Legal help · Nationwide
Free Legal Help for People 60 and Older
Free lawyers for benefit denials, evictions, debt collectors, guardianship, and elder abuse. No income test.
Written and checked by Jason Burns, Editorial Steward · Checked August 25, 2026
What it is typically worth
$500 – $10,000 a year
An estimate for a typical household. Your amount depends on your income, your state, and your situation.
What this program is, in plain English
The Older Americans Act pays for free legal services for anyone 60 or older, and unlike almost everything else, there is usually no income test. Priority goes to the things that threaten your home, your income, or your safety: a benefits denial or termination, an eviction or foreclosure, a debt collector, a nursing home discharge, guardianship, consumer fraud, and elder abuse. It is delivered through legal aid offices and senior legal hotlines. Separately, Legal Services Corporation funds civil legal aid nationwide, which does apply an income test but covers a wider range of problems. Neither will ever ask you for money. One rule is worth knowing before you call: under 45 CFR 1321.71, a legal assistance provider funded by the Older Americans Act may not require an older person to disclose income or assets as a condition of getting help. Title III-B legal aid is not means-tested at the door.
What you actually get
Free advice and representation from a licensed attorney in civil matters, especially benefits, housing, debt, and elder abuse.
Who qualifies
- You are 60 or older.
- Income limit: Not yet verified — call to confirm
- Older Americans Act legal services have no income test for people 60 and older. Legal Services Corporation programs generally require income at or below 125% of the federal poverty level.
What to have ready
- Any notices, letters, or court papers you have received
- Photo identification
How to apply
This program is run by Legal aid providers under contract with Area Agencies on Aging, and Legal Services Corporation grantees. Most decisions take Hotlines often same day; representation takes longer and depends on capacity.
We are not a government agency. These links go straight to the agency that runs the program. Applying is always free.
Every program on this site is free to apply for. Anyone who asks you to pay to apply, or to “unlock” a government benefit, is a scam — hang up and call Senior Medicare Patrol or 211.
Report something wrong on this page
Sources
- Program page — acl.gov
- Legal aid providers under contract with Area Agencies on Aging, and Legal Services Corporation grantees — acl.gov
- Legal authority: 42 U.S.C. § 3026(a)(2) (Older Americans Act Title III-B legal assistance); 45 C.F.R. § 1321.71
Checked August 25, 2026 by Jason Burns (http fetch + browser + reader content check 2026-08-25). Licensed under the Citation License 1.0.
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