Page 20 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, May 24, 2024 avvya yavvy eniiooravvy S iorn or v y io iori by Jim Miller Financial and Legal Resources for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Dear Savvy Senior, Are there any programs that you can refer me to that fi nancially help grandparents who are raising their grandkids? I’m raising two of my grandchildren and could use some help. Tapped Out Tonya, Dear Tonya, Money is a common problem for the nearly 2.4 million U.S. grandparents who are raising their grandchildren today. To help with the day-to-day expenses, there are a wide variety of programs and tax benefi ts that can make a big diff erence in stretching your budget. Here’s where to look for help. Financial Assistance For starters, fi nd out whether your family qualifi es for your state’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, which may include cash assistance, food benefi ts, utility bill assistance and free or low-cost daycare. Or, if your household income is too high to qualify as a family, ask about the “child-only grant” for just the grandkids support alone. Also, check to see if you’re eligible for foster care payments as a relative caregiver, or if your state off ers any additional programs like guardianship subsidies, non-parent grants or kinship care. Adoption assistance payments are also available to adopted grandchildren with special needs. To inquire about these programs, contact your state’s TANF program and/or state Department of Human Services. See ACF.hhs. gov/ofa/map/about/help-families for contact information. You also need to see if your grandkids are eligible for Social Security, including benefi ts for dependent children, survivor benefi ts or SSI – visit SSA.gov or call 800-772-1213. And fi nd out if they’re eligible for free/low-cost health or dental coverage through your state’s Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program – InsureKidsNow.gov or 877-543-7669. You can also use Benefi ts.gov, the offi cial benefi ts website of the U.S. government that has a screening tool to help you identify the programs that you and your grandchildren may be eligible for and will direct you to the appropriate agency to apply. Tax Benefi ts In addition to the fi nancial assistance programs, there are also a range of tax benefi ts that you may qualify for too like the Earned Income Tax Credit or EITC which is available to those with moderate to low incomes, and the Child Tax Credit which is worth $2,000 per dependent child under age 17. If you’re working, and are incurring childcare expenses in order to work, there’s a Child and Dependent Care Credit that can help. And, if you’ve legally adopted your grandkids, there’s an Adoption Tax Credit that provides a federal tax credit of up to $16,810 in 2024. You can also deduct medical and dental expenses if you and your dependent grandchildren’s healthcare cost exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income for the year. And there’s even education-related tax credits that can help your grandkids go to college, like the American Opportunity Tax Credit and the Lifetime Learning Tax Credit. In addition to the tax credits and deductions, if you’re unmarried you may qualify for “head of household” status when you fi le your tax return, which has a higher standard deduction and a lower tax rate than you would fi ling as a single. Legal Help If you haven’t already done so, you should also talk to an attorney to discuss the pros and cons of obtaining legal guardianship, custody or adoption. Without some sort of legal custody, you may not be eligible for many of the previously listed fi nancial assistance programs, and there can be problems with basic things like enrolling your grandkids in school or giving a doctor permission to treat them. For help locating aff ordable or free legal assistance, visit FindLegalHelp.org, or call the Eldercare Locator at 800-677-1116 for referrals. Also see GrandFamilies.org, a clearinghouse resource that off ers information on fi nancial assistance, adoption, foster care and more. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. ~LEGAL NOTICE~ NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING MALDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS FISCAL YEAR 2025 PROPOSED BUDGET Notice is hereby given that the Budget Subcommittee of the Malden School Committee, in compliance with Chapter 71, Sections 38N of the Massachusetts General Laws, will hold a public hearing for the purpose of receiving comments on the Fiscal Year 2025 Proposed Budget on Thursday, June 6, 2024 @ 5:00 p.m. at the Herbert L. Jackson Council Chamber Room 106, 215 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148 and members of the public are welcome to attend in-person. Members of the public who wish to attend remotely can do so using the following information: https://cityofmalden.zoom.us/j/99896717052 Or One tap mobile : +16465189805,,99896717052# US (New York) or +19294362866,,99896717052# US (New York) Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): +1 646 518 9805 US (New York) or +1 929 436 2866 US (New York) Webinar ID: 998 9671 7052 International numbers available: https://cityofmalden.zoom.us/u/abF1puS1TR The Fiscal Year 2025 Proposed Budget can be found on the Malden Public Schools website at www.maldenps.org on Friday, May 24, 2024. For more information, please contact the Malden Public Schools at 781-397-6100. May 24, 2024 By: Shirley Dorai School Committee Clerk City of Malden 215 Pleasant St. Malden, Massachusetts 02148 conservationcommission@cityof malden.org City of Malden Massachusetts CONSERVATION COMMISSION NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Notice is hereby given in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 131, Section 40, Wetlands Protection Act (as amended) of the Massachusetts General Laws and the Malden Wetlands Protection Ordinance that a Hearing of the City Of Malden Conservation Commission will be held on Monday, June 10, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom. Hearing of a Request for Determination of Applicability (RDA) filed by the Northern Tree Service on behalf of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) to determine if the resource area boundaries are accurately delineated along a portion of Little Creek located adjacent to Commercial Street, Malden. On March 30, 2023, Governor Healey signed into law a supplemental budget that includes an extension of the allowance for public bodies to meet remotely until March 31, 2025. This meeting will be conducted via remote participation and an in person option. In person attendance by members of the public is prohibited, and all effort will be made to permit public attendance of this meeting, in the manner specified below, via remote access by internet, telephone, and if available via public broadcast of the meeting by Urban Media Arts on public access television channels. Public access will also be provided by posting minutes, and/or a transcript, recording, or record of the meeting on the City of Malden website at cityofmalden.org as soon as practicable after the meeting. Additional information/guidelines for the public can be found here: https://www.mass.gov/service-details/updated-guidance-on-holding-meetings-pursuant-tothe-act-extending-certain-covid-19-measures Meeting information is as follows: https://cityofmalden.zoom.us/j/99813572025?pwd=ZERuMU5qanVsV1JQUzhwNE5WN0czdz09 Meeting ID: 998 1357 2025 Passcode:702270 Dial by your location: +1 929-436-2866 US (New York) Isaac Slavitt Chairman May 24, 2024 Like us on Facebook advocate newspaper Facebook.com/ Advocate.news.ma
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