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Behind on bills? Find real help where you live.

Free, plain-English help with utilities, rent, food and debt, with the programs and phone numbers for your state. No judgment, no sign-up.

Find help in your state

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  • Free to use, no sign-up
  • Facts checked October 22, 2026
  • All 50 states and DC
  • Free programs listed first
Got a shutoff notice?Here's what to do today.
❄ Winter shutoff rules start November 1, and most aren't automatic. See your state's rule and what to say →
Today's action

Call before the due date, not after. Companies say yes to plans far more often when you call first.

Which bills do I pay first?4 questions, 60 seconds, your own plan to save.Take the quiz → 30-day Tight Month challengeOne small step a day to get through a hard month.Start today → The free bill appBill tracker, streaks, grocery plan and letters. No account.Open the app →
Free app for your phone. No app store, no sign-up. Add it in 10 seconds

Start with what's most urgent

Pick the situation that sounds like yours. Each guide gives you the steps, the phone numbers and what to say.

Got a shutoff notice?

Five steps to keep your power, gas or water on, and exactly what to say when you call.

Read the steps

Can't pay every bill this month?

A simple order that protects your home, your heat and your job, plus scripts for everyone else.

See what to pay first

Need help with heating bills?

How to apply for energy assistance, what to bring and how to get crisis help fast.

Learn how to apply

Money you might be missing

A lot of help goes unused simply because people don't know it exists. Check these first. They're all free.

Phone and internet discountsLifeline can take up to $9.25 a month off a phone or internet bill if you qualify (up to $34.25 on Tribal lands).Energy assistanceHelp paying heating and cooling bills, plus crisis help if you have a shutoff notice.Food help (SNAP)Money for groceries each month. Many people who qualify never apply.Unclaimed moneyOld paychecks, deposits and refunds held by your state. Searching is free.Tax credits and free filingCredits like the Earned Income Tax Credit can mean a bigger refund. File for free.Lower your monthly billsSix quick questions about phone, bank fees and more. Free options come first.

See what you qualify for in 2 minutes

File your taxes for free

If you work, filing a return can put money back in your pocket, through refunds and credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit. You shouldn't have to pay to get it.

Heads up: the IRS's own Direct File tool is no longer available. The free options here still are, and IRS Free File reopens in January.

Check whether you qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit on IRS.gov. Military families can file free through Military OneSource's MilTax.

IRS Free FileGuided tax software through the IRS, free if your income is under the IRS limit for the year.FreeFree help from a volunteer (VITA)IRS-certified volunteers prepare your return for free, for people with low to moderate income, people with disabilities and people who speak limited English.FreeAARP Foundation Tax-AideFree tax help from volunteers, with a focus on people 50 and older. You don't have to be an AARP member.FreeFreeTaxUSAOnline software with a free federal return. State returns cost extra, so check the free options above first.

Help in your state

Energy assistance, shutoff protections, rent help and food programs, with the phone numbers for where you live. Every state has a free printable flyer too.

Compare winter shutoff rules in every state, or see all states. Looking for a local office? Find help in your county.

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Bill Help Now app iconFree app · no account

The free app that helps you keep the lights on

Write the letter, track the due dates, and find the help for your state, all on your phone.

  • Letter Maker: payment plan, medical bill and shutoff letters, filled in for you
  • Bill tracker: due dates, reminders and a "Can't pay this one?" script for each bill
  • Help for your state: programs, phone numbers and every guide
  • Grocery list with a running total and a $50-a-week plan
Add it to my phone (10 seconds)Open the free app

Coming this winter: a money check that finds programs and savings you may be missing.

Add it to your phone: on iPhone, open it in Safari, tap Share, then "Add to Home Screen." On Android, open it in Chrome and tap "Install app." Your information stays on your phone.

The Bill Help Now app showing the Letter Maker

Help you can trust when money is tight

We built this after watching people we know, including families with kids, struggle to find real help when money got tight. Payday lenders were easy to find, and risky. The real help was buried. Why we built Bill Help Now

Free help comes first

Government programs, utility plans and free counseling always come before anything that costs money.

Facts are checked

We check program details against official sources, usually .gov websites, and date every page.

Only real help

We list government programs, utility payment plans and nonprofit counseling. Nothing that puts you deeper in debt.

For organizations

Credit unions, banks, utilities and hospitals: give the people you serve this help, with your name on it. Or sponsor the help in your state. Bill Help Now stays independent and is not a government agency.

Credit unionsCommunity banksUtilitiesHospitalsHousing agencies
See how it works

Free downloads, letters, kits and planners. Most of it is free. How we make money

See all downloads