New York Earned Income Tax Credit #
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New York State EITC is an important tax benefit for income-earning New Yorkers who file income tax returns with the IRS and New York State. The EITC can reduce the amount of tax owed, and even result in a significant refund.
New York City is one of the few cities in the U.S. that have a personal income tax as such, for those who resides in NYC, the EITC includes credits from the federal government, New York State and New York City.
New York State offers an EITC pegged to 30% of the federal credit, and New York City has an EITC at 5% of the federal credit.
Noncustodial Parent Earned Income Tax Credit #
New York was the first state in the nation to enact a Noncustodial Parent EITC in 2006 that may be claimed by eligible taxpayers instead of the regular New York State EIC.
This refundable credit encourages low-income noncustodial parents to work and stay current with their child support payments.
New York Family Assistance (TANF) #
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New York Family Assistance (FA) provides temporary cash assistance to very needy families with children under the age of 18 as well as pregnant women. Receipt of cash assistance is limited to 60 months in a lifetime.
As a condition of eligibility, each person who applies for or is receiving FA, is required to comply with federal work requirements to receive FA benefits.
How much cash assistance will I get in NY?
The maximum monthly benefit for a single mother of two with no income living in New York City is $789 — one of the highest among the contiguous 48 states and the District of Columbia.
FA is one of two programs providing temporary cash assistance in New York. The other is Safety Net Assistance (SNA), a New York State program with no federal participation.
New York Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) #
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NY SNAP provides food support to lower income New Yorkers including working families, the elderly and the disabled to feed their families. Eligibility and benefit levels are based on household size and family’s income.
Eligible SNAP participants are issued a EBT card used to make food purchases at grocery stores and supermarkets, in lieu of paper food stamp coupons.
How much food stamps will I get for a family of 3 in NY?
In New York, eligible single mother with two children may get up to $377 in monthly benefits. For an application as well as eligibility pre- screening, go to myBenefits. If you don’t already have an account, create one.
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Is NY getting extra SNAP benefits?
For the month of April, all New Yorkers enrolled in the SNAP will receive a minimum supplement of $95 per month as long as the supplemental payments continue.
If you need assistance finding food, paying household bills, or other essential human services, dial 2-1-1 to speak with someone who can help.
New York Medicaid #
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New York Medicaid is a health care coverage for low-income New Yorkers who couldn’t afford to pay for medical care — mostly uninsured children under age 18, pregnant women, disabled adults and seniors.
As New York is expanding Medicaid eligibility threshold, Medicaid will now cover most New Yorkers age 19-65 with income up to 138% of the federal poverty level.
Pregnant women of any age are covered up to 223% of poverty and may apply for immediate coverage at these selected providers.
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How do I apply for Medicaid in NY?
New York is operating a State-Based Marketplace, known as NY State of Health — through which you can apply for Medicaid, CHPlus or other private health insurance.
New York Child Health Plus (CHPlus) #
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If you’re looking for health coverage for your children, New York State has a health insurance plan for kids, called Child Health Plus or CHPlus.
Under the ACA, CHPlus covers uninsured children from families with incomes up to 405% of the federal poverty level or about $88,900 annually for a single mother of two.
There is no monthly premium for families whose income is less than 1.6 times the poverty level. Families in higher income bracket pay a monthly premium of $9, $15, $30, $45, or $60 per child per month, depending on their income and family size.
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How do I get Child Health Plus in NY?
Starting January 1, 2014, you must apply for Child Health Plus coverage through the NY State of Health Marketplace. For assistance, please call 1-800-698-4KIDS (1-800-698-4543).
New York Special Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) #
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The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program is a special supplemental food program for women, infants, and children up to the age of five.
It provides nutritious foods along with nutrition education, breastfeeding support and information on where to apply for free or low-cost health care or other needed services in the community.
All applicants must be income eligible and be individually determined by a health professional to be “at nutrition risk”.
Participants in an adjunct program — Medicaid, food stamps (SNAP), TANF, Head Start, Early Head Start are automatically eligible for the program.
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How do I apply for WIC in NY?
Anyone applying for WIC benefits must go to the local agency to apply and be present at the time of application. Call 1-800-522-5006 to locate the WIC Local Agency nearest to you.
By 2019, the NYS WIC Program will be moving to an electronic benefit transfer system (eWIC). eWIC will allow WIC participants to purchase foods using an eWIC card instead of paper checks.
New York Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) #
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CACFP provides nutritious meals and snacks to infants and children as a regular part of their day care. It aims to improve the quality of nutrition offered at a critical time in young children’s development.
The majority of CACFP participants are preschool-aged children up to 12 years of age. Eligibility is based either on the poverty status of the area or on the family income of the enrolled children.
If you have questions about the Child and Adult Care Food Program, contact the New York State Department of Health at 1-800-942-3858.
