The federal poverty guidelines are updated annually, usually at the end of January. Be sure to check every year to make sure you still qualify. Eligibility numbers are different from the rest of the country in Alaska and Hawaii. If you live in one of those states, make sure you check those separate columns in the Guidelines Chart.
Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA) or Section 8 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Medicaid National School Lunch Program’s (NSLP) free lunch program Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) You may also be eligible if you reside on any federally recognized Indian reservation, Pueblo, or colony, and participate in federal programs through that. This includes Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Head Start (only in households that meeting the income qualifying standard), Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Tribal TANF), or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations. Individual states also have similar qualifying programs. Check with your state or program to see if you qualify by participating.
Your phone should come with voice mail, call waiting, caller ID, and in most cases at least 250 minutes per month. All companies will offer the ability to send and receive text messages, though how many depends on the plan you select. [2] X Research source
You will also need to show proof that you are eligible for the program. If you are eligible based on being in an assistance program, you will need to provide a copy of your benefit card or statement. If you are eligible based on income, you need to provide documentation, which can include: Current income statement from an employer Prior year’s state, federal, or Tribal tax return A Social Security statement of benefits A Veterans Administration statement of benefits A retirement or pension statement of benefits An Unemployment or Workers’ Compensation statement of benefits A federal or Tribal notice letter of participation in General Assistance A divorce decree A child support award Other official document containing income information Obama Phone programs are done directly through phone companies, and not the federal government, so there is no government contact for getting a phone.
Driver’s license (unexpired) Birth certificate W-2 Prior year’s state, federal, or Tribal tax return Social Security card Certificate of Naturalization Certificate of U. S. Citizenship Permanent resident card (unexpired) Permanent resident alien card (unexpired) U. S. government, military, state, or Tribal issued ID (unexpired) Passport (unexpired) Military discharge documentation Weapons permit (unexpired) Government assistance program document (that includes proof of identity) Statement of benefits from a qualifying program (that includes proof of identity) Unemployment or Worker’s compensation statement of benefits
When you contact the company, they will need certain information from you. This includes your name, address, phone number, date of birth, and the last 4 digits of your Social Security number. You will also need to give verbal or written consent that you know you will be losing your benefits with the previous company, and that the company has explained that you may not have more than one benefit per household.
This also applies to someone else in your household getting an Obama Phone. If that happens, your original plan needs to be stopped, as you are only allowed one discount per household.
