Effective date: September 17, 2026 · Last updated: September 17, 2026
1. IP1 Blog is not a government agency
This is not an official government website. IP1 Blog is an independent publication of Izzoto Digital LTDA, a private company registered in Brazil. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, authorized by or connected in any way to the Social Security Administration (SSA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), or any other federal, state, tribal, county or municipal agency or program.
Official United States government websites end in .gov or .mil. This site ends in .com. If you have arrived here looking for an official application, benefit portal or account login, you are in the wrong place — and our articles link to the correct official page every time.
2. We never charge for anything the government provides free
Applying for SNAP, Medicaid, CHIP, SSI, SSDI, Social Security retirement, a Housing Choice Voucher, LIHEAP, WIC, TANF or any federal tax credit is free. Nobody has to pay to apply, to appeal, or to get a form.
IP1 Blog charges you nothing. We do not sell applications, forms, “eligibility checks”, document preparation, case reviews or expedited processing. We do not take a percentage of anyone’s back pay. We do not collect application fees of any kind.
If a website or caller asks you to pay to apply for a government benefit, treat it as a warning sign. Report suspected fraud involving Social Security to the SSA Office of the Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov/report, and other scams to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
3. General information, not advice
Everything published here is general information about how programs work. It is not legal advice, financial advice, tax advice, medical advice, immigration advice or benefits counseling, and it is not a substitute for any of them. Reading this site creates no attorney–client, adviser–client or any other professional relationship.
Benefit decisions turn on facts we cannot see: your exact household composition, your state and county, your income in a particular month, your medical record, your immigration status, your work history. An article cannot tell you whether you personally qualify. Only the agency that administers the program can do that, and only after you apply.
4. We cannot act on your case
We have no access to any government system and no relationship with any caseworker. We cannot:
- Check the status of an application, claim or appeal
- Submit, correct or expedite an application on your behalf
- Tell you the amount you will receive, or when
- Restore benefits that have been reduced, suspended or terminated
- Contact an agency, a landlord, a utility or a hospital for you
Please do not send us Social Security numbers, case numbers, medical records or bank details. We do not want them, we will not keep them, and sending them to a private website puts you at risk. See our Privacy Policy.
5. Where to get real help, free
Free, qualified, person-to-person help exists in every state. Some starting points:
- Any benefit, any state — dial 211 or visit 211.org to reach a local referral service.
- Free legal help — Legal Services Corporation lists funded legal aid offices by ZIP code.
- Medicare questions — your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), free counseling, at shiphelp.org.
- Marketplace health coverage — free local assisters at localhelp.healthcare.gov.
- Free tax preparation — IRS VITA and Tax Counseling for the Elderly, at irs.gov.
- Older adults — the Eldercare Locator at eldercare.acl.gov, or 1-800-677-1116.
If you are in crisis, this website is the wrong tool. In an emergency call 911. For mental health or suicidal crisis, call or text 988 in the United States.
6. Accuracy, and why figures go out of date
We research carefully and cite primary sources — see How we research. We still cannot guarantee that everything here is complete, current or correct for your situation, and we make no warranty to that effect.
Benefit figures move on a schedule, and they move often:
| What changes | When |
|---|---|
| SNAP allotments, deductions and income limits | Every October 1 |
| Federal poverty guidelines (used by Medicaid, CHIP, Marketplace and more) | Every January |
| Social Security and SSI amounts (COLA), SGA limits | Every January |
| Medicare premiums and deductibles | Every January |
| Tax credit amounts and thresholds | Each tax year |
| State rules, waivers and waiting lists | At any time |
Every article shows when it was last reviewed. Always confirm a figure against the official source before you rely on it.
7. State variation
Most programs described here are federal in outline and administered by states, which set many of the details: income limits above the federal floor, asset tests, work requirements, benefit levels, waiting lists, and the application system itself. TANF and Medicaid vary enormously. Where we describe a federal rule, your state may apply a different one, and the state rule is the one that decides your case.
8. External links and advertising
Links to government and third-party sites are provided for convenience. We do not control those sites and are not responsible for their content, availability or practices. A link is not an endorsement.
Advertisements are served by advertising networks, not selected by us individually. An advertisement appearing on this site is not a recommendation by IP1 Blog and carries no government endorsement. See our Advertising Disclosure.
9. Limitation of liability
This site is provided “as is”, without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including any implied warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Izzoto Digital LTDA and its officers, employees and contributors are not liable for any loss or damage arising from your use of, or reliance on, anything published here — including any benefit that was delayed, reduced, denied or terminated.
Your decisions about your own benefits are yours, and should be made with the agency that administers them or with a qualified adviser. Full terms are in our Terms of Use.
10. Corrections
If you find an error, tell us and we will fix it. Write to contato@izzotodigital.com.br or use the contact form, choosing “Correction or editorial feedback”. Our correction practice is set out in the Editorial Policy.