Fairfax County, Virginia vs Wake County, North Carolina

Virginia's Area Agencies on Aging support family members and other unpaid caregivers with respite care, caregiver support groups, individual counseling, training, and help finding services. The program serves caregivers of adults 60 and older, caregivers of people of any age with Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder, and older relatives raising children or caring for adults with disabilities. Contact the local Area Agency on Aging to get connected.

Fairfax Area Agency on Aging is the Area Agency on Aging for Fairfax County. It is the local starting point that connects older adults and caregivers to Part of the Fairfax County Department of Family Services; offers home-delivered meals, in-home care, transportation for older adults, family caregiver support, VICAP insurance counseling, long-term-care ombudsman, falls prevention, and Adult Protective Services. Most services are for adults 60 and older; adults with disabilities may also qualify for some services. Call 1-703-324-7948 to get started.

$500–$6,000/yr

Virginia's Energy Assistance Program helps low-income households pay heating and cooling costs. For the current program year, monthly gross income must be $1,956 or less for one person or $2,643 for two (150% of the federal poverty level). Fuel Assistance applications run from the second Tuesday in October through the second Friday in November; Cooling Assistance from June 15 through mid-August (households must include someone 60 or older, living with a disability, or under 6); Crisis Assistance covers heating emergencies in winter. Apply at CommonHelp, by phone at 1-855-635-4370, or at the local Department of Social Services.

$300–$1,000/yr

Senior Cool Care gives low-income Virginians age 60 and older a free fan, window air conditioner, or portable air conditioner so they can stay cool in summer. Dominion Energy sponsors the program, so the home must be in Dominion Energy's service area, and there must be a need for more cooling at home. Income must be below 150% of the federal poverty level. The program runs May 1 through October 31. Apply through the local Area Agency on Aging. Once a unit is provided it belongs to the recipient and does not have to be returned, but the Area Agency on Aging cannot repair or replace a broken unit. The program does not pay for delivery, installation, or electric bills — for help paying an energy bill, see EnergyShare or the Virginia Energy Assistance Program. Call 1-800-552-3402 for the list of participating agencies.

The Virginia Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps income-eligible households in Fairfax County pay heating and cooling bills, with crisis help for shut-offs and broken equipment. Apply during the program windows through the Fairfax County Department of Family Services, online at CommonHelp, or by phone at 1-833-5CALLVA. Households with an adult 60 or older or a person with a disability are a priority group. Fuel Assistance applications are taken each fall and Cooling Assistance each summer, while funds last.

$300–$1,000/yr

Farm Market Fresh gives Virginians 60 and older in participating cities and counties a $50 benefit each growing season to buy fresh fruits, vegetables, and cut herbs from approved local farmers. Applicants must meet the program's income limits and apply each year through their local Area Agency on Aging or online; benefits go out first come, first served while funds last.

$50/yr

Virginia Medicaid (Cardinal Care) covers adults who are 65 or older, blind, or disabled and have limited income and assets. For 2026, monthly income must be $1,084 or less for one person or $1,463 for a couple (80% of the federal poverty level plus a standard $20 disregard), with countable resources of $2,000 or less for one person or $3,000 for a couple. Coverage includes doctor visits, hospital care, prescriptions, and long-term services. Apply online at CommonHelp, by phone at 1-855-242-8282, or at the local Department of Social Services.

$4,000–$15,000/yr

VICAP is Virginia's free, unbiased Medicare counseling program (the State Health Insurance Assistance Program). Trained counselors at the local Area Agency on Aging help compare Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans, understand Medigap, appeal denials, and apply for low-income assistance programs. Counselors sell nothing. Any Medicare beneficiary can use VICAP, including people under 65 with disabilities. Call 1-800-552-3402 or contact the local Area Agency on Aging.

Uninsured and underinsured residents of Fairfax County can apply for financial assistance (charity care) at Inova Fairfax Hospital (Inova Fairfax Medical Campus) for emergency and medically necessary care. Discounts are based on household size and income compared with the Federal Poverty Level. In-county flagship hospital (3300 Gallows Rd, Falls Church address, Fairfax County). System-level financial assistance policy; apply via MyChart, mail, or in person.

