Milwaukee County, Wisconsin vs Lee County, Florida
What senior and caregiver benefit programs are available in each county. 25 federal programs are available in both. Because these counties are in different states, their state programs differ entirely.
Only in Milwaukee County
16 programs not available in the other county
Elder Services
Aging & Disability Resource Center (ADRC of Milwaukee County) — Milwaukee
CountyADRC of Milwaukee County is the county's one-stop for aging help: benefits counseling (Medicare, FoodShare, Medicaid), long-term-care options and Family Care/IRIS enrollment, caregiver support, home-delivered and senior dining meals, transportation arrangements, and falls-prevention programs. Services are free and open to adults 60 and over and adults with disabilities. Call 414-289-6874 or the statewide line 1-844-947-2372.
$200–$2,000/yr
Energy Assistance
Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP)
StateWHEAP helps low-income Wisconsin households pay heating and electric bills, with crisis help and emergency furnace repair or replacement. For the 2025-2026 program year (October 1, 2025 - September 30, 2026), household income must be at or below 60% of the state median: $38,421 a year for one person, $50,243 for two. One regular benefit payment per heating season. Apply online at energybenefit.wi.gov or through the local county energy assistance agency.
$100–$1,500/yr
Energy Assistance (WHEAP) intake — Milwaukee
CountyCommunity Advocates - WHEAP takes Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program applications for Milwaukee County residents — heating and electric bill help, crisis assistance, and emergency furnace repair. Household income must be at or below 60% of the state median (see the statewide WHEAP listing for current figures). Apply online at energybenefit.wi.gov, or by phone, mail, or in person through the local agency at 414-270-4653.
$100–$1,500/yr
Food Assistance
FoodShare Wisconsin (SNAP) for Older Adults
StateFoodShare is Wisconsin's SNAP program — a monthly benefit on a QUEST card for groceries. Most households qualify with gross monthly income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level ($2,610 for one person, $3,526 for two). Older adults (60+) and people with disabilities can deduct out-of-pocket medical expenses over $35 a month, which often raises the benefit. No asset test for most households. Apply at access.wi.gov or through the county ADRC.
$300–$3,500/yr
Health Coverage
Wisconsin Medicaid for the Elderly, Blind or Disabled (EBD)
StateWisconsin Medicaid for the Elderly, Blind or Disabled (EBD) covers doctor visits, hospital care, prescriptions, and long-term care supports for people 65 or older, blind, or disabled with limited income and assets. For 2026 the SSI-related categorically needy limits are $1,086.16 a month income ($1,636.26 for a couple) with assets of $2,000 ($3,000 couple); higher-income applicants may still qualify through a deductible (spenddown) or other EBD pathways. Apply at access.wi.gov, by phone, or through the county ADRC.
$2,000–$15,000/yr
Healthcare
Medigap Helpline & Part D Counseling (Board on Aging) — Wisconsin
StateWisconsin's Board on Aging and Long Term Care runs free, confidential insurance counseling for Medicare beneficiaries — comparing Medigap (supplement) policies, Medicare Advantage, and long-term-care insurance at 1-800-242-1060, with a separate Part D prescription-plan line at 1-855-677-2783. Counselors are neutral: they sell nothing. Counseling is for Medicare beneficiaries of any age. This is Wisconsin's version of the State Health Insurance assistance Program (SHIP).
SeniorCare Prescription Drug Assistance — Wisconsin
StateSeniorCare is Wisconsin's prescription drug assistance program for residents 65 and older. Enrollment costs $30 a year. With annual income at or below 160% of the federal poverty level ($25,536 single / $34,624 couple for 2026) there is no deductible — just $5 generic / $15 brand copays; income up to 200% ($31,920 / $43,280) adds a deductible, and higher incomes can still join with a spenddown. SeniorCare works with or instead of Medicare Part D. Call 1-800-657-2038 or apply by mail.
$300–$3,000/yr
Hospital Financial Assistance (Froedtert Hospital) — Milwaukee
CountyUninsured and underinsured residents of Milwaukee County can apply for financial assistance (charity care) at Froedtert Hospital for emergency and medically necessary care. Froedtert Health provides free or discounted care based on income, assets, and family size; call the financial counselors at 414-805-6206 to apply. Discounts are based on household size and income compared with the Federal Poverty Level.
Income Support
Wisconsin SSI State Supplement & SSI-E
StateWisconsin adds a monthly state supplement to federal SSI payments for residents who are 65 or older, blind, or disabled with little income and assets of $2,000 or less ($3,000 for a couple). The SSI-E (Exceptional Expense) supplement pays more to SSI members who need at least 40 hours a month of help at home — certified by the county or tribal agency. SSI members in Wisconsin also get Medicaid automatically. Apply for SSI through Social Security (1-800-772-1213); ask the county income maintenance agency about SSI-E certification.
$1,000–$3,000/yr
Long Term Care
Family Care & IRIS (Long-Term Care Programs) — Wisconsin
StateFamily Care and IRIS are Wisconsin's Medicaid long-term care programs. They pay for help at home — personal care, chores, home-delivered meals, equipment, respite — so frail seniors and adults with disabilities can stay out of nursing homes. IRIS is the self-directed option (you manage your own budget and workers). Eligibility takes both a functional screen (nursing-home level of care) and Medicaid financial rules. Enrollment starts at the county Aging & Disability Resource Center.
