which uses more generous income limits set at 88% of the federal poverty level (about $1,182/month for an individual or $1,596/month for a couple) with countable assets at or below $5,000 individual / $6,000 couple. Countable assets exclude the primary home and one vehicle. Seniors whose income is above the MEDS-AD limit may still qualify through Florida's Medically Needy 'share of cost' pathway, which lets you use unpaid medical expenses to reduce countable income below the standard each month.

$4,000–$12,000/yr

Lee Health (legal name: Lee Memorial Health System) is one of the largest public health systems in Florida and the third TRUE public hospital district in this catalog — joining Sarasota Memorial and Halifax Health. Established by special act of the Florida Legislature in 1968 and governed by an elected Board of Directors, Lee Health operates six hospitals across Lee County: Lee Memorial Hospital, HealthPark Medical Center, Cape Coral Hospital, Gulf Coast Medical Center, Rehabilitation Hospital, and Golisano Children's Hospital. Lee Health's Financial Assistance Policy is one of the most generous in the catalog: patients with gross family income at or below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level usually pay NOTHING for qualifying hospital and physician services (100 percent discount). Patients with family income above 200 percent FPL but at or below 400 percent FPL pay only 20 percent of qualifying charges (80 percent discount). Even at higher income, patients qualify for full charity when total hospital and physician charges exceed 25 percent of household income — a catastrophic-cost provision that protects middle-income families from medical bankruptcy. Apply by completing the Financial Assistance Application (FAA) with income documentation; financial counselors at Lee Health can help complete the form. Mail completed forms to Lee Health Patient Financial Services, PO Box 150107, Suite 203, Cape Coral, FL 33915 or call (239) 424-1500 or 1-800-809-9906.

$500–$40,000/yr

Florida's Alzheimer's Disease Initiative is the state's dedicated program for adults living with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias (ADRD) and the family members who care for them. It pays for the kinds of services that keep a person with memory loss safely at home and that give caregivers a break: in-home respite, model adult day care designed for dementia, emergency respite when a caregiver is hospitalized, and extended respite of up to about 30 days. ADI also funds case management, specialized medical equipment and supplies, caregiver counseling and support groups, and caregiver training. Connected to the program is the state-funded network of 17 Memory Disorder Clinics across 13 service areas, which provide diagnostic evaluation, research participation, and follow-up care for people with suspected or confirmed ADRD. Eligibility is built around a probable ADRD diagnosis with cognitive impairment that affects daily living — not a strict income test — but a sliding-fee co-pay applies above a base income threshold, and most regions operate a waitlist managed by the local Area Agency on Aging. To apply, contact the statewide Elder Helpline at 1-800-96-ELDER (1-800-963-5337) or your local Aging and Disability Resource Center.

$2,400–$18,000/yr

Community Care for the Elderly is Florida's broadest state-funded in-home services program for functionally impaired seniors aged 60 and older who want to stay in their own home instead of moving to a facility. CCE is not Medicaid — it is funded by the state through the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, which contracts with 11 Area Agencies on Aging and local Lead Agencies to deliver a wide menu of services. Eligible clients may receive case management, adult day care, adult day health care, personal care, homemaker and chore services, home-delivered meals, home health aide and home nursing, respite for family caregivers, emergency alert response systems, escort and shopping assistance, transportation, emergency home repair, consumable medical supplies, counseling, and other community-based supports. There is no rigid income or asset test, but most counties operate a waitlist and apply a sliding-fee co-payment scale once a participant's income rises above a base threshold — at or below roughly 150% of the Federal Poverty Level the participant typically pays nothing, and the co-pay rises in steps for higher-income participants. Priority for services goes to seniors referred by Adult Protective Services as victims of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, followed by those with the greatest functional impairment. Apply through the statewide Elder Helpline at 1-800-96-ELDER (1-800-963-5337) or your local Aging and Disability Resource Center.

