Massachusetts' Family Caregiver Support Program is free for unpaid caregivers 18 and older who care for someone 60 or older, or anyone living with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia. It also supports grandparents and relatives 55+ raising children or caring for adults with disabilities. Caregiver specialists at the regional ASAP offer counseling, training, support groups, workshops, and respite care. Call MassOptions at 1-800-243-4636.

SCSEP places low-income job seekers age 55 and older into paid part-time community service assignments at nonprofits and public agencies — schools, libraries, food pantries, senior centers, parks departments, and similar host sites. Participants typically work 20 hours per week and earn at least the federal, state, or local minimum wage (in California, $16.50/hour in 2026, which works out to roughly $17,000 per year before taxes). The placement is paired with skills training, computer literacy, resume help, and one-on-one coaching aimed at moving the participant into unsubsidized employment within the broader job market. SCSEP is administered nationally by the Department of Labor and locally by AARP Foundation, the National Council on Aging, Goodwill, the National Caucus and Center on Black Aging, and state agencies; coverage exists in every California county though slot availability and the host-site mix vary by grantee.

$15,000–$17,000/yr

Fuel Assistance helps income-eligible Massachusetts households pay heating costs from November 1 through April 30 — homeowners and renters alike, including renters whose heat is in the rent. Household income must be at or below 60% of the state median: $53,585 for one person or $70,073 for two under the current guidelines. Payments go straight to the heating vendor, and the same application covers heating-system repair (HEARTWAP) and weatherization. Apply online starting October 1, or through the local fuel-assistance agency; call the Cold Relief Heatline at 1-800-632-8175.

$300–$1,500/yr

Funded under Older Americans Act Title III-C1 and run locally by Area Agencies on Aging, the Congregate Nutrition Program serves hot meals to seniors age 60 and older at senior centers, community centers, places of worship, and similar gathering sites. Most sites serve lunch on weekdays; some serve dinner or weekend meals as well. There is no income test. A voluntary contribution (typically $2–$4 per meal) is suggested but never required, and no senior is turned away for inability or unwillingness to contribute. Beyond the meal itself, sites typically offer health screenings, nutrition counseling, social activities, transportation assistance, and a built-in social network that reduces the isolation that contributes to depression and accelerated cognitive decline in older adults.

$1,000–$2,500/yr

CSFP gives low-income adults 60 and older a free monthly box of nutritious USDA foods — items like canned fruits and vegetables, juice, cereal, pasta, peanut butter, canned protein, and cheese. It's meant to round out the diet, not replace all groceries. You qualify at 60 or older with household income at or below 130% of the federal poverty level. CSFP operates in most (but not all) states and tribal areas, and some local sites keep a waiting list when boxes are full.

$240–$600/yr

Federally authorized under the Older Americans Act and locally operated by Area Agencies on Aging and Meals on Wheels affiliates, the Home-Delivered Meals Program brings hot or frozen meals — typically five to seven per week — to seniors age 60 and older who are homebound or have difficulty preparing meals safely on their own. There is no income test; the program is open to all qualifying seniors regardless of wealth. A voluntary contribution is suggested (a few dollars per meal) but never required, and no senior is turned away for inability or unwillingness to pay. Beyond the meals themselves, the daily home visit functions as a wellness check — drivers are trained to notice changes in health, mood, or living conditions and to alert local care coordinators when something looks wrong.

$1,500–$4,000/yr

SFMNP gives low-income seniors annual vouchers — roughly $40 per eligible person in California in 2026 — to buy fresh, unprepared, locally-grown fruits, vegetables, herbs, and honey at participating farmers' markets, roadside stands, and community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs. The federal program is funded by USDA and distributed locally by the California Department of Food and Agriculture through county and nonprofit partners (food banks, area agencies on aging, senior centers). Vouchers are typically distributed once per year between May and October. SFMNP is small in dollar value relative to other senior benefits but pairs well with CalFresh because it lets recipients buy farmers'-market produce that traditional grocery-store benefits don't always cover well.