$5,000–$50,000/yr
Medicare Savings
Medicare Savings Programs (QMB / SLMB / SLMB+) — Wisconsin
StateWisconsin's Medicare Savings Programs pay Medicare costs for people with limited income. For 2026: QMB (monthly income up to $1,330 single / $1,803.33 couple) pays Part A and B premiums, deductibles, and copays; SLMB and SLMB+ (income to $1,596 / $2,164 and above) pay the Part B premium. Assets must be at or below $9,950 single / $14,910 couple. Enrolling also brings Extra Help with prescription costs. Apply at access.wi.gov or through the county ADRC.
$2,000–$8,000/yr
Nutrition
Senior Dining & Home-Delivered Meals — Wisconsin
StateWisconsin's elderly nutrition program serves adults 60 and older (and their spouses) through senior dining sites and home-delivered meals (Meals on Wheels) in every county. There is no income test — meals are provided on a voluntary-donation basis. Home delivery is for those who cannot get out; the county aging unit or ADRC signs people up.
$500–$2,500/yr
Tax Relief
Homestead Credit — Wisconsin
StateThe Homestead Credit is a refundable state tax credit that offsets property taxes or rent for lower-income Wisconsin residents — homeowners AND renters qualify. Household income must be under $24,680 for the year, and you must have lived in Wisconsin all year and be 18 or older. The credit is claimed with Schedule H on the state income tax return (up to about $1,168). Free filing help is available through county tax sites and the ADRC.
$100–$1,168/yr
Property Tax Deferral Loan Program (WHEDA) — Wisconsin
StateWHEDA's Property Tax Deferral Loan Program lets homeowners 65 and older (co-owner 60+) with limited income defer property taxes: WHEDA pays the tax bill as a low-interest loan repaid when the home is sold or transferred. Applications are accepted January 1 through June 30 each year. Call WHEDA at 1-800-755-7835 for the current income limit and application.
$500–$4,000/yr
Transportation
County Elderly & Disabled Transportation (§85.21) — Milwaukee
CountyEvery Wisconsin county, including Milwaukee County, receives state aid under Wis. Stat. §85.21 to run specialized transportation for seniors and individuals with disabilities — typically door-to-door van or volunteer-driver rides to medical appointments, nutrition sites, and shopping. Services and fares vary by county; the ADRC connects riders with the county's program. Call 414-289-6874 to schedule or learn what is available.
$150–$1,500/yr
Veteran Benefits
Veterans & Surviving Spouses Property Tax Credit — Wisconsin
StateThis refundable credit pays back 100% of the property taxes on the primary residence (up to one acre) for eligible Wisconsin veterans with a 100% service-connected disability rating (including individual unemployability) and for eligible unremarried surviving spouses receiving DIC. There is no income limit. First get a certification of eligibility from the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs, then claim the credit on the state income tax return.
$1,000–$6,000/yr
Only in Lee County
23 programs not available in the other county
Energy Assistance
LIHEAP — Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (Florida)
StateFlorida'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
Health Coverage
Florida Medicaid for the Aged, Blind & Disabled (MEDS-AD)
StateFlorida 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
Healthcare
Lee Health Financial Assistance (Lee Memorial Health System)
CountyLee 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
Home Care
Florida Alzheimer's Disease Initiative (ADI)
StateFlorida'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
Florida Community Care for the Elderly (CCE)
StateCommunity 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
Florida Home Care for the Elderly (HCE)
StateHome 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
Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)
StatePACE 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
Income Support
Florida Optional State Supplementation (OSS)
StateOptional 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
Long Term Care
Florida Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care (SMMC LTC)
StateStatewide 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 State Veterans' Homes (Nursing Home and Assisted Living Care)
StateFlorida 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.
Nutrition
Senior Friendship Centers Meals + AAA Southwest Florida Services (Lee)
CountyThe 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
Supportive Services
Florida Free Hunting & Fishing Licenses for Disabled Veterans (50%+ Rating)
StateFlorida 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 Department of Veterans' Affairs Claims Assistance (Free VA Claims Help)
StateFlorida 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 Military Gold Sportsman's License (Reduced-Fee Hunting & Fishing Package)
StateFlorida 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
Tax Relief
Florida Combat-Disabled Veteran Age 65+ Property Tax Discount
StateFlorida 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
Florida Total Property Tax Exemption for 100% Disabled Veterans
StateA 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 $5,000 Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption (10%+ Disability)
StateFlorida 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 Homestead Exemption
StateFlorida'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
Florida Long-Term Resident Senior Homestead Exemption
StateOn 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 Senior Additional Homestead Exemption
StateFlorida 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
Transportation
LeeTran Passport ADA Paratransit
CountyPassport 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 Senior Reduced Fare (TropiCard)
CountyLeeTran 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
Utility Assistance
Lee County Human & Veteran Services LIHEAP + Emergency Aid
CountyLee 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
Considering a move? See which programs you may personally qualify for in either county.
Find my benefitsNot legal or financial advice. Availability is not eligibility — the agency makes the final decision.