$2,000–$15,000/yr

Home Care for the Elderly is a state-funded program that helps frail Florida seniors aged 60 and older stay in a private home with a non-spouse adult caregiver instead of moving to a nursing facility. Each enrolled participant receives a basic monthly subsidy of $160 paid to the caregiver to help offset the cost of food, household supplies, and personal care. The program can also authorize 'special subsidies' for specific needs — incontinence supplies, medications, medical and assistive devices, ramps and home accessibility modifications, nutritional supplements, home health aide visits, home nursing, and respite. To qualify, you must be at risk of nursing-home placement, have monthly income at or below the Institutional Care Program (ICP) standard (300% of the SSI federal benefit rate — about $2,901 a month for 2026), have countable assets at or below $2,000 ($3,000 for a couple), and live with an adult caregiver other than a spouse who is willing and able to provide or arrange care. HCE is administered statewide by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs through 11 regional Area Agencies on Aging, which contract with local Lead Agencies to manage cases and authorize subsidies. Apply through the statewide Elder Helpline at 1-800-96-ELDER (1-800-963-5337) or your local Aging and Disability Resource Center.

$1,920–$6,000/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 seniors who have both Medicare and Florida Medicaid, PACE replaces those benefits as one program with no out-of-pocket cost. PACE in Florida is operated by nonprofit organizations in designated service areas across the state; participants must be 55 or older, live within a PACE organization's service area, be able to live safely in the community at enrollment, and agree to use only PACE-network providers.

$30,000–$80,000/yr

Optional State Supplementation is a monthly cash payment from the State of Florida that supplements an SSI-eligible senior's income so they can afford the cost of an Assisted Living Facility (ALF), Adult Family Care Home (AFCH), or Mental Health Residential Treatment Facility. OSS is for low-income seniors and disabled adults who need help with the activities of daily living but who do not require nursing-home-level care. The state pays the difference between the resident's countable income and a published 'provider rate plus personal needs allowance' total — for an individual in an ALF the monthly income eligibility standard is $1,045.40 and the base provider rate is $991.40, plus a $160 monthly Personal Needs Allowance the resident keeps for incidentals (Florida Administrative Code 65A-2.036, effective June 24, 2025). To qualify, you must meet SSI's categorical eligibility (age 65+, blind, or disabled with countable income and resources below the SSI limits), be assessed as needing the level of care the facility provides, and reside in a state-licensed facility that accepts OSS payments. Eligibility is determined by DCF; payments are made monthly.

$1,200–$9,600/yr

Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care (SMMC LTC) is Florida's Medicaid program for people who need nursing-home-level care — whether they receive that care in a nursing facility, an assisted living facility, or in their own home. SMMC LTC pays for nursing facility care, assisted living, adult day health care, home health aide and personal care visits, homemaker and respite services, home-delivered meals, adult companion services, home accessibility modifications, medical equipment, and case management — all coordinated by a managed-care plan you choose at enrollment. To qualify, you must be age 65 or older (or 18+ with a disability), be financially eligible under Florida Medicaid's institutional-care income and asset rules (for 2026 that is monthly income at or below $2,901 — 300% of the SSI federal benefit rate — and countable assets at or below $2,000 for an individual, with special spousal-impoverishment protections for married couples), and be determined by DOEA's CARES (Comprehensive Assessment and Review for Long-Term Care Services) program to require nursing-facility level of care. A waitlist is the norm: CARES screens and prioritizes applicants for available enrollment slots through a wait-list release process. Apply through the Elder Helpline at 1-800-96-ELDER (1-800-963-5337) or the DCF ACCESS portal — eligibility is determined by DCF while CARES handles the medical level-of-care determination.

$20,000–$80,000/yr

Florida runs State Veterans' Nursing Homes around the state — including Daytona Beach, Land O' Lakes, Pembroke Pines, Panama City, Port Charlotte, St. Augustine, and Port St. Lucie — plus a veterans' assisted living facility in Lake City. They provide skilled nursing care or assisted living for veterans who need help with daily living, generally at below private-market rates because federal VA per-diem support helps cover the cost. Florida law also makes the spouse or surviving spouse of a veteran eligible, with admission priority behind eligible veterans. Admission requires Florida residency, needing the level of care, and approval by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida (AAASWFL) is the nonprofit designated by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs as the AAA + ADRC for Planning and Service Area 8 — a seven-county region covering Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hendry, Lee, and Sarasota. In Lee County, the contracted meals provider is Senior Friendship Centers, Inc. (SFC) — the same major regional nonprofit that serves Sarasota, DeSoto, and Charlotte counties, with combined volume of nearly 300,000 meals each year across the four counties. SFC operates Lee senior centers in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Lehigh Acres, and other communities. Home-delivered meals come once a week as up to 7 frozen meals at a time; congregate dining is also offered at SFC senior center locations. Eligibility is age 60+ and Lee County residency. AAASWFL coordinates the full PSA 8 senior service portfolio — case management, in-home care, caregiver support, Alzheimer's services, SHINE Medicare counseling, and benefits screening — accessible through the AAASWFL Elder Helpline at 1-866-413-5337.

