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What Can I Claim as a Single Parent?

By Unknown →

Single parenthood, may have resulted from a divorce, death of spouse, legal adoption or bearing a child out of marriage. Whatever the causes are, the responsibilities of a single parent cannot be taken lightly. One can get caught in a maze of limited time and finances, with a parent-child relationship to consider.

A single parent can work vigorously day till night and still not be able to provide enough for the family. With bills to shoulder and children to feed, there is a great tendency for one to feel helpless.

It is therefore important to know one’s rights. What can I claim as a single parent? , this is a question a person must be able to answer. Nowadays, there is available information in the internet. A person can readily check online for websites hosted by government agencies that deal with single parent benefits.

However, it is important to thoroughly check the authenticity of the website and the information being provided. A lone parent can also go directly to welfare agencies to personally ask about entitlement to benefits or allowances. Keeping oneself informed is a great way to start.

Benefits, grants and the amount of allowances differ in various countries and even states. Qualifications and procedures in granting these pensions are also not the same. What is applicable in one area may be entirely different – or not possible – in another area.

P.C:- Purple Sherbet

The key is to check agencies locally to find out what benefit is available. Single parent benefits may include housing, scholarships for parents or children, financial assistance to pay bills, meal allowances, etc. but it will also depend on the financial capacity of the country where one resides.

Furthermore, pensions are not available for all. Governments usually require a particular level of income for a person to qualify.

The Irish government maintains a Citizens Information website to keep people informed about available benefits. In Ireland, for instance, people have what they call One-Parent Family Payment OPF) which is provided to single mothers and fathers under the age of 66.

A person can either be the biological and custodial parent, a step parent or the legal guardian of the child. A sole parent must also have an income of €425 or less weekly. A single parent, who has been married, must also ensure that efforts have been made to seek maintenance or support from the other partner.

If a parent is working for 19 hours a week, he or she can claim Family Income Supplement (FIS) while still claiming One-Parent Family Payment (OPF). A parent may also be entitled to Rent Supplement, if one meets the qualifications.

If one is self-employed, he or she may be entitled to Back to Work Enterprise Allowance or JobBridge – the National Internship Scheme. In Hongkong, a single parent is entitled to a personal allowance amounting to HK$120,000 yearly while a married person is entitled to HK$240,000 based on Hongkong 2012-13 Tax Facts posted on EY Building a Better World website.

Benefits and allowances can be a relief for single parents. For this reason, they must ensure that they have accurate information about what they are entitled to.

They need all the help they can get and getting that help can allow them to enjoy parenthood more. In a way, they will not feel so alone in this journey.

Next Article:- Financial Help for Single Mothers

Benefits

Abuse of Single Mum Benefits

By Unknown →

There is no doubt that single parents need assistance from the government. With all the daily responsibilities that they have to accomplish, single parent benefits are absolutely necessary.

But how certain is the government that all the parents who are availing these benefits (intended for single parents) are ACTUALLY single? Is it possible that some parents may pretend that they are single or separated to avail such benefits?

Believe it or not, single parent benefits package in some places like the US or the UK can be quite attractive.

Though most lone parents, especially mothers, are hurt by other people’s prejudices and allegations that they should immediately join the workforce, there might be some truth in saying that providing high pensions or allowances to single parents somehow discourage them from working.

At the same time, it also encourages even those who are not single to pretend they are single just so they can avail these benefits. What happens then is that there are undeserving people who are dishonestly receiving benefits that deserving single parents should be receiving.

Image Credit: USAG- Humphreys

In an article written by Chris Pleasance, Nurse with Three Children Lies to Benefits Bosses Claiming She Was a Single Parent.., it was discovered only last September that Cheryl Henwood, a 46-year-old nurse and a mother of three had been pretending to be a single parent and had been dishonestly claiming benefits for seven years.

In reality, she was still living with her husband and both parents are actually earning enough for the family. Furthermore, what was even more devastating was that the whole family was living luxuriously using this money to spend on Disney Trips and other expensive things. With all the property she acquired, she was already capable of paying what she stole.

