About SMG

SingleMotherGuide.com (SMG) is an independent reference guide to government benefits for single mothers in the United States. Published continuously since 2012, it explains federal and state assistance programs in plain language for readers who need to find, understand, and apply for public benefits.

What We Do

Each guide answers three questions about a program: what it is, who qualifies, and where to apply. Its purpose is to make complex eligibility rules and application processes understandable in plain language.

What We Cover

The site covers the major categories of public assistance available to single mothers and low-income families in the United States:

Cash assistance — Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
Food assistance — Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
Health coverage — Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
Child care subsidies
Housing assistance
Utility and energy assistance
Unemployment insurance
Paid family and medical leave
Tax credits — including the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit
College financial aid — including Pell Grants

Coverage extends to all 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., including state-specific eligibility rules, benefit amounts, and application procedures.

Tools

SingleMotherGuide.com provides online tools that help households estimate eligibility and potential benefit amounts based on income and other household details.

Benefit calculators. The SNAP, Medicaid and Section 8 calculators compare the household information with each program’s eligibility rules.

Chat assistant. The AI assistant on the home page answers questions about benefits in plain language, including state-specific eligibility rules, benefit amounts, and application procedures.

Chrome extension. The Chrome extension estimates five government benefits for a household in any of the 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C.

Editorial Independence

SingleMotherGuide.com is not a government agency and is not affiliated with any government body. It does not administer benefits, accept applications, or determine eligibility. The agency that administers each program makes the final decision on eligibility and benefit amounts.

Sources and Review

Benefit amounts, income limits, and eligibility rules are compiled from official federal and state sources, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and each state’s administering agency. Every page cites its sources and displays the date it was last updated. Figures are reviewed periodically and revised whenever the official source changes.

Cited By

SingleMotherGuide.com is cited as a source by news outlets, magazines and opinion writers. The table below identifies the page on each outlet that links to the site.

Outlet	Page
NBC News	America’s coronavirus response must center on women
TIME	U.S. Army Has a Recruitment Problem. Here’s How to Solve It
Fox News	This Black History Month let’s shine a spotlight on fatherlessness and saving Black babies
The New York Times	Children and single-parent households
The Washington Post	Women matter in Maryland
Business Insider	I Honor My Single Mom and All Single Mothers on Father’s Day
Parents	I’m a Pregnant Single Mom of Twin Toddlers
HuffPost	Marriage Advice: What I’ve Learned About Marriage From Editing Huffington Post Divorce
Inc.com	3 reasons why prioritizing diversity in your company is critical

As seen on

Editorial Team

Content is curated, written and maintained by the site’s editors. The editor profile describes the editorial role and standards.

Corrections and Reuse

Readers can report an error through the contact page. Rules for quoting or republishing the site’s data are described in the data license.