Getting Financial Aid for your Relocation

People relocate for different reasons; be it for a job transfer, to secure a fresh and more rewarding job offer, for business relocation, for education advancement, an emergency situation caused by an occurrence of a natural disaster or for any other unexpected reasons. Whatever is the reason, relocation cost can be huge and even be more expensive depending on whether you’re moving across the state or within the same locality. The first crossroad is largely on how to handle the whole exercise in a less-stressful way and get the things done.

Having enough funds at hand or in your bank account to execute your move when the need arises may be very difficult. While you cannot accurately estimate the cost of your move, there are some hidden costs you might not even budgeted for. Ranging from the cost of getting moving boxes and other related materials to packing, and hiring moving company or moving truck if you decide to do it yourself (DIY).

However, there are many ways through which one can secure timely financial aid to give you the needed capital for your move. Knowing that relocation cost usually rises with traveling expenses, temporary accommodations during the search for new home, some employers and government alike usually put in place a relocation financial aid program to help relieve these financial burdens.

The aim is to offer moving assistance to make the spending affordable for you. It is a mission of some organizations or charity homes to help people in need of moving assistance due to problems related to moving. The organizations or government or charity homes magnanimously offer to help people with their moving financial problems. This article will share some major organizations and programs that offer financial moving assistance. Read on to discover

Top Financial Moving Assistance for your Move

Many people are not moving willingly and sometimes, some relocation come as an emergency; hence, raising cost for moving may be difficult for such people. Getting financial assistance in any way to help you in your move will go a long way. The programs are designed to make impact in the lives of people, especially those ones who are faced with relocation problems. Find below some financial moving assistance or useful tips to help you secure the necessary financial aid for your next move:

Employer-Based Relocation Aid Programs

Some employers usually have a policy or program to assist employees with financial aid to help them in their relocations when necessary.  For instance, you may be entitled to a moving allowance or relocation package if you’re moving on a transfer to fill a vacant position in the company’s branch elsewhere especially outside the state or country. This allowance is to enable you to deposit for rentals, pay for hostel or hotel or other temporary accommodation, take care of moving expenses, and much more. Though, this allowance may not be immediately available, so, you may have to pay or source for the money somehow and later apply for a refund from your employer. Some organizations go as far as paying for the accommodation of the entire family of the beneficiary for months. If such exists in your organization, ask for it.

Federal Assistance for Homeowners

Families and small business owners are usually assisted in covering their moving expenses in times of emergency after a natural disaster through a Federal Program for Relocation Assistance. The objective of the program is to help families and small business owners with grants to pay for their move and easily relocate to a new home or facility that has similar features to their former property. While small business owners are usually helped in finding new locations for the business and given a grant for their relocation costs, individual families are assisted with funds for their moving, and as well as to deposit for a new home whenever they are displaced or forced to move by a natural disaster. A renter who has become homeless or at the risk of being homeless may also be qualified for such relocation assistance that will be discussed next.

Financial Grant for the Prevention of Homelessness

This is a grant given to homeowners who are about to become homeless due to an unexpected eviction notice. The grants are usually administered and disbursed through housing agencies, local authorities, Salvation Army and religious organizations. The grant usually covers moving costs, rental deposits and motel or hotel staying vouchers to prevent living on the streets. So, find out to know if an application for the grant is currently being accepted in your locality because the administering authorities are expected to dispense the funds received within 3 years. Grants could be given for up to 18 month’s rental assistance. It is a good way to start a new life.

Housing Emergency Fund

There is a one-off housing emergency grant of more than $2,000 for eligible applicants who may need immediate assistance for utility or security and rental deposits. The fund is usually granted by the Housing Industry Foundation whose objective is to lessen the financial burden of families who might be unable to raise immediate funds and are not unsure of getting a refund for their deposit on their current home. It’s an emergency fund that’s usually transferred to the new landlord, utility companies or housing agent directly for the eligible tenant in less than 24 hours. Check out the HIF’s website for application and eligibility details.