In an article written by Helen Barnett and Owen Bennett, Council Told Me I’d be Better Off On Benefits, Says Single Mum recently featured the story of a single mom, Chelsea Press, who had a different experience.

A single mom who loved her work and wanted to set a good example to her child, she worked for 27 hours a week. However, because she was working, the single mum benefits she received were usually not enough.

She sought help from her District Council but instead of helping her and providing moral support, she was advised that she can cope more and have higher benefits if she was not working. But Chelsea believed otherwise.

For her, not working and just waiting for benefits to arrive is a sign of dependence and that is not how she wants to raise her child. She wants to show her child that while it is important to seek additional help when needed, it is also important to stand on one’s feet and work to provide for one’s family and to help other people with one’s services.

The two stories of mothers make a stark contrast in terms of intentions, struggles and experiences. Both have goals of providing the best for their children – but with different means. One displayed how she was raising her children through dishonesty while the other was raising her children with strong values.

It is a harsh reality that there are loopholes in the system, a system that may not need to be perfect, but a system that requires a deeper change. Benefits should be given to those who are in need of them and if that purpose is not served, then this system defeats its purpose.

Next Article:- What Can I Claim as a Single Parent?

Benefits

Single Parent Pension: Holding on Till the Last Drop

By Unknown →

Time and again, single parents need to answer endless questions about whether they truly deserve to get pensions. They always need to defend themselves from critics, and they do, especially when this concerns not just their welfare but also their children’s.

Why is there a need for single parent pension? For one, single parents’ time have to be literally divided among various responsibilities such as taking care of their children, working part-time (or full-time if it is even possible) and handling household errands.

These are just some of the activities that take chunks of their time. Their responsibilities do not end in merely feeding their children or watching over them.

Once their children start going to school, parents are also required to attend PTCs (Parent-Teacher Conferences) to get feedback about how their children are doing or watch their children perform.

On a regular basis, they need to bring them to the doctor or to the dentist and accompany their children when they go on playdates. They have quite a long list of responsibilities and roles.

Now since they are partly taking care of the children and are getting involved in their children’s school activities, they will most likely not be able to work full-time. Not being able to work full-time has lots of disadvantages in terms of pay, benefits and career growth.

P.C: USAG- Humphreys

But their situation usually leaves them no choice. They also have their relationship with their children to nurture and prioritize and they want to create a balance between work and family as much as possible.

As single parents, the last thing that they would want is not to have time for their children. They need to work but their children also need them. They cannot just work like there is no tomorrow because their children will be waiting for them – and they will not be children forever.

Most of them, then, have to work part-time unless they have grandparents, relatives or caregivers who are willing to keep an eye on them will they work full-time. In other cases, single parents cannot work at all due to a lot of factors.

Not all can afford childcare. Furthermore, education is a key factor, especially for single moms who have not taken a higher degree of education.

Consequently, in as much as they want to find a well-paying job to be good providers, it is difficult for them because they are not qualified in terms of educational background, skills and experience.

Temporarily, government assistance can really help them a great deal to get their degree and eventually land a job with a promising career opportunity.

While they are in the process of getting their education or getting employed, realistically sufficient pensions, among their other single parent benefits can lead them and their children to survive the horrible fate of drowning in poverty.

For instance, in Australia, there has been a devastating reduction of single parent pensions which took effect early this year. Though they are given Newstart allowances, these are not sufficient to support their families.

There is nothing wrong about the government’s intention to encourage single parents to work. But the factors mentioned earlier must be taken into great consideration before arriving at a decision to make a significant cut from the pensions.

The underlying issues are not just about forcing single parents to work, there are more to be studied and analyzed.

It might help if the government will study single parents’ cases extensively, categorize, to determine who among them badly needs assistance, find out the root cause of their difficulty and how they can be helped.

Next Article:- Single Mum Benefits

Benefits

Government Help for Single Parents: A Reality No More

By Unknown →

In the past years, government help for single parents in some countries was very much available. The government recognized the necessity to provide financial support for these parents, which made the situation easier for them.

But recently, more countries are beginning to reduce or withdraw single parent benefits.

