Just lost your job?

Do these in order. Dollar amounts live on the state guides, not on this page, because a national page cannot honestly print 51 different benefit rates. Choose your state at the bottom.

1. 1. File for unemployment

   File in the state where you worked. Unemployment.gov, from the U.S. Department of Labor, routes you to that state. The state pages on this site list the July 2026 weekly amount, the weeks, and the waiting week.

2. 2. Apply for food stamps

   SNAP is the food stamp program. Apply with the state human services agency. The state guide lists the income rules we could verify. This site does not ask for an EBT card number.

3. 3. Check Medicaid

   Medicaid can cover people with low income, including after a job loss. The state Medicaid page lists the income path we could verify. The work-rules page lists the dates we could verify, including Nebraska's May 1, 2026 start.

4. 4. Use the 60-day health insurance window

   HealthCare.gov says you can enroll in a Marketplace plan within 60 days of losing job-based coverage. Its special-enrollment page also says a period can apply if qualifying coverage was lost in the past 60 days or is expected to end in the next 60 days. COBRA can keep the old employer plan for a limited time, often at a higher cost because the employer may stop paying its share. You do not have to take COBRA. Compare that cost with Marketplace plans. If you drop COBRA early on your own, HealthCare.gov says you may have to wait until the next open enrollment unless another qualifying event applies. Medicaid and CHIP can be enrolled in at any time if you qualify.

5. 5. Ask about school meals

   If a child is in school, the school meal page for your state lists the income limits we could verify. A job loss can change household income. The school or the state agency decides the application.

6. 6. Ask about utility and heating help

   LIHEAP is the heating and cooling assistance program. A state can close when the money runs out. Use the heating guide and the winter page for dates we could verify.

7. 7. Ask lenders and landlords about hardship options

   Contact the mortgage servicer or the landlord and ask whether a hardship option exists. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau lists homeowner and renter steps and says legitimate help will not charge an up-front fee. A HUD-certified housing counselor can talk through a mortgage. This website does not start a payment plan and does not ask for an account number.