$1,800–$12,000/yr

Florida gives free hunting, freshwater fishing, and saltwater fishing licenses to resident veterans who were honorably discharged and have a VA service-connected disability rating of 50% or more. The license is good for 5 years and is reissued on request every 5 years after that. Bring the VA letter showing the rating and proof of Florida residency to a county tax collector's office. Florida residents certified as totally and permanently disabled by the VA, workers' compensation, or Social Security qualify for free licenses under the same law even without the 50% veteran rating.

$40–$50/yr

Florida law directs the Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs to help veterans, their spouses, and their dependents prepare and file claims for VA benefits — disability compensation, pension, Aid and Attendance, survivor benefits — at no charge. FDVA claims examiners work alongside County Veteran Service Officers available in counties across the state. Getting the VA rating right matters twice in Florida: the rating drives federal compensation AND unlocks state benefits like the disabled-veteran property tax exemptions and free licenses. No one needs to pay a private company to file a VA claim.

Florida residents who are active or retired members of the U.S. Armed Forces, the Reserves, the National Guard, or the Coast Guard can buy the Military Gold Sportsman's License for $18.50 a year — the same package that costs other residents $98.50. It bundles the hunting, freshwater fishing, and saltwater fishing licenses along with the deer, wildlife management area, archery, muzzleloading gun, crossbow, turkey, Florida waterfowl, snook, and spiny lobster permits. Show a current military ID at a county tax collector's office, or verify online through Florida's license portal.

$75–$85/yr

Florida gives veterans age 65 and older a discount on the property tax bill for their homestead when they have a permanent, combat-related, service-connected disability and were honorably discharged. The discount percentage equals the VA disability rating — a 70% rating means 70% off the ad valorem taxes on the home. This is one of the largest senior-specific veteran benefits in Florida. If the veteran dies, the discount carries over to a surviving spouse who keeps the home and does not remarry. Apply with the county property appraiser by March 1 using Form DR-501DV, the VA letter showing the percentage and the combat-related finding, proof of honorable discharge, and proof of age.

$150–$3,000/yr

A Florida veteran with a service-connected, total and permanent disability pays NO property tax on the homestead — the home is fully exempt. The veteran must have been honorably discharged, and a letter from the VA certifying total and permanent disability is the proof. This is one of the largest dollar benefits available to Florida veterans. A surviving spouse who holds title, lives in the home, and does not remarry keeps the full exemption, and can transfer a fixed dollar amount to a new home after a sale. Apply once through the county property appraiser.

$2,000–$5,000/yr

Florida exempts $5,000 of a disabled veteran's property value from taxation. It applies to an honorably discharged veteran who is a Florida resident and is disabled 10% or more from wartime service or by misfortune. The VA disability letter showing the rating counts as proof. An unremarried surviving spouse keeps the exemption. Apply once through the county property appraiser by March 1. This exemption stacks on top of the regular homestead exemption, and it is separate from the larger benefits for 100% disabled veterans and for combat-disabled veterans age 65 and older.

$40–$50/yr

Florida's Homestead Exemption reduces the taxable assessed value of an owner-occupied primary residence by up to $50,000. The first $25,000 is exempt from all ad-valorem property taxes (including school taxes). A second $25,000 exemption applies to the assessed value between $50,000 and $75,000 and is exempt from all property taxes except school district levies — so a homeowner whose home is assessed at $75,000 or more receives the full $50,000 reduction (with $25,000 of that not exempt from school taxes). Eligibility hinges on owning and making the home your permanent residence as of January 1 of the tax year. There is no age or income test for the base exemption. Once granted, the exemption automatically continues each year as long as the homeowner continues to occupy the home — re-application is only required if ownership or occupancy changes. The Homestead Exemption is also what unlocks the 'Save Our Homes' 3% annual assessment-increase cap, which protects long-time homeowners from large property-tax jumps when market values rise.