$35–$50/yr

SNAP (formerly food stamps) puts money on a card each month to buy groceries. Households with a member who is 60 or older (or who has a disability) get special rules: only the net-income test applies, medical expenses over $35 a month can be deducted, and the countable-asset limit is higher at $4,500. Many seniors who assume they earn too much still qualify once those deductions are counted. Benefits average well over $1,000 a year for a single senior. You apply through your state's SNAP office; many states offer a simplified application for seniors.

$280–$2,400/yr

Each summer, Massachusetts seniors 60 and older with limited income can get a farmers'-market coupon booklet (about $25 in recent seasons) to buy fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, and honey from participating farmers markets and farm stands. Income must be under $29,526 a year for one person or $40,034 for two (effective July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027). Coupons go out first come, first served through the local elder-services agency or council on aging.

$25/yr

MassHealth Standard gives Massachusetts residents 65 and older complete health coverage — doctors, hospitals, prescriptions, and long-term-care services. For 2026, monthly income must be at or below 100% of the federal poverty level ($1,330 for one person, $1,804 for a couple, effective March 1, 2026) with countable assets of $2,000 or less ($3,000 for a couple). Seniors over the income limit may still qualify through a six-month spend-down or long-term-care rules. Apply with the SACA-2 application — it screens for every senior coverage type, including the Medicare Savings Programs. Call 1-800-841-2900 for help.

$4,000–$15,000/yr

CHAMPVA is the VA's health-care program for spouses, surviving spouses, and dependent children of veterans who are rated 100% permanently and totally disabled from a service-connected condition, who died of a service-connected condition, or who died on active duty. CHAMPVA shares the cost of covered services — inpatient and outpatient care, prescriptions, durable medical equipment, mental health, and skilled nursing care — typically paying 75% of the VA-allowable amount after a small annual deductible. Once a beneficiary becomes Medicare-eligible at 65, CHAMPVA functions as a secondary payer that picks up most of what Medicare doesn't cover, including Part B coinsurance and many Part D-equivalent prescriptions. CHAMPVA is administered out of the VA Health Administration Center in Denver and is separate from TRICARE; a person eligible for TRICARE cannot use CHAMPVA.

$3,000–$15,000/yr

SHIP provides free, unbiased, one-on-one Medicare counseling to anyone with Medicare and to their families and caregivers. A trained SHIP counselor — not a salesperson and not paid on commission — will sit down with you to compare Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Part D drug plans, and Medigap policies, sort out enrollment deadlines and late-enrollment penalties, untangle a denied claim or an appeal, and check whether you qualify for cost-saving programs like the Medicare Savings Programs or Extra Help. There is no income test and the service is always free. SHIP is run by the federal Administration for Community Living and delivered through a local office in every state — in California it is called HICAP, in Florida it is called SHINE — so the counselor knows both the national rules and the local plans available where you live.

VA Health Care covers primary care, specialty care, mental health, hospital stays, prescriptions, and preventive services at the nationwide network of VA medical centers and community-based outpatient clinics. Most veterans with an other-than-dishonorable discharge are eligible to enroll. After enrollment the VA assigns the veteran a Priority Group (1 through 8) based on service-connected disability rating, special circumstances (former POW, Purple Heart, catastrophic disability), and income relative to the geographic-means-test threshold. Priority Groups 1 through 5 receive most care at no cost; higher priority groups pay copays that are still well below typical Medicare and private-insurance cost-sharing. VA Health Care does not replace Medicare for most senior veterans — most enroll in both — but it can substantially reduce out-of-pocket costs for care received at VA facilities, especially prescriptions ($0–$11 per fill versus typical Medicare Part D copays).