State-funded, consumer-directed attendant care for Virginians with a serious physical or sensory disability or a brain injury. PAS pays for a personal assistant you recruit, hire, schedule and manage yourself to help with transferring, bathing, grooming, toileting, meals and eating, and dressing — so you can stay out of a nursing home and stay active in your community. You must be at least 18, be able to direct your own care and act as the assistant's employer, and not be eligible for the same help through Medicaid or another program. State PAS has a resource limit of $75,000; income is judged on a sliding scale. Apply by mail to the DARS PAS Program, 5620 Cox Rd, Glen Allen, VA 23060 (PASprogram@dars.virginia.gov); if you have not applied for Medicaid in the past two years, DARS requires a Medicaid determination first.

Local Departments of Social Services offer homemaker, companion, and chore services that help adults stay in their own homes — light housekeeping, meal preparation, shopping, laundry, transportation, and help with daily activities. Services target adults who need home-based help to avoid moving into a facility. Spots can be limited by funding, and some localities apply income-based fees. Apply through the local Department of Social Services.

The Auxiliary Grant adds to the income of adults who are 65 or older, blind, or disabled and live in a licensed assisted living facility, approved adult foster care home, or approved supportive housing that accepts the grant. For 2026 the maximum rate is $2,130 a month ($2,450 in Northern Virginia's Planning District 8), plus an $87 personal needs allowance. Assets must be less than $2,000 for one person or $3,000 for a couple, and monthly income below the grant rate plus the allowance. Apply at the local Department of Social Services.

$1,000–$25,000/yr

The CCC Plus waiver lets Virginians who need nursing-facility-level care get that care at home or in the community instead — personal care, adult day health care, respite, medication monitoring, and more. For 2026, monthly income must be $2,982 or less (300% of the SSI rate; all income counts) and countable resources $2,000 or less for one person. A screening by the local community-based team or hospital team decides whether the level-of-care need qualifies. Start with the local Department of Social Services or apply through CommonHelp.

$10,000–$80,000/yr

Virginia runs four state veterans care centers providing affordable long-term skilled nursing care, dementia and memory care, and short-term rehabilitation: Puller (Fauquier County), Sitter & Barfoot (Richmond), Davis & McDaniel (Roanoke), and Jones & Cabacoy (Virginia Beach). Admission requires an honorable discharge, Virginia residency at admission or at entry into service, a medical need for nursing home care, and a payment source — most veterans qualify for the VA per diem credit, and the centers accept Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance.

$10,000–$40,000/yr

Virginia's Medicare Savings Programs pay Medicare costs for people with limited income and assets. For 2026: QMB (monthly income up to $1,350 single / $1,824 couple) pays Part B premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance; SLMB (up to $1,616 / $2,184) and QI (up to $1,816 / $2,455) pay the Part B premium. Countable resources must be $9,950 or less for one person or $14,910 for a couple. Enrolling also brings automatic Extra Help with prescription drug costs. Apply through CommonHelp or the local Department of Social Services.

$2,000–$8,000/yr

Virginia Department of Veterans Services representatives help veterans and their families prepare and file VA disability compensation, pension, and appeal claims at no charge, from more than 38 offices across the state. Working with a DVS representative before filing improves a claim's paperwork and evidence. Bring a DD-214, photo ID, and a direct-deposit form to a first appointment. Call 1-844-838-7838 or use the office finder to book.

Virginia's three state veterans cemeteries — in Amelia, Suffolk, and Dublin — provide burial for eligible veterans and their families at no cost for the grave site, opening and closing, headstone, outer burial receptacle, and perpetual care. Eligibility follows federal standards: veterans discharged under other than dishonorable conditions who meet service criteria, plus spouses and eligible dependent children. Grave sites cannot be reserved in advance.

Virginia fully exempts the principal residence (plus up to one acre) from real estate tax for veterans rated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as 100% service-connected, permanently and totally disabled — including veterans rated 100% through individual unemployability. The exemption is statewide and mandatory in every county and city. A surviving spouse keeps the exemption if the veteran died on or after January 1, 2011 and the spouse does not remarry, even after moving. Apply to the local commissioner of the revenue.