$200–$750/yr

On top of the base Florida Homestead Exemption and the $50,000 Senior Additional Homestead Exemption, Florida gives counties and cities the option to grant a Long-Term Resident Senior Homestead Exemption that can wipe out up to 100 percent of the assessed value of a qualifying low-income senior's home — paying $0 in the local property taxes the exemption applies to. To qualify you must be age 65 or older, hold the base homestead, have lived in the same home as your permanent residence for at least 25 years, have a household adjusted gross income at or below the same CPI-adjusted limit used for the $50,000 senior add-on ($38,686 for tax year 2026), and the home's just (market) value must be less than $250,000. Like the $50,000 senior add-on, this exemption is not automatic statewide — each county and each city has to adopt it by a super-majority ordinance, and adoption rates vary across Florida's 67 counties and 400+ municipalities. The exemption applies only to taxes levied by the adopting jurisdiction and does not apply to school district taxes. Apply by March 1 with your county Property Appraiser using the senior add-on application packet (typically Form DR-501SC plus a sworn statement of household income).

$800–$2,500/yr

Florida lets counties and municipalities grant an additional homestead exemption of up to $50,000 to homeowners age 65 and older with limited household income. This stacks on top of the base $25,000+$25,000 Homestead Exemption — so a qualifying low-income senior can shield up to $100,000 of assessed value from non-school property taxes in a county that adopts the maximum. The exemption applies only to taxes levied by the county or city that has adopted it; it does not apply to school district taxes. For the 2026 tax year, household income (the adjusted gross income of all household members, as defined by IRC §62) must not exceed $38,686 — a figure that the Florida Department of Revenue adjusts each January 1 by the change in the federal cost-of-living index from the statutory $20,000 base set in §196.075, Fla. Stat. Each county and city must adopt the exemption by ordinance, and the amount adopted (up to the $50,000 maximum) varies — many but not all Florida counties have adopted it, often at the full $50,000.

$300–$700/yr

Passport is LeeTran's ADA-mandated shared-ride paratransit service for Lee County residents whose disability prevents independent use of LeeTran fixed-route buses. The service is offered in strict accordance with the ADA Act of 1990: trips are provided when both origin and destination are within 3/4 mile of a fixed-route corridor. LeeTran classifies ADA eligibility into three categories — Category 1 covers persons whose disability prevents independent use of accessible buses entirely. Disability alone does NOT confer eligibility — Passport eligibility requires demonstration through the application and review process that disability functionally prevents fixed-route use. Visitors with ADA certification from another transit agency may use Passport during their visit with that documentation; visitors without prior certification but with disability documentation may receive presumptive eligibility for up to 21 days. Call the LeeTran Passport Office at (239) 533-0300, Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., for the application packet. The Passport service map shows whether your address falls within the 3/4-mile fixed-route corridor.

$1,500–$7,500/yr

LeeTran is Lee County's public fixed-route bus system, serving Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Lehigh Acres, Bonita Springs, Estero, and surrounding communities. Riders age 65 and older qualify for a reduced fare, paid via the TropiCard — LeeTran's reloadable smart fare card that's loaded with the rider's discount eligibility. To enroll, bring proof of age (Medicare card, Florida driver's license, Florida ID, or U.S. passport) along with one form of photo ID to the Rosa Parks Transportation Center at 2250 Widman Way, Fort Myers; LeeTran staff will issue the personalized TropiCard with the senior discount preloaded. After enrollment, show the TropiCard to the driver every time you board to receive the reduced rate. Customer Service: (239) 533-8726, Option 1.

$100–$730/yr

Lee County's Department of Human & Veteran Services administers the county's safety-net assistance programs from its Fort Myers offices at 2440 Thompson Street. The federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides energy-bill assistance to households at or below 60 percent of Florida's State Median Income (for households of 1-8) or 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (for households of 9 or more). Applicants must be Lee County residents, U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents or qualified aliens, and have a direct utility bill or pay non-subsidized rent that includes utilities. The LeeCares Emergency Rental Assistance Program provides additional rent and utility help — more information at LeeFLCares.com. LIHEAP applications are accepted online; telephone screenings can be requested by calling (239) 533-7996. Spanish-language LIHEAP assistance is available at (239) 533-7900.

$400–$3,000/yr