Financial Assistance for Divorced Women is often sought after because a divorce is a huge, life-changing event, especially for women. Recent numbers from several studies have shown that as much as 45% of divorced women are forced to have a lower standard of living mainly because they have to move out from their home; cover all the costs in a new place, take care of the kids while they are not supported by their husband’s income anymore. But don’t worry too much. There is still available some help for divorced women with children.
Since a divorce can result in a financial disaster for the woman, it is important to plan everything. If you are currently in a divorce process, it would be a wise move to start looking for some financial advice and look for your financial aid options. Calculating the expected cost can be a great idea for the amount of alimony you want to pursue.
Financial Assistance for Divorced Women from the Government
Once the divorce is done and over with, below is your options for financial assistance programs if you still think that the alimony money is not enough to support the life of you and your children:
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
This so-called TANF program does exactly what the name suggests. The program provides monthly payments for families with extreme financial need, which often consist of divorced women and their dependent children. The TANF eligibility in each of the state may differ (for example, some states offer the TANF for needy families who undergone a required job training plans). The program is administered by the Social Service office or Welfare office in their local area.
Food Stamps
The food stamps program is a program that provides financial help so that low-income families can provide nutritious food on their table. This program assists you with your grocery expenses, and there are additional benefits for families consisted of a single mother and her children. Through the program, you can apply for a care provider to help you with your child care during your working hours.
Rental or Housing Assistance
Housing or living space is arguably one of the biggest expenses faced by many women after their divorce. Typically they go out of their home and they have to find a new place to live. If you were a housewife facing the divorce, this can lead to a financial disaster. To seek housing help for divorce women, you should contact your local Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and ask them about the available programs for you. There are rental help programs such as the Section 8 program that can help you find subsidized rental apartments with low rent cost.
That being said, being a homeowner can also pose quite a threat to your financial condition. Typically families in the US rely on the mortgage to cover the cost of their home. Once divorced, if the house is owned by the woman she will be responsible for the mortgage payment. Fortunately, there’s a new program from the Obama administration called the Making Home Affordable which can help divorced women to cover the monthly mortgage payments. However, just like any other financial assistance programs from the government, it’s a temporary help before you can settle with your new job.
I hope this post will help you see your options for divorced women financial assistance.
References:
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- Making Home Affordable
- Image: upoa.biz