On January 1, this year, Australia’s federal government made substantial cuts to single parenting payments (when the youngest child turns 8) of around $110 a week which caused a very negative reaction from the concerned parents.

Even the United Nations asked the government to explain the reason for this drastic change.

Last April, a rally was organized by the Single Parent Action Group, along with the help of the National Council of Single Mothers and their Children to express their vexation towards this decision which affected 80,000 families.

It has been reported that a lot of these parents have desperately considered of committing suicide when this took effect. Other single mothers have resorted to prostitution because they cannot see how they and their children can survive.

Image By: USAG- Humphreys

Last August, the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) and National Council of Single Mothers and their Children launched the Have a Heart: Say No to Child Poverty campaign to air their recommendations to alleviate poverty and at the same time help low-income single parents in what is considered as one of the richest countries in the world.

Their proposal aims to make a fairer revision of the family payment system, targeting the help mainly for those who are in need.

Recently, in England, changes in government policies involving benefits of single parents illicit feelings of frustration from single parents who are trying their best to make ends meet for their children.

But aside from the reduction of parenting payments, their justification for receiving financial support is being questioned and contested.

In an article written by Rebecca Omonira-Oyekanmi, Government Policy is Forcing Single Parents Into Poverty, a distraught parent shares her difficulty in handling finances and her suffering from prejudices for being a single parent, which is experienced by most women.

This parent feels like she is being punished for being in such a situation. The austerity policies of the government which will be effective until 2015/ 2016, show that single parents will be the most affected among different types of families.

Their income will be reduced by around 15.1%, couples with children by around 9.7% and couples without children by around 4.1%. Factors affected by this loss include housing, higher education or training and tax and spending changes.

The devastating changes in government policies have brought single parents down to poverty. It is a very unfortunate predicament for single parents when such unavoidable changes made by the government occur.

It does not mean that they entirely depend on the government for support but they are hoping for more help since childcare services are expensive. Despite having a job, low-income single parents’ efforts are insufficient in managing the finances for the entire household.

The government’s decisions may be a result of various economic conditions in the country.

But it cannot be disregarded that the high reduction of benefits of single parents as compared to other families may come from painful and prejudiced views that single parents, particularly mothers, do not deserve much help from the government because they brought themselves to such situation.

Next Article:- Single Parent Pension

Benefits

Parents Without Partners: Thriving on Support

By Unknown →

Whether they like it or not, single parents need to be doubly strong for their children because their little angels depend on them for almost anything: food, clothes, shelter, love, guidance and a lot more.

Aside from all these, they need to assume plenty of roles in their household: mother or father, financer, audience (for children’s ‘presentations’), a playmate or accomplice for pretend play and so much more.

But what they sometimes forget is that they are also human beings who may indeed be able to take care of their basic necessities – but have other needs that must be addressed as well. They also need to take care of their health for their children.

They also long for a hug when they feel lonely, a shoulder to cry on when there are just too much things to handle, words of praise or a pat on the back for a job well done, a brief time out with friends. With all the demands of their everyday life as single parents, they simply need a break.

Fortunately, there are many organizations that act as support groups for single parents. Aside from single parent benefits that they receive, joining these groups is another beneficial thing that can bring them back on their feet and sustain their energy.

These groups encourage parents to join and participate in activities with their children. There are also activities specifically designed for single parents only.

These activities give them a chance to be involved, to have someone to talk to, to mingle and have fun. Eventually, they feel good about themselves and happy to be a part of something important, something for both their children and them – and something that does not make them feel different.

Parents Without Partners (PWP) is the largest international non-profit organization, dedicated to help and address the needs of single parents and children. This group also has various chapters in the US and Canada and has sponsored plenty of events and meetings.

The members are very active in managing events and often have schedules during weekdays and weekends. The events have become venues for single parents to meet other sole parents who are willing to be in relationships.

As a result, a lot have been engaged and married. This group offers exciting activities for parents and children like picnic, dance events, trips to the museum and amusement park, going to the beach, camping, going to the zoo, etc.