$5,000–$20,000/yr

The Health Safety Net pays acute-care hospitals and community health centers for care to uninsured and underinsured Massachusetts residents. Residents with income up to 150% of the poverty level get services with no deductible; from above 150% up to 300% FPL ($3,990 a month for one person in 2026), a deductible applies. It also fills gaps for people with Medicare or private insurance, and Medicare Savings Program members are enrolled automatically. Seniors are screened through the same SACA-2 application as MassHealth. It works only at hospitals and community health centers — it is not insurance.

$500–$8,000/yr

IMPORTANT: Prescription Advantage stops accepting new applications after September 11, 2026 — apply before then; current members continue. Massachusetts' state pharmacy assistance program wraps around Medicare Part D: it caps annual out-of-pocket drug spending by income category, allows a once-a-year special enrollment to switch Part D plans, and covers one-time emergency prescriptions. No monthly premium. Income can be up to $79,800 a year for a single person ($108,200 married); under-65 members with disabilities have lower limits. Call 1-800-243-4636 (option 3).

$200–$3,000/yr

SHINE provides free, unbiased health-insurance counseling to Massachusetts residents on Medicare and their caregivers. Certified counselors — reached through local councils on aging or MassOptions at 1-800-243-4636 — help compare Medicare plans, find prescription savings, and apply for assistance programs like the Medicare Savings Programs and Extra Help.

Massachusetts' state-funded Home Care Program helps adults 60 and older (and younger people with Alzheimer's disease needing respite) stay at home with care management, homemaker and personal care, chore services, home-delivered meals, adult day health, respite, and transportation. Households with annual gross income under $35,784 (calendar year 2026) pay small fixed monthly co-payments; higher-income households can still receive services on a sliding fee of 50-100% of service cost — there is no absolute income cut-off. A free in-home assessment by the regional ASAP sets the service plan. Call MassOptions at 1-800-243-4636.

$500–$8,000/yr

The Housing Choice Voucher program (commonly called Section 8) helps very-low-income households rent housing in the private market. The household generally pays about 30% of its adjusted income toward rent and the voucher covers the rest, up to a local payment standard, so housing cost scales to income instead of market rent. Unlike Section 202, a voucher is not tied to one building — it can be used at any rental whose owner accepts it and that meets program rent and quality standards, and in California source-of-income discrimination law requires most landlords to consider voucher holders. Vouchers are administered by local Public Housing Agencies, each with its own waiting list; many California PHAs maintain senior or senior/disabled preference categories. The benefit is large in high-rent California markets, but voucher waiting lists are among the longest of any benefit — frequently 5 to 10+ years, and many are closed except during brief lottery openings.

$8,000–$20,000/yr

Section 202 funds nonprofit-owned apartment communities built specifically for low-income seniors age 62 and older, paired with on-site supportive services (a service coordinator, transportation, meal programs, light housekeeping referrals) designed to let residents age in place. Residents generally pay 30% of their adjusted income toward rent and HUD covers the rest, so the out-of-pocket housing cost scales down with income rather than tracking market rent. For a low-income senior in a high-rent California market this is one of the largest single dollar-value benefits available — but Section 202 properties are individually owned, have limited units, and almost always carry multi-year waiting lists, so it is best understood as something to get on the list for now rather than a benefit that starts quickly.

$5,000–$15,000/yr

SSI is a federal monthly cash benefit for people 65 and older (or blind / disabled at any age) with very limited income and resources. It's a separate program from Social Security retirement — you can qualify for SSI even if you never worked enough to get Social Security, and many people qualify for both. In California, SSI recipients also get the State Supplementary Payment (SSP) on top, which adds several thousand dollars a year to the federal benefit. SSI is also a gateway: it can automatically open the door to Medi-Cal, CalFresh, and Extra Help.