$1,500–$6,000/yr

Virginians born on or before January 1, 1960 may claim an age deduction of up to $12,000 each on the state income tax return. Taxpayers born on or before January 1, 1939 get the full $12,000 regardless of income. For those born between January 2, 1939 and January 1, 1960, the deduction shrinks $1 for every $1 of adjusted federal AGI over $50,000 (single) or $75,000 (married). The deduction is claimed on Form 760 — no separate application.

$100–$690/yr

Virginia lets taxpayers subtract up to $40,000 of eligible military benefits from state taxable income (tax year 2025 and later) — military retirement pay, Survivor Benefit Plan payments to a surviving spouse, and other military benefits paid to a veteran's surviving spouse. There is no age requirement. Both spouses may each claim the subtraction if each receives eligible benefits. Claimed on the Virginia income tax return — no separate application.

$100–$2,300/yr

Fairfax County offers real estate tax relief (exemption) for homeowners who are 65 or older or permanently disabled. Total household income must be $90,000 or less, and net worth (not counting the home) must be $400,000 or less. Relief brackets: 100% relief at income $60,000 or less; 75% at $60,001-$70,000; 50% at $70,001-$80,000; 25% at $80,001-$90,000. Returning applicants must file by May 1, 2026. Separate vehicle ($22,000 income/$75,000 assets) and renter relief programs exist. Apply through the local commissioner of the revenue or assessment office.

$200–$3,000/yr

Fairfax Connector serves Fairfax County with Fixed-route county bus network with half fare for seniors 65+ using a Senior SmarTrip card or by showing a Medicare/Medicaid card; regular fare $2.25, senior $1.10 ($4.80/$2.40 express). WMATA Metrorail/Metrobus also serve the county with the Senior SmarTrip 50% discount (65+).. Older adults and people with disabilities can use reduced fares or demand-response rides for medical appointments, shopping, and other essential trips. Rides are free or low-cost depending on the service.

$150–$1,500/yr

Virginia's Weatherization Assistance Program makes home energy-saving repairs at no cost to income-eligible households — insulation, air sealing, and heating-system work that lowers utility bills. Annual household income must be $44,776 or less for one person or $58,554 for two (effective July 1, 2026). Priority goes to households with elderly members or people with disabilities. Households receiving SSI or TANF cash assistance qualify automatically. Apply through the local weatherization provider agency for the area — DHCD itself does not take applications.

$1,000–$8,000/yr

State-funded help for family members and friends who care for someone living with Alzheimer's disease or another dementia in North Carolina. A trained family consultant meets with the caregiver (in person or by phone), builds a care plan, teaches dementia care skills, connects the family to local services, and follows up. Caregivers in the program may also get funds for self-directed respite care — a paid break using adult day services, in-home help, or short overnight stays — subject to eligibility and available funding. Available in every North Carolina county through six regional offices: Western 828-251-7432, Foothills 828-485-4267, South Central 980-314-7801, Central 919-660-7510, Southeastern 910-408-6365, Northeastern 252-414-3230.

This program helps family and unpaid caregivers with information, access to services, individual counseling, support groups, caregiver training, short-term 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 to see what is available.

The Central Pines Regional Council Area Agency on Aging serves older adults age 60 and older, adults with disabilities, and family caregivers in Wake County. Services include congregate and home-delivered meals, family caregiver support and respite, options counseling for long-term care, the long-term care ombudsman, the Seniors' Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) for Medicare counseling, and information and referral. Call the Area Agency on Aging to learn what is available locally.

$1,000–$6,000/yr

The Crisis Intervention Program helps North Carolina households that are in a heating or cooling emergency — for example, a disconnect notice or no working heat or air conditioning. It pays toward the bill to keep service on. It is available year-round while funds last, for households with income at or below 150% of the federal poverty level who are facing a life-threatening or health-related energy crisis. Apply at your county DSS or ePASS.

up to $600/yr

LIEAP is North Carolina's heating-assistance program (federally funded by LIHEAP). It makes a one-time payment directly to your heating vendor to help with winter heating costs. Households that include someone age 60 or older, or a person with a disability receiving services through the Division of Aging, can apply starting December 1; everyone else can apply January 1 through March 31, or until funds run out. Income must be at or below 130% of the federal poverty level. Apply at ePASS or your county DSS.