These activities allow both parents and children to gain confidence in socializing with other people. In addition, parents without partners are able to get tips or advice from other parents about how to deal with everyday concerns.

They are drawn towards the realization that they are not alone in this world. Knowing and understanding how others cope with similar situations can help them view parenting with a more positive outlook in life.

The dawning of new friendships, not just for their children but also for themselves rewards them with feelings of relief, happiness and gratitude.

Next Article:- Government Help for Single Parents

Benefits

Single Parent Advice

By Unknown →

Coping is one of the most challenging things that single parents need to go through as they take the sole responsibility of raising their children. Financial burden can be lightened by single parent benefits provided by the government and non-profit organizations.

But dealing with unavoidable questions that parents must respond to is something more difficult. Children are keen observers by nature and are curious about the world around them, the people around them. They compare themselves with other people and with other families.

It is but natural that they wonder why they only have one parent. While older children may be more aware of the situation, younger children may not easily comprehend why, despite explanations.

Even while older children may have witnessed what happened, such as their parents going through a divorce, the custodial parent will have to take the time to assess their young emotions. What can be going on in their innocent minds that may not seem so obvious?

Because of this, it is important for a parent to get an appropriate single parent advice from experts in the field and from people who have been in the same shoes. When talking to children, being honest is necessary.

However, this does not mean that one has to discuss this lengthily and in detail. Parents must prepare the explanation beforehand so that they do not get caught off guard when children suddenly begin to ask questions. Explanations must be brief and simple enough for children to understand.

While it is true that parents may have argued and fought prior to a divorce or separation, this kind of fact or any negative detail about the other partner is not something that should be related to young children.

A parent must choose his or her words carefully, to ensure that these words do the purpose of clarifying rather than confusing. Furthermore, their minds are not yet capable of processing such very complicated adult information.

If the children still have ongoing communication with the non-custodial parent, then it is best to allow them to maintain their positive father-and-children relationship despite living arrangements.

This will help the children adjust to the changes in the family situation, knowing some things have changed and some things have not. But if the father has not communicated with the children and does not show any signs of interest for doing so, then it is better not to give children false hopes or ideas.

Dr. Phil McGraw, a well-known mental health professional shares similar sound advice for single moms. According to him, mothers should not force an unwilling father to be involved.

In the same way, it is not advisable to force the child’s father to talk or to have a relationship with the child when the father refuses to because this will have negative effects on the child. This may lead the child towards feelings of confusion and rejection – and these are not healthy for them.

At the same time, Dr. Phil acknowledges the importance of having a father figure for the child but a good single mother is also more than capable of providing her child a good family – even without a father.

Like married couples, single parents also need to cope and to adjust. Life may not be easy for them, but given the help and advice that they need, then they will be able to gather enough strength to deal with struggles in a more positive and productive way.

Next Article:- Parents Without Partners

Benefits

Loans for Single Parents: Are These a Necessity?

By Unknown →

Finances are being handled solely by single parents and most of these parents, whose income are low enough to qualify, can actually be given a whole lot of assistance ranging from pensions to scholarship grants not only for themselves but also for their children.

But not all single parents qualify for such single parent benefits. Those people whose income is too high to qualify might also be too low to provide all the things needed in raising children on their own. On top of this, unexpected things that are beyond one’s means happen.

Emergency situations call for immediate actions or solutions. It is during these instances that lone parents must apply for loans. Some opt to apply at the bank, private financing companies and government.

There are different types of loans for single parents. There are several loan programs that people can actually choose from provided that they meet the prerequisites. One type of loan available is the bad credit. People can apply for bank loans but have high interest rates.

Another kind of loan is the secured loan where one has to present collateral in order to qualify for loan application. Collaterals may include house and lot, home appliances, cars, etc. Once a person is unable to pay then the collateral will have to be taken by the loan company in exchange for the unpaid loan.

Collaterals are usually required for bigger loan amounts. Business loans, on the other hand are for those who are planning to put up a small business. Housing Loans also require collaterals because of the high loan amount.