$11,928–$17,892/yr

PACE provides all the medical and long-term care an older adult needs to keep living at home instead of moving to a nursing home — doctors, prescriptions, adult day health, in-home aides, therapy, and transportation, all coordinated by one team. To join you must be 55 or older, live in a PACE organization's service area, need a nursing-home level of care (certified by the state), and be able to live safely in the community with PACE's help. For people who have both Medicare and Medicaid, PACE is usually free; others may pay a monthly premium.

$6,000–$40,000/yr

The Frail Elder Waiver lets Massachusetts residents 60 and older (60-64 with a disability) who qualify for nursing-facility care stay at home instead — personal care, homemaker help, home-delivered meals, respite, adult day programs, transportation, home adaptations, and dementia supports. For 2026, monthly income must be $2,982 or less (300% of the federal benefit rate) with assets of $2,000 or less ($3,000 for a couple; spousal protections apply). The local Aging Services Access Point assesses clinical eligibility. Call MassOptions at 1-800-243-4636.

$10,000–$60,000/yr

The Massachusetts Veterans Homes at Chelsea and Holyoke (formerly the Soldiers' Homes) provide long-term nursing care, memory care, and hospice for eligible veterans — Chelsea also offers a residential (domiciliary) campus. Applicants must be Massachusetts residents, medically suitable for long-term care, and meet the state's veteran definition (broadened by the HERO Act). Chelsea's long-term care fee is $30 a day with income exemptions. Admissions: Chelsea 617-887-7146; Holyoke 413-552-4764.

$10,000–$40,000/yr

Extra Help (also called the Part D Low-Income Subsidy or LIS) lowers your prescription drug costs under Medicare Part D. It can pay your Part D premium, cap copays at a few dollars per prescription, and eliminate the coverage gap. The Social Security Administration estimates Extra Help is worth about $5,300 a year for people who qualify. It's frequently bundled with QMB / SLMB / QI but you can apply independently.

$4,000–$5,300/yr

QI is the top income tier of the Medicare Savings Programs. Like SLMB, it pays the Medicare Part B premium (around $202.90/month, roughly $2,435/year) — but for households whose income is too high for SLMB. Eligibility falls between 120% and 135% of the federal poverty level. QI funding is a federal block grant awarded on a first-come, first-served basis each calendar year, and enrollment must be renewed every year. QI is mutually exclusive with full Medi-Cal — anyone already receiving Medi-Cal benefits is not eligible for QI but typically gets the Part B premium covered by Medi-Cal directly.

$2,400–$2,435/yr

QMB pays your Medicare Part A and Part B premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments. If you qualify, you should not be billed for any Medicare-covered services. It's the most generous of the four Medicare Savings Programs and is widely under-enrolled — the federal government estimates millions of eligible Americans are not enrolled.

$2,435–$3,500/yr

SLMB pays your Medicare Part B premium (currently around $202.90/month, ~$2,435/year) if your income is too high for QMB but still below 120% of the federal poverty level. It's the middle tier of the Medicare Savings Programs and is widely under-enrolled — when income is just above the QMB cutoff, SLMB usually applies. Asset limits are the same as QMB.

$2,400–$2,435/yr

Massachusetts pays Medicare costs for residents with limited income — with no asset test, so savings do not count. QMB (monthly income at or below 190% of the poverty level: $2,527 single / $3,427 couple) pays Part A and B premiums plus deductibles, coinsurance, and copays; SLMB/QI (up to 225% FPL: $2,993 / $4,058) pays the Part B premium. Both levels add Health Safety Net coverage and automatic Extra Help with drug costs. The standalone application takes about 5 minutes — no need to be on MassHealth.

$2,400–$8,000/yr

A Long-Term Care Ombudsman is a free, confidential advocate for anyone who lives in a nursing home, assisted living community, or board-and-care home — and for their family. If you or a loved one is a resident, the Ombudsman will listen to concerns about care quality, safety, dignity, resident rights, billing, or a discharge or eviction notice, and then work directly with the facility to resolve them. They can sit in on care-plan meetings, explain your rights as a resident, and escalate serious problems to state regulators. The service is independent of the facility, costs nothing, and the Ombudsman works only for the resident — never the home. This is the program to call before you tour a facility, when a placement is being arranged, or any time something feels wrong in a current placement.