$300–$600/yr

North Carolina's Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) gives a one-time payment toward heating costs, and the Crisis Intervention Program (CIP) helps when a household faces a heating or cooling emergency. Both are run by Wake County Health and Human Services. Households with an older adult (60+) or a person with a disability can apply starting December 1; all other eligible households apply January 1 through March 31, or until funds run out. Apply online through ePASS at epass.nc.gov, by mail, or at a county office.

$300–$1,500/yr

NC Medicaid for people who are age 65 or older, blind, or disabled (the non-MAGI MAABD pathway, separate from the 2023 Medicaid expansion). People who receive SSI qualify automatically. Others may qualify as 'Medically Needy' by meeting a Medicaid deductible (spend-down). The countable resource limit is $2,000 for one person and $3,000 for a couple. Apply online at ePASS or through your county Department of Social Services.

$4,000–$30,000/yr

SHIIP is North Carolina's free Medicare counseling service, with counselors in all 100 counties. They help compare Medicare Parts A, B, C, and D, Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans, and long-term-care insurance, screen for help paying Medicare costs (Extra Help and Medicare Savings Programs), and spot Medicare fraud. Counselors do not sell or endorse any plan. Call 1-855-408-1212.

WakeMed offers financial assistance (charity care) for emergency and medically necessary care to patients who cannot afford to pay, plus an uninsured discount for self-pay patients. Applications are available free in English and Spanish and must be returned with proof of income within 240 days of the patient liability letter. UNC Health Rex and Duke Health, which also serve Wake County, have their own assistance programs. Ask for a financial assistance application or call the billing office.

CAP/DA is North Carolina's Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) waiver. It provides supports such as personal care, case management, and home modifications so adults who would otherwise need nursing-home care can stay in their own home. You must be 18 or older, need a nursing-facility level of care, and qualify for long-term-care Medicaid. Contact a local CAP/DA case-management agency in your county to request a referral.

$10,000–$60,000/yr

PACE provides all the medical and supportive care a frail older adult needs to keep living in the community instead of a nursing home — doctors, prescriptions, therapy, adult day care, transportation, and in-home help — coordinated by one team. To join you must be 55 or older, need a nursing-facility level of care, live in a PACE organization's service area, and be able to live safely in the community. North Carolina has 11 PACE organizations operating in 14 locations.

$10,000–$80,000/yr

North Carolina operates State Veterans Homes providing 24-hour skilled nursing care in Black Mountain, Kinston, Salisbury, and Kernersville. Care includes nursing supervision, IV and oxygen therapy, wound care, and physical, occupational, and speech therapy. Admission requires active-duty service other than for training, a discharge under honorable conditions, North Carolina residency for the two years before applying, and a physician referral showing the need for skilled nursing care. When beds are available, a veteran's spouse or surviving spouse may also be admitted. The homes accept Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance, and payment is based on the actual cost of care and ability to pay.

Medicare Savings Programs help people with Medicare pay their Part B premium, and (at the QMB level) also deductibles, coinsurance, and copays. North Carolina has three levels — QMB (MQB-Q), SLMB (MQB-B), and QI (MQB-E) — with rising income limits. In 2026 the highest level (QI) reaches about $1,816/month for one person and $2,455/month for a couple; the resource limit is $9,950 for one person and $14,910 for a couple. Apply at ePASS or your county DSS.

$2,100–$8,000/yr

This seasonal program gives North Carolina residents age 60 or older vouchers to buy fresh fruits, vegetables, honey, and cut herbs at certified farmers' markets, from July 1 to September 30. Household income must be no more than 185% of the federal poverty level (in 2026: $2,461/month for one person, $3,337/month for two). Contact your county's local agency about applications and voucher availability.

$50/yr

North Carolina residents who are 50% or more disabled veterans, as determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, can buy a lifetime combination hunting and inland fishing license for a one-time $10 fee. The license covers statewide hunting and inland fishing privileges and stays valid for life. Apply by mail or in person — not online — with certification of the disability rating from the VA. Residents who are totally and permanently disabled under Social Security rules have a separate $10 lifetime license, even without military service.