Usually, the required collateral is the land title of the house and lot that the borrower will purchase. In cases when the borrower fails to pay for the house or becomes a delinquent payer, then the creditor will have to keep the land title for good and acquire this property.

Housing loans from the government usually have lower interest rates and have more considerations. There are also personal cash loans and emergency loans which are usually in small amounts. There are such things as same payday loans, wherein, from the word itself, one can apply for loan in cash and get it on the same day, sometimes within an hour.

P.C: USAG- Humphreys

In Western Australia, the government has initialized the Keystart Home Loan. This loan is particularly designed for parents, married or single, who have low-income.

Once they apply for home loan, the Department of Housing shall buy 20 to 30% of the property (based on certain criteria and qualifications) and the rest shall be paid by the borrower.

In the UK, there are non-government financing companies such as the UK Business Funding Centre, which can offer a variety of loans such as no-interest or low-interest loans ranging from £1,500 – £10 million.

The important thing that a person must remember is to check his or her own capacity to pay for a particular loan prior to application. Furthermore, it is necessary to match one’s own requirements with the criteria provided to qualify for loan application.

Most of the time, single parents apply for loans because they are not aware of the grants available. With grants, they do not need to pay back and do not have to suffer from interest rates. Grants, however, may take longer than usual.

In cases when grants or pensions are not sufficient, loans can assist single parents to address their immediate needs.

Next Article:- Single Parent Advice

Help

Help for Single Mothers: Is it a Must or a Burden?

By Unknown →

While it is already widely accepted that single motherhood is something not out of the ordinary, there are still some speculations about its long-term effects on children’s physical, social and emotional development.

It is true that help for single mothers are indeed accessible but a very recent research cited by Angela Bruns in her article, Can Marriage Promotion Help Children Growing Up with Single Mothers? suggests that by being unwed, single moms are becoming too dependent not only in terms of finances but also in other things.

Still, it was contradicted, because marriage is not that easy for everyone. Getting married or staying single can be a result of underlying cultural factors and differences and promoting marriage is not enough to encourage single women to get married.

In Bruns' article, it was mentioned that Hispanic women are twice more likely to become single women than white women while black women are thrice more likely to become single women than white women.

Furthermore, black women are less likely to get married especially for those who are educationally disadvantaged. Surprisingly, culture and race have roles in the occurrence of single motherhood.

Image By: USAG- Humphreys

Are single mothers becoming a burden to the government and the community? Not all single mothers are unemployed and not all of them are single mothers by choice (adopting single parents). Some of them become sole parents because their situation has forced them to.

Divorce and death are just among the reasons. But who wants to be in such a situation? The last thing that they want is for their marriage to end. More so, no one will definitely want their partner to die. There are also single people who simply cannot find the ‘right’ partner and just end up adopting and being single.

Universally speaking, humanity dictates that single mothers or parents deserve to be helped. It is perhaps the reason why they are given single parent benefits, pensions or whatever assistance that can make their lives at least easier to handle while raising their children.

And contrary to what has been earlier stated, while it is better to have both parents rearing their children, marriage does not necessarily guarantee that children will grow up well in a wonderful and loving family. To a great extent, other factors must be taken into consideration.

Mary Parke’s research, Are Married Parents Really Better for Children? discusses that it is not just the idea of having both parents and a complete family. It also relies on the kind of people these parents are and perhaps, the quality of time they spend with each other and with their children, among other factors.

In fact, there are also researches that reveal the positive experiences of children raised in a single-parent family. Most children from single-parent families actually grow up without any significant problems.

Although the primary goal is for children to have a happy and complete family, it is a reality that this shall not always be the case. In such circumstances when having both parents together with their children is just not possible, then it is but right to assist parents in bringing up their children in happy single-parent families.

In each country, there are different forms of aid given to single mothers. Germany, UK and USA are among those that provide good benefits to single mothers. Other countries – and states – may not provide similar kind of benefits, allowances or grants but one can take advantage of all the help that is available and possible.

After all, it is not right to judge single mothers for being in such situations. There are just numerous factors causing and affecting the circumstances that they are in, as mentioned earlier in this article, such as race and culture and these are, to a large extent, beyond people’s understanding, beyond a complete and fast change.