Title III-E of the Older Americans Act funds support specifically for the family members and informal caregivers who look after an older adult — not the senior, the person caring for them. Through the local Area Agency on Aging, an unpaid family caregiver (an adult child, a spouse, or another relative) of a person 60 and older can access respite care that gives them a break, individual counseling and caregiver support groups, training on safe transfers, medication management and dementia care, information and assistance navigating other programs, and limited supplemental services like consumable supplies or minor home modifications. There is no income test for the caregiver. Caregiver burnout is one of the leading reasons a senior ends up institutionalized, so this program protects both the caregiver's health and the senior's ability to stay home.

$1,000–$5,000/yr

Title III-B of the Older Americans Act funds a broad menu of non-medical supportive services that help seniors age 60 and older stay independent in their own homes and communities. Through the local Area Agency on Aging, eligible seniors can access subsidized or free transportation to medical appointments and grocery stores, homemaker and chore help, personal care, friendly-visitor and telephone-reassurance programs, adult day care, home repair and modification (grab bars, ramps), legal assistance for non-criminal matters like benefits appeals and consumer fraud, and case management to coordinate all of it. There is no income test, though local agencies target services to those in greatest social and economic need and a voluntary contribution may be requested. The same Area Agency on Aging that runs senior meals administers these services, so one phone call opens the door to the whole package.

$500–$3,000/yr

The Senior Medicare Patrol helps people with Medicare — and their families and caregivers — spot, stop, and report Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse. A trained SMP team member will help you read a confusing Medicare Summary Notice or Explanation of Benefits, check whether you were billed for a service or device you never received, recognize the phone and door-to-door scams that target seniors (fake 'new Medicare card' calls, free-brace or free-test schemes), and report anything suspicious to the right investigators. The service is free and available to everyone on Medicare regardless of income. SMP is run by the federal Administration for Community Living and operates a local program in every state. Catching one bogus charge can save you hundreds of dollars and protects the Medicare Trust Fund for everyone.

The state veterans cemeteries in Agawam and Winchendon offer free burial for eligible veterans — open to all veterans, not just Massachusetts residents — with a nominal fee for spouses and dependents ($300 casket burial, $150 cremation interment). Eligibility follows an other-than-dishonorable discharge or 20 years of Guard/Reserve service with retirement pay. Agawam: 413-821-9500; Winchendon: 978-297-9501.

The Credit for the Elderly or the Disabled is a nonrefundable federal income tax credit, claimed on IRS Schedule R, for taxpayers who are age 65 or older (or who are permanently and totally disabled) and have low income. The maximum credit is $750 for a single filer and up to $1,125 for a married couple (both age 65 or older), but the actual amount is reduced — often to zero — by any nontaxable Social Security benefits and by adjusted gross income above a low threshold. Because the income limits have not been updated since the 1980s, the credit most often produces a real dollar benefit for low-income seniors whose income comes from small pensions or wages rather than Social Security, and for people under 65 retired on permanent disability. It is one of the most under-claimed line items on the senior tax return, in part because the seniors it targets frequently are not required to file at all.

up to $1,125/yr

Massachusetts residents 65 and older whose property tax (or 25% of rent) exceeds 10% of their income can claim a refundable state income tax credit of up to $2,820 (tax year 2025). Total Massachusetts income must not exceed $75,000 for a single filer, $94,000 for a head of household, or $112,000 for a married couple filing jointly, and the home's assessed value must be $1,298,000 or less. Renters qualify too. Claim it on Schedule CB with the state return — refundable even with no tax due, and claimable up to three years back.

