Frequently asked questions

Three steps: tell us what's happening in a few sentences → we match the situation to programs → you get clear next steps, including which forms to file and which office to contact.

All 50 states plus DC are covered today. Every state gets our guided tier at minimum: we identify likely federal and state programs and route you to the right office. A handful of states are currently being deepened further, with more of their own rules checked against official sources. Full computed depth, with personalized dollar figures, rolls out state by state as each state's data pack is completed and source-checked, starting with Minnesota, our first fully computed state. The first step of the intake shows which states currently have full computed depth.

A personalized, source-cited PDF report: an eligibility verdict for every program we reviewed, a step-by-step action plan for each one, the actual forms and filing guidance you need, local program contacts (county offices for computed states, or local counseling referrals elsewhere), a free CVSO referral for any VA benefits, and a copy you can share with family.

No. There's no payment at all: you describe your situation, see your estimated dollar opportunity, and get the full report, all free.

About four minutes to describe your situation and see your free estimate. Your report unlocks once our automatic quality checks pass, which is usually right away.

Click Check my family's benefits and describe the situation in a few sentences. No forms, no jargon. It takes about four minutes.

A rough sense of the person's age, which state they live in, monthly income range, savings range, household, any military service, and current benefits (like Medicare). Estimates are fine. You can always come back and sharpen an answer later.

Yes, that's exactly who Get Bearings is for. Adult children and other caregivers run the check for the person they're helping.

You'll find out for free. If our check doesn't turn up a clear program match, we tell you right there, and suggest adding more detail (specific income, assets, care setting, or wartime service often change the picture) and point you to your state's free benefits counselor or, for veterans, a free County Veterans Service Officer.

The report is free. You see your findings and the full report without paying, the same for every family, never a percentage of what you find. It covers one person's report.

No. One report per person being helped, whoever runs it. When the report is ready, share it for free with family members using the built-in share link, a secure, read-only page that works without an account. You choose how long a link stays active (7, 30, or 90 days), and it can be revoked and recreated any time.

You can request a refund within 14 days of purchase using our refund request form. Refunds are considered when the report wasn't delivered or something is materially wrong with the report itself. Not being approved for a benefit, or an amount different from our estimate, isn't grounds for a refund, since the report is a navigation aid, not an eligibility decision. We review each request individually and approved refunds are processed back to your original payment method. We don't offer phone support: everything goes through email, described in our Terms.

No. Checking eligibility with Get Bearings is informational and does not change, start, or affect any current or future benefit. Only applying to a program does that.

No. Get Bearings prepares the information and a clear roadmap. You (or a free official) handle any application. For VA benefits specifically, we route you to a free, accredited County Veterans Service Officer. See the VA note below.

You do, with the forms and step-by-step instructions your report gives you, or with help from a free official (like a CVSO for VA benefits). Get Bearings itself never submits anything to a government agency on your behalf.

Some benefits pay a fixed amount (for example, a Medicare Savings Program that covers your Part B premium). Others don't have a set figure. The real amount is decided by a county assessment, a spend-down, or an agency, based on the specific person. For those, we show a source-backed typical figure so you have a realistic sense of scale, not a promised number.

No. Every figure is an estimate based on the information you provide and source-backed typical values. Final approval and amounts are always determined by the program.

The program or agency does: a county human-services office, the VA, Social Security, or the relevant department. Get Bearings identifies programs you may qualify for and explains the next steps. It does not make eligibility decisions.

Yes. We ask only for broad, non-identifying details (age range, income range, and so on), and the note you write is stripped of sensitive identifiers before it's processed. We never sell your data. See our Privacy Policy for specifics.

Every dollar figure in the rules engine is tied to a primary source (like va.gov, MN DHS, or CMS) with an effective date and a last-checked date. Nothing is invented or guessed. Estimated figures are clearly marked as estimates, not affirmed eligibility, so you know to confirm officially before relying on them.

Monthly benefits for wartime veterans and their surviving spouses who need help with daily activities, most notably VA Aid & Attendance and Survivors Pension. These are informational only in Get Bearings: we explain them and hand you off to a free County Veterans Service Officer. No part of the price is for VA claim work.

Programs that lower what Medicare costs a lower-income person: Medicare Savings Programs (which can cover the monthly Part B premium and sometimes deductibles and copays) and Extra Help with prescription-drug costs.

State Medicaid waivers, often called HCBS (home- and community-based services), that help pay for care at home instead of a facility: personal-care assistance, homemaker help, and related supports. The exact amount is set by a county or state assessment of the person's needs, so we show a typical figure rather than a fixed one.

SNAP can add to a household's grocery budget each month, with a higher allotment when someone in the household is 60 or older or disabled and has out-of-pocket medical costs. The exact amount is set by the program based on household size and income.

We check whether someone is already receiving SSI (Supplemental Security Income) or SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) so we don't re-surface it as new money, and flag related benefits, like Extra Help, that often go with it.

Refunds and deferrals that reduce property taxes for eligible homeowners on a fixed income. Minnesota, for example, offers a homestead credit refund and a senior deferral option. Other states have their own versions with different names and rules. Some states also offer renters a similar credit.

Programs like weatherization assistance, energy and utility bill help, and other housing-cost supports that reduce what a household spends to stay safely housed.

Programs that can pay a family member for the care they already provide (Minnesota calls its version Consumer-Directed Community Supports, and other states have similar consumer-directed options under different names). Whether and how much depends on an assessment and the person's program eligibility.

Financial-assistance and charity-care policies at hospitals that can reduce or forgive medical bills for people below certain income levels. Terms are set by each hospital system.