Next Article:- Loans for Single Parents

Benefits

Single Parent Child Benefits

By Unknown →

Sending a child to school, especially when one is a lone parent, is tough. Childcare can be costly especially when one’s own income is not enough to meet the necessities of the family. Fortunately, there are several single parent benefits available to support parents in rearing their children.

It is up to the parents to take advantage of these benefits by being actively aware of the different providers whose primary goal is to help them cope more efficiently. HM Revenue & Customs cites common and basic questions about child benefit in the UK.

Child benefit is a kind of payment that single parents are entitled to claim for their children. There are different criteria and rates may vary in different countries and states. Custodial parents and even guardians can also claim single parent child benefits.

In the UK, a child benefit is usually valid until the age of 15. Non-custodial parents may also apply for this benefit provided that the custodial parent has not applied for a similar benefit. The eldest child gets as much as £20.30 weekly and the same rule applies to an only child.

On the other hand, subsequent children shall receive only £13.40 a week. Payments for these benefits are directed to a bank or National Savings & Investment (NS&I). Ill or disabled children can claim up to 12 weeks of child benefit if they are in a hospital or residential care. If the period extends after 12 weeks, then the single parent (custodial parent) or the non-custodial parent spends money on them on a regular basis.

Residential care is provided by local authority to children who are mentally or physically ill to avoid worsening of current conditions. If the child has to undergo a medical treatment abroad, child benefit shall still be given as long as the child will not be gone for more than 52 weeks.

One of the industrialized Asian countries, Japan also provides quite a lot of child benefits. Aya K. Abe’s article, Effects of Child-Related Benefits in Japan, cites some of these and these include The Child Rearing Allowance (CRA) for single mothers and the Child Allowance (CA) while Public Assistance for the Poor (Seikatsu-Hogo) is a cash assistance provided for poor families.

The CRA is given to children with ages ranging from 3 to 6 years old. The CRA is provided to children of single mothers who have custody of the children who does not share income with the child’s father. This is applicable for children below 18.

The Public Assistance for the Poor provides in-cash assistance to parents whose income falls below minimum. Japan also provides child tax benefits. Unlike in other countries, illegitimate children in Singapore are in a dismal state since they shall not be entitled to a number of benefits experienced by married couples.

Early this year, The Asian Parent Singapore Edition featured Survival Guides for Single Mums in Singapore. In one of the survival tips, it is mentioned that if a mother is unwed, the child is therefore illegitimate and shall not be entitled to any inheritances in case of the mother’s death (without a will). Instead, any property left by the mother shall be given by the government to the mother’s parents.

Worse, for a child to be legitimate, the mother has to legally adopt her own child and pay $3,000 just to get child benefits. The biological father, whether he has documents to prove or not, is entitled however, to visitation rights, an aspect which is perhaps not that significant for the Singapore government.

Single unwed mothers should therefore get all the financial assistance they can get from the biological fathers of their children since getting support from the government is not likely to happen.

Comparing the scenario in different countries for single parents illustrates how difficult life can be for them and most particularly, for their children, since providing benefits is widely affected as well by not just the financial status of the country but also by its cultural beliefs, laws and traditions.

It is absolutely amazing how single parents survive their situation while getting a lot of help but more so for single unwed mothers in countries who do not get any help at all.

Next Article:- Help for Single Mothers

Benefits

The Joys of Simply Being a Single Parent

By Unknown →

Being a single parent can be a result of different experiences in life. It can also be one’s personal choice, similar to one’s choice of getting married, both of which having their own unique joys and struggles. What life map guides a parent to be successful in raising his or her children?

Is there such a thing, to start with? There are several parenting seminars, books and websites to choose from and any of these can make a positive contribution in teaching one to be the best single parent in the world.

There are also people who share their stories and impart their words of wisdom to those in similar situations, with the goal to uplift those who are feeling hopeless. But a parent’s instinct and insights cannot be ignored as well.

Most of the time, it is the parent who knows his or her child the most, who can really handle the situation better than anyone else.