$100–$2,820/yr

Massachusetts law lets every city and town offer property-tax help to seniors: exemptions of $500 up to $1,000 for homeowners 70 or older (65+ where the town has voted it) under Clause 41C, a $175 exemption under Clause 17D, and a tax deferral under Clause 41A that lets homeowners 65+ postpone taxes at up to 8% interest until the home is sold. Each town chooses which options to adopt and sets its own income and asset limits, so amounts vary by town. Apply each year with the local board of assessors.

$175–$1,000/yr

Massachusetts law provides property-tax exemptions for veterans with service-connected disabilities and certain survivors: $400 (10%+ disability, Purple Heart recipients, Gold Star parents), $750, $1,000 (100% disability), $1,250, $1,500, up to a full exemption for paraplegic veterans or 100% service-connected blindness. Under the HERO Act, towns may double these amounts or tie them to inflation. Apply with the local board of assessors.

$400–$1,500/yr

Federal Lifeline is a Universal Service Fund program that discounts a single phone or internet (or bundled) service line by $9.25 per month for low-income households — and by up to $34.25 per month for residents of qualifying Tribal lands. Eligibility has two paths: an income test (household income at or below 135% of the federal poverty level) and a program-based path (current participation in Medicaid/Medi-Cal, SNAP/CalFresh, SSI, federal public housing assistance, or the Veterans Pension or Survivors Pension Benefit). Either path qualifies the household — both don't have to be met. The federal Lifeline discount is separate from but designed to stack with California LifeLine, so most California seniors who qualify for one will qualify for the other.

$111–$411/yr

WAP funds free home energy upgrades for income-eligible households to reduce energy bills, improve comfort, and address health-and-safety hazards. After a free professional energy audit, local providers install whatever the audit identifies — typically attic and wall insulation, air-sealing, weatherstripping, duct sealing, water-heater wraps, LED lighting, smart thermostats, refrigerator replacement (for very old high-draw units), HVAC tune-ups or replacement, ventilation upgrades, and carbon-monoxide detector installation. Households that get weatherized save an average of $372 or more a year on energy bills, according to the Department of Energy. WAP is open to homeowners AND renters (rental units require landlord written consent). The program is one-time per home (typically), though homes can sometimes be re-weatherized after 15 years if a new audit identifies additional measures. WAP is funded primarily by the U.S. Department of Energy with additional layered funding from HHS (LIHEAP-Wx) and state utility programs, all delivered by the same local providers.

$3,000–$8,000/yr

Massachusetts' Weatherization Assistance Program makes free home energy-efficiency improvements — an average of $4,725 in insulation, air sealing, and related measures — for households eligible for Fuel Assistance (income at or below 60% of the state median; households receiving SSI or TAFDC qualify automatically). Priority goes to households with elderly members or people with disabilities. The Fuel Assistance application is also the weatherization application; homeowners and tenants with the landlord's permission can apply.

$1,000–$4,725/yr

Aid & Attendance is a tax-free monthly benefit added on top of the basic VA pension for wartime veterans (or their surviving spouses) who need help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, eating, or managing medications — or who are housebound, in a nursing facility, or have very limited eyesight. The benefit is widely under-claimed because many veterans assume their non-service-connected condition disqualifies them. Eligibility requires the veteran to have served at least 90 days of active duty with at least one day during a recognized wartime period, plus income and net worth below VA limits. VA uses a special income calculation that subtracts unreimbursed medical expenses from gross income before applying the limit — so the income test here is approximate.

$12,000–$34,488/yr

Massachusetts' Chapter 115 program pays needs-based financial assistance to veterans and their dependents facing hardship — help with daily living expenses, medical costs, rent, and outpatient behavioral health care. Every city and town has a Veterans' Service Officer who takes applications and determines benefits under the state's budget standards. The HERO Act broadened who counts as a veteran, including anyone the U.S. VA recognizes. Contact the local VSO to apply; the MassVets Benefit Estimator at vets.mass.gov gives a quick preview.

$1,000–$15,000/yr