If your phone or internet bill is eating into a fixed budget, there’s a federal program that might quietly cut that cost every month. Lifeline is a long-running FCC program that discounts phone, internet, or bundled service for people who qualify — and a lot of eligible households simply don’t know it exists. Here’s who qualifies, how much it saves, and how to sign up in 2026.

What Is the Lifeline Program

Lifeline is a federal program overseen by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). It reduces the monthly cost of phone service, internet service, or a bundle of both for consumers who meet income or program-based eligibility rules. It’s been around for decades, originally covering only landline phones, but today it applies to mobile and broadband plans too.

Who Qualifies

You can qualify for Lifeline through either of two paths:

• Income-based: Your household’s gross annual income is at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
• Program-based: You (or someone in your household) participate in a qualifying assistance program, such as SNAP or Medicaid.

Only one Lifeline benefit is allowed per household, regardless of how many household members individually qualify.

Income Limits for 2026

The income route uses 135% of the 2026 Federal Poverty Guidelines, so the cap depends on household size and where you live. These are the annual limits Lifeline Support publishes:

Household size	48 states, D.C., territories	Alaska	Hawaii
1 person	$21,546	$26,933	$24,786
2 people	$29,214	$36,518	$33,602
3 people	$36,882	$46,103	$42,417
4 people	$44,550	$55,688	$51,233

Each additional person adds $7,668 in the 48 states, D.C. and territories, $9,585 in Alaska and $8,816 in Hawaii.

Here is how that plays out. Say you are a widow living alone in Ohio with $20,400 a year from Social Security and a small pension. That is under the $21,546 limit, so you qualify on income alone. Now say a married couple has $30,000 a year. That is above the $29,214 limit for two people, so income will not get them in, but enrolling in SNAP or Medicaid would.

Which Route Fits You?

• You get SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, federal public housing help (including Section 8 vouchers) or a Veterans Pension or Survivors Benefit: use the program route. Medicare is not on the list of qualifying programs, so having Medicare alone does not count.
• You are not on any of those, but your household income is under the table above: use the income route and expect to show a tax return or three consecutive months of pay stubs.
• You live on qualifying Tribal lands: additional Tribal programs count, and the larger $34.25 discount may apply.
• You live in Oregon or Texas: start on your state’s website, not the federal one.

How Much You Can Save

Lifeline provides:

• Up to $9.25 per month off phone, internet, or bundled service for most eligible subscribers
• Up to $34.25 per month for eligible subscribers living on qualifying Tribal lands

The exact discount and available plans depend on which participating provider you choose, since providers apply the discount to their own service offerings.

What Services Qualify

Not every plan from every carrier is eligible. Participating providers must meet minimum standards for mobile data allowances and broadband speeds to offer a Lifeline-discounted plan, so it’s worth comparing a few participating providers in your area rather than assuming your current carrier offers it.

How to Apply

You can apply for Lifeline in a few ways:

• Online through the National Verifier
• By mail with a paper application
• Through a participating phone or internet company directly

A few states, including Oregon and Texas, route Lifeline applications through their own state-run portals instead of the federal system, so check your state’s process if you live there.

What Happens After You Apply

The federal rules do not give a single approval time, but the steps look like this:

1. Apply online, by mail to the Lifeline Support Center, or through a participating provider.
2. The National Verifier checks your eligibility. If it cannot confirm you from government records, it asks for documents such as a benefit letter, a tax return or recent pay stubs.
3. Send the documents. Online submissions during business hours (9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern) are reviewed within minutes. Mailed documents get a decision by mail within 7 to 10 business days, so uploading is usually much faster.
4. Pick a provider. Being approved does not start the discount by itself. You still have to sign up with a participating phone or internet company.
5. Recertify every year. When you are asked, you have 60 days to respond or you lose the benefit. You can recertify online, by mail or by phone, and you can reapply if you still qualify.

Two Common Ways People Lose the Benefit

The first is missing the 60-day recertification window, usually because the letter looked like junk mail. The second is not using the service. If your plan is free, FCC rules require you to use it at least once every 30 days (a call, a text or data use all count). After 30 days of silence the provider must send a notice, and if you still do not use the service in the next 15 days, you are removed from the program.

What the Discount Adds Up To

A few dollars a month sounds small, so here is the yearly math using the two official discount amounts.

Discount	Per month	Per year	Over 5 years
Standard Lifeline	Up to $9.25	Up to $111	Up to $555
Qualifying Tribal lands	Up to $34.25	Up to $411	Up to $2,055

For example, if a basic wireless plan costs $30 a month and your provider applies the standard $9.25, you pay $20.75. Some providers offer plans where the discount covers the whole price, so compare a few before you pick one. The amounts are maximums, and the discount can never exceed what the plan costs.

Before You Apply: A Short Checklist

• Decide your route. Check your household size against the income table above, or find your SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, housing or Veterans Pension letter.
• Gather proof. Lifeline Support lists a benefit letter or other official document for program participation, and a tax return or three consecutive months of pay stubs for income.
• Have your personal details ready. Expect to give your name, date of birth, address and identifying information that the National Verifier uses to match you against government records. Use the same spelling and address that appear on your benefit letter.
• Check who else is in your household. Only one benefit is allowed per household. If another adult at your address, such as a roommate or adult child who pays separately, already receives Lifeline, you may be asked to complete a household worksheet to show you are a separate household.
• Pick the provider last. Approval comes first, then you sign up with a participating company that serves your address.

What Changed in 2026

Two updates are worth knowing if you are renewing or applying now.

• California moved to the National Verifier. USAC announced that, effective February 1, 2026, California Lifeline providers use the federal National Verifier to determine eligibility and check for duplicates. If you are in California, ask your provider how that affects your application.
• Annual recertification works differently. USAC reports that automated eligibility database checks began in February 2026 and run daily through the year, and recertification is no longer tied to a single anniversary date. If a database check cannot confirm you, you may be asked for documents. The advice does not change: open mail from the Lifeline program, and respond within the 60-day window.

Lifeline is also not the same as the Affordable Connectivity Program, which ended in 2024. If a friend says “the internet discount went away,” they may be thinking of that program, not Lifeline.

If You Are Denied or Dropped

1. Read the notice for the reason. A name or address that does not match your records is a common problem you can often fix yourself.
2. Upload the missing document online during Lifeline Support’s hours, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern, or call (800) 234-9473.
3. If you lost the benefit for missing a recertification deadline or for non-use, you can reapply if you still qualify.
4. If your state runs its own process, such as Oregon or Texas, contact the state program instead.

FAQ

Can I get Lifeline and a separate carrier senior discount at the same time?
It depends on the carrier — some senior or AARP-branded discount plans are separate retail offers that can’t be combined with Lifeline, while other providers do allow stacking. Ask the specific provider before switching.

What documents do I need to prove eligibility?
Typically proof of program participation (like a benefits award letter) for program-based eligibility, or recent income documentation (pay stubs, tax return) for income-based eligibility. The National Verifier will specify what’s needed for your situation.

Related: Check Your Cell Phone Bill: The AARP Discount Most Carriers Don’t Advertise | SNAP for Seniors in 2026-27: $306 Max Benefit, $4,750 Asset Limit, and the Deductions That Raise Your Check

This article is for general informational purposes and is not financial advice. Eligibility rules and discount amounts can change — always confirm current details at LifelineSupport.org before applying.