Trained, accredited Veterans Service Officers help North Carolina veterans, spouses, and survivors file and appeal VA claims at no cost — disability compensation, secondary and presumptive conditions (burn pits, Agent Orange, Gulf War), Individual Unemployability, and survivor benefits. NCDMVA staffs Veterans Service Centers across the state, and every one of North Carolina's 100 counties has a County Veterans Service Officer. Getting the VA rating right matters twice in North Carolina: the rating drives federal compensation, and it opens state benefits like the $45,000 disabled-veteran property tax exclusion and the $10 lifetime hunting and fishing license. All services are 100% free — no one needs to pay a private company to file a VA claim. Walk-ins are accepted; appointments are recommended.

North Carolina funds free civil legal help for residents age 60 and older through the Older Americans Act, with the money going to the Area Agencies on Aging. Lawyers help with income matters such as Social Security, pensions and unemployment; health care matters such as Medicaid, Medicare and veterans' benefits; housing matters such as evictions, unsafe conditions, foreclosures and predatory lending; and defense against guardianship and powers of attorney. There is no income limit, but the program is aimed at older adults with the greatest economic and social need — including people in rural areas, people with severe disabilities, people with limited English, people with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, and people at risk of being placed in an institution. Contact your local Area Agency on Aging to be connected to a legal services provider, or call the NCDHHS Customer Service Center at 1-800-662-7030.

State/County Special Assistance is a monthly cash supplement for low-income North Carolinians who are age 65 or older, or disabled. One track helps pay for room and board in an approved adult care home; the In-Home track provides a cash supplement to people at risk of entering a facility so they can stay in their own home with care. People who get Special Assistance in an adult care home are automatically eligible for Medicaid. Apply through your county Department of Social Services.

$1,200–$18,000/yr

North Carolina operates four state veterans cemeteries: Western Carolina in Black Mountain, Coastal Carolina in Jacksonville, Sandhills in Spring Lake at Fort Bragg, and Eastern Carolina in Goldsboro. There is no charge for the gravesite or the necessary interment services for a qualified veteran, and no charge for installing the headstone. A veteran qualifies with active-duty service, other than for training, that ended under honorable conditions. Spouses, surviving spouses, and eligible dependent children may also be buried there for a burial fee. Contacting a cemetery ahead of need settles the paperwork early and eases decisions for the family later.

North Carolina excludes the first $45,000 of a home's appraised value from property tax for an honorably discharged veteran with a 100% permanent-and-total service-connected disability, or a veteran who receives specially adapted housing benefits from the VA. There is no income limit and no age limit. A surviving spouse who has not remarried keeps the exclusion, including when the veteran died from a service-connected condition. Apply once: a veterans service office certifies Form NCDVA-9, then Form AV-9 and the NCDVA-9 go to the county tax office by June 1. This is one of three North Carolina property-tax relief programs, and only one can be used per home.

$315–$450/yr

The Circuit Breaker program caps the property tax on your permanent residence at a percentage of your income, deferring the rest. You must be age 65 or older, or totally and permanently disabled, and have owned and occupied the home for at least five years. For the 2026 tax year, if your prior-year income is $38,800 or less, tax is limited to 4% of income; if income is between $38,800 and $58,200, tax is limited to 5%. Apply on Form AV-9 every year by June 1.

$200–$3,000/yr

This program lowers property tax for North Carolina homeowners who are age 65 or older, or totally and permanently disabled. It excludes the greater of $25,000 or 50% of the appraised value of your permanent residence from taxation. For the 2026 tax year your prior-year income must be $38,800 or less. Apply on Form AV-9 to your county tax assessor by June 1.

$200–$1,500/yr

GoWake Access provides shared, door-to-door rides for Wake County residents who are age 60 or older, have a disability, live in rural service zones, or are Medicaid recipients. Trips cost $2 within the same service zone and $4 between towns; Medicaid recipients ride free. Rides run Monday through Saturday by reservation. GoRaleigh and GoTriangle also run fixed-route buses across the Raleigh area. Call 919-212-7005 to set up a ride.

$200–$2,000/yr