New York Subsidized Child Care #
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The Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) provides free or low cost child care to eligible families living in New York State. Fees for child care services, if any, are based on a sliding scale.
Eligibility is based on family’s income and reasons for needing child care. In general, families with incomes below 195% of the State Income Standard (SIS) may qualify for assistance.
Find out if you qualify for subsidized child care.
If you’re interested in subsidized child care, you should apply by contacting ACS-funded programs in your area. Go to 311 Online to search for ACS-funded child care programs near you.
New York pre-Kindergarten Program #
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There are also free Pre-K programs in NY public schools that are approved by the New York City Department of Education but provided by community organizations. These programs usually last 2½ to 6 hours of a school day.
Every family with a four-year-old in New York City may apply. During the application period, families can apply online with MySchools, over the phone, or in person at a Family Welcome Center.
If you have questions about pre-K admissions or waitlists, call 718-935-2009.
New York Section 8 Assistance Program #
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Section 8 helps lower income families in NYC obtain a decent place to live in at a rent they can afford. Eligible families are issued a housing voucher to search for a unit in neighborhoods of their choice.
The program works as a rent subsidy allowing families to pay a reasonable share of their income for rent with NYCHA making up the difference up to a specific limit.
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Is Section 8 accepting applications in NYC?
NYCHA is currently not accepting applications from the public. When NYCHA begins accepting applications, there will be a public notice and you may apply based on that notice’s requirement.
New York Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) #
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Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), also known as LIHEAP, is a federally funded energy assistance program to help low-income families pay the cost of heating their homes.
The HEAP program consists of three components – Regular HEAP, Heating Equipment Repair and Replacement, and Emergency HEAP if you are in danger of running out of fuel or having your utility service shut off.
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How do I apply for Emergency HEAP in NY?
When the HEAP season is open you may apply online for Regular HEAP at myBenefits.ny.gov. All applicants for Heating Equipment Repair and Replacement benefits must apply in person at the HEAP Local District.
New York HEAP Cooling Assistance Program #
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Cooling assistance is also available to help New Yorkers who have medical conditions that can be aggravated by extreme heat buy and install air conditioning – up to $800 per installation for eligible household.
Like HEAP funding, cooling assistance funds are limited and are distributed on a first-come-first-serve basis. Applications run through August 31, or until funding runs out, whichever comes first.
For more information on how to apply, call
(212) 835-7216
New York Unemployment Insurance #
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Unemployment insurance benefits provide temporary financial assistance to workers who become unemployed through no fault of their own — for up to 26 extended weeks.
As a condition of eligibility, you are required to actively seek suitable employment during each week in which you are claiming benefits. If you qualify, you can receive UI benefits of up to $504 per week.
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How do I file for unemployment in NY online?
To file a claim, use your NY.gov ID to sign in to your online account with the Department of Labor or create a new account if you don’t already have one.
New York State Paid Family Leave #
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Approved in 2016, the New York State Paid Family Leave goes into effect on January 1, 2018. Under FMLA, the New York Law guarantees paid time off — up to 12 weeks’ job-protected leave by 2021.
For the first year of the program, employees can take up to eight weeks of paid family leave, with a weekly benefit of 50% of the employee’s average weekly wage — capped at 67% when fully phased-in in 2021.
For example, in 2022, an employee who makes $1,000 a week would receive a benefit of $670 a week (67% of $1,000), up to a maximum total benefit of $8,040 ($670 x 12 weeks).
For more information or assistance on Paid Family Leave for 2022, call
Paid Family Leave Helpline
(844) 337-6303
New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) #
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The New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) is a need-based grant that helps eligible New York students pay tuition at an approved postsecondary institution in New York State (NYS).
Depending on the academic year in which you apply, an annual TAP award can be up to $5,665 a year. Use the TAP Award Estimator to estimate the amount you may receive from the New York State Tuition Assistance Program.
And since TAP is a grant, it does not have to be repaid.
To be eligible for TAP, you must file a FAFSA and list a New York State school or college on the form. The TAP application deadline is June 30 of the academic year for which aid is sought.
Students newly applying for NYS financial aid under the provisions of the DREAM Act must first apply for eligibility under the NYS DREAM Act before applying for TAP.
New York Aid for Part-time Study (APTS) #
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The Aid for Part-time Study (APTS) program provides grant assistance for eligible part-time students enrolled in approved undergraduate studies in New York State. APTS is not the same as the Part-time TAP.
Awards provide up to $2,000 per year for eligible part-time undergraduate students to help pay tuition expenses but will not exceed tuition charges.
To qualify for APTS, you must meet all the TAP eligibility requirements as well as the APTS income limits. The APTS application, along with copies of the NYS Tax Returns, must be submitted.