If you live in an apartment building, you may find out that you are paying for heat, lights, or other utilities for "common areas." This includes, for example, hallways, basements, or a common hot water heater or furnace. It is illegal for your landlord to make you pay those costs alone. For example, the hall lights should not be hooked up to your… More

If I live in an apartment building, can my landlord stop me from getting cable TV, a satellite dish or an antenna? Generally, no. Your landlord can only refuse to allow these installations if they have "good cause" to deny that particular company. "Good cause" could be:

NOTE: This information is offered by the IRS for Tax Year 2017.  This includes both rules for making the payment (if you don't have health insurance) and rules about who is "exempt" (does not have to pay).  Many people with very low incomes and people with certain immigrant statuses do not have to pay. 

If you're more than $500 in debt on your electric bill, this program may be able to help you. You pay just your current monthly electric bill, each month and on time. For each month that you pay your current bill, your electric utility company will wipe out 1/12 of what you owe them on your back bill. Learn about how to enroll!

Do you get a health care tax subsidy for health insurance you bought through the "federal marketplace." Learn about your duty to report certain financial changes.

The IRS explains the tax consequences of failing to obtain health care coverage before the March 31, 2014 deadline.

Some low income people are eligible for Mainecare. Most other people with low incomes can get help paying for health insurance. The IRS gives instant tax credits to help with the cost.   There are many places to get help finding health insurance:

Introduction  This page covers free and low-cost phone services available to Mainers. We know there are many new low or no cost ways of communicating, but we are just trying to cover the basics.   

LIHEAP funding continues to be lower than in previous years. This will mean that more households will be turning to local heating assistance programs after their LIHEAP money runs out.  Here is a summary of the programs we know about - followed by information about how to access local programs.  

Important Resources to Prevent Eviction Getting evicted? Worried you might be soon?