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| Help |
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| What Is LawHelp? |
| Michigan LawHelp provides information and a guide to free and low cost legal help to low and moderate income persons and seniors in Michigan. |
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| Zip code and county |
| Enter the zip code or county of the person who needs help. |
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| Type of help |
There are several different ways in which an organization can provide help:
Full representation - representation by a lawyer or a legal advocate in court or at a hearing.
Brief advice - quick advice in person or over the telephone. |
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| Income guidelines |
Some organizations have income guidelines that you must meet to receive assistance. If you have an income higher than the income guidelines, you may not qualify for assistance. Income guidelines usually appear as a percentage of the federal poverty guidelines or as an income amount (example: $18,000/year). A personal asset may also affect whether you qualify for assistance. Michigan LawHelp does not guarantee that you will be able to receive assistance from an organization even if you meet its income guidelines.
The chart below shows the income guidelines most often used by legal services organizations, 125% to 200% of the federal poverty level. The amounts listed are rounded to the nearest dollar. "Family size" is the total number of people in the household.
2002 Federal Poverty Guidelines
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Family size |
125% |
187.5% |
200% |
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1 |
$923/month |
$1384/month |
$1477/month |
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2 |
$1244/month |
$1866/month |
$1990/month |
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3 |
$1565/month |
$2347/month |
$2503/month |
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4 |
$1885/month |
$2828/month |
$3017/month |
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5 |
$2206/month |
$3309/month |
$3530/month |
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6 |
$2527/month |
$3791/month |
$4043/month |
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7 |
$2848/month |
$4272/month |
$4557/month |
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8 |
$3169/month |
$4753/month |
$5070/month |
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| Income exceptions |
| An organization may also list instances in which it can assist a person whose income is higher than the income guidelines. For example, an organization may make exceptions for seniors, people who are HIV positive, or people experiencing domestic violence. Some organizations determine income eligibility by taking expenses such as child care, medical bills, and debts into account. |
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