About FindBenefit

Last updated: July 2026

Why we built this

Eligibility rules for public benefits — SNAP, Medicaid, Section 8, LIHEAP, WIC, CHIP, the Earned Income Tax Credit, SSI, SSDI, unemployment insurance, and dozens of state and local programs — are scattered across separate federal, state, and county agencies, each with its own income limits, application portal, and paperwork. Researchers estimate that a substantial share of people who qualify for programs like SNAP and Medicaid never apply, often because they don't know a program exists or assume they don't qualify. FindBenefit exists to close that gap: answer one set of questions, and see every program you're likely eligible for in one place.

Who runs FindBenefit

FindBenefit is an independent, self-funded project. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated on behalf of any government agency. We built the eligibility engine and the program catalog by reading the official rules published by each program's administering agency (USDA for SNAP and WIC, CMS for Medicaid and CHIP, HUD for Section 8, the IRS for EITC, the Social Security Administration for SSI/SSDI, and each state's labor department for unemployment) and encoding them into a rules engine that runs entirely on our server at the moment you use the screener.

How eligibility estimates work

When you answer the screener's questions, our eligibility engine checks your household income, size, and situation against the published income limits and categorical rules for each program — for example, the 130% Federal Poverty Level gross income test for SNAP, or a state's Medicaid expansion status. Where a state has adopted an option that changes the standard rule (such as Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility for SNAP), we apply that state's specific rule instead of the federal default.

These are estimates, not official determinations. Only the administering agency can make a final eligibility decision, because some rules (such as asset tests, immigration status provisions, and case-by-case exceptions) depend on documentation and verification we don't collect. Every result links directly to the official government application so you can confirm eligibility and apply.

Keeping data current

Federal poverty guidelines are updated annually (typically each January), and states periodically change their income thresholds, portal names, and administering agencies. We review and update the program catalog each year when new Federal Poverty Level figures are published, and whenever we identify a state or federal rule change. If you notice an outdated income limit, dead link, or incorrect agency name, please let us know — we rely on user reports to catch changes faster than our regular review cycle.

What we don't do

• We don't charge a fee to use the screener or to see your results.
• We don't require an account, and we don't ask for your name, Social Security number, or address.
• We don't submit applications on your behalf — every result links to the official program application.
• We don't sell or share your screener answers; see our Privacy Policy for details.

Questions or corrections

Reach us at lcwork624@gmail.com. We read every message, particularly reports of outdated program details.