Also, the Department of Housing and Urban Development in the US offers financial assistance to rentals that are displaced from their houses due to reacquisition or demolition for a new project or construction that is being funded by the Government. Whenever you are informed of such development that will cause you to forsake your home to community development, it is essential that you don’t move immediately until you are aware of the options available to you like a requirement for relocation payments, rent deposit refund or any other applicable entitlement. If affected by such development, the following options are usually available to you:

• Moving expenses: They are often paid in full, fixed rate for everybody or a combination of the two.
• Housing replacement or rental assistance: It is usually available to help you rent or acquire an appropriate or similar home as a replacement.

Exchange your Unwanted Items for Money

This is another avenue to raise funds for your move. When you are seriously in need of funds to move and you do not qualify for the federal relocation assistance, or you’re finding it difficult to access any form of aid funds, you might decide to sell off some of the old stuff that you can survive without. This is referred to as “garage sale” or “moving sale.” You can read our post on Guides to a Profitable Moving Sale. This idea will not only raise you some needed cash, but it will also save you money on moving cost by reducing your overall load.

You can auction off many of your unneeded stuff either through physical means or online auction platforms like eBay or Amazon. Stuff like old sports accessories, electronics or unwanted old books can be turned to money towards your move.

Tax Rebates

When you are moving based on a job transfer or any other job-related issues, you may qualify for some form of tax rebates on your moving expenses. You may consult a tax expert to help you take advantage of available tax rebates and help you in filing tax returns. This will lessen your financial burden when relocating through deduction of relocation expenses from your taxes.

Grants for Housing & Moving

Another way to get financial aid to fund your move is to get grants for housing and moving. Getting an unexpected notice to vacate your home means you need to secure new housing as quickly as possible, and have the financial resources to fund the move. If you find yourself in this situation without the funds to relocate, you may qualify to take advantage of grants that aid families with housing and moving expenses. Assistance is available through public programs and through private charities or local foundations.

Charity Home

When you are in a boxed corner or find it difficult to raise enough funds for your immediate relocation needs probably due to other commitments, logistics or family challenges, you may be able to access some grants from some charitable organizations. These organizations were set up to provide grants for moving so as to help in reducing financial burdens associated with moving. They include:

• Moving Grant for Low-income People

Many families with low incomes often find the cost associated with relocation a huge burden to bear and often require financial aid for them to easily move whenever the need arises.  For this category of people, there is usually a government program instituted to offer them a grant for their move. If you fall into this category, you may want to ask around to find out about the availability and requirements for eligibility for such grants.

• Relocation Aid for Disabled Citizens

Disabled Citizens or physically challenged are usually unable to have the needed finances to carry out a relocation task like any other persons. That is why many organizations and government agencies have been set up specifically to provide aids for this category of citizens whenever the need arises for relocation. You can access many of these agencies or organizations by asking around from people and through internet search engines. The application is easy and straightforward. The grant comes in time after proper application has been processed and completed. If you are among the set of people, don’t miss this opportunity.

• Veterans Moving Assistance Program

Veteran Citizens who meet all the requirements can access moving assistance in the form of housing support, payments for rent and utilities, security deposits, childcare and legal support from the Veterans Supportive Services. this program is committed to provide needed assistance to this set of people and they always available to help out when it comes to moving or relocation.

• Religious Organizations

Many religion organizations render moving and relocation assistance to needy families as well as single mums and women with low incomes and as well as disabled citizens to help them pay for moving expenses and other immediate expenses. There may be certain criteria to be met for you to qualify for such assistance but you can always make attempts and ask questions from people to know more. Also, you must know that such assistance is rendered on the basis of the budget available to the organization and sometimes on your loyalty to the presiding officers of the religious body.

Budgeting Loans

If you are on a pension or you have been on Employment Support Allowance or Job Seekers Allowance for up to 26 weeks, then you may be qualified to access what is called the Budgeting Loan. It is an interest-free loan of not less than a $100 that is repayable within 24 months depending on your financial needs and circumstances. Is this something you would like to try? Make a move today!

Conclusion

When next you are moving, you may want to take full advantages of any or all of the above-stated financing opportunities to help you secure the necessary funds and to reduce the financial burden of your impending move. Many organizations and charity homes have generous enough to offer so much to save people from embarrassments which may be sudden. However, many people are not aware such opportunity exists. Now, you it all!

Moving Feedback uses this post to share much-needed information about existing opportunities available to you for your next move. I do hope that you shall have a safe and cost-effective moving. Stay tuned for more informative posts from this page!