Certainly, parenthood is not an easy responsibility. If a single parent is employed, he or she has to juggle his or her time to do some errands, take care of household necessities, clean the house, sustain financial needs, attend children’s school activities and spend precious bonding moments with the children.

Not having the time to take a deep breath and enjoy the scenery, so to speak, can draw a person to exhaustion. Sometimes, parents have to take a leave from work when the child or the children are sick.

In an entire school year, parents have to attend parent-teacher conferences, watch their children perform in school and participate in a variety of school or community activities. It can be a very demanding ‘job’ but it can also hone one’s own strength, skills and character.

There are various ways for single parents to get accustomed to their new situation and eventually embrace it. For one, being conscious and knowledgeable about single parent benefits and the organizations that can provide these can be very advantageous.

In fact, just the thought that there are many people who can lend a hand gives parents a feeling of relief. Single parents also appreciate that there are support groups everywhere who recognize their needs aside from money concerns.

Getting involved in these groups, asking for help and sharing whatever they can give can make their world bigger and more meaningful. Jessica Ashley shared her very touching story about being a single parent in The Blog, What I’ve Learned About Motherhood by Being a Single Mom.

Her journey started from having a happy family and marriage that eventually turned sour and led to a depressing divorce. But despite what she went through, she was able to survive and found a way to explain to her child the so-called ‘unique story’ of their family.

She was able to put herself back together again and start building her dreams once more for her child and herself.

At the end of the day, most single parents take pride not just in their capability as good providers but also as parents who enjoy watching their children grow, parents who take part in their children’s little and big victories and parents who love their children so much that they mean more than the whole world to them.

Next Article:- Single Parent Child Benefits

Benefits

Available Grants for Single Parents

By Unknown →

Parenting may not be all that pleasant and tolerable when one is a single parent, especially when one is in the midst of a financial trouble. Putting food on the table is just among the daily responsibilities that a parent must carry out. Despite having a job, one’s income might not be enough to maintain the needs of the whole family.

It is believed that educational attainment plays a key role in finding a lucrative career. Unfortunately, not all parents are able to even finish college. As a result, they have fewer options in finding a profession that match both their skills and interest.

What happens then turns out to be a vicious cycle. One gets tied to a job that does not pay that much but due to urgent need, one gets stuck. Since expenses are higher than one’s income, needs are not sufficiently provided. A person can work hard all he or she wants but the opportunity bitterly ends there.

The next thing that can happen is over fatigue from working too much and stress from mishandling finances that may lead to possible illnesses or worse, an unhappy family. Money problems definitely put a strain on one’s relationships.

Having an insufficient income may push a parent to consider tempting loan and credit card applications even with high interests as immediate solutions, a way out of one’s predicament. The cycle continues. But there is a way to put an end to this. Everyone must work on continuously increasing knowledge and acquiring new skills to get a higher income.

Image By: USAG- Humphreys

Otherwise, there shall be no chance for growth, and no chance for the family to survive. Understanding the situation of single parents perhaps have moved companies, the government and other organizations to provide grants for single parents.

Each organization has a different set of criteria to follow in order for a single parent to be qualified for grants. It is important to carefully evaluate and check if the organization offering such grants is authentic and reliable.

There are some groups who trick parents into believing that the grants being offered are free through internet advertisements but sometimes, these turn out to be spam or the group requires parents to pay later on. Wikihow offers helpful tips to get started.

These include checking if one’ current income is within the requirements, checking these grants with the local government offices or website, asking relevant questions and preparing all the necessary documents as advised.

In the US, the Federal Pell Grant Program aims to give aid to both single mothers and fathers go back to school although it has helped more mothers in the past. For this program, grants are based on the financial need of the applicant and school costs depending if it shall be on a part-time or full-time basis.

To request for a grant, one is initially required to fill up a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. Other organizations that provide similar single parent benefits or grants include the Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants and State Grants for Single Mothers, which, like the Federal Pell Grant Program, is not limited to mothers only.

The CalGrant in California puts greater weight on the economic status of the family, thus giving high priority to disadvantaged families.

These fall under the category of needs-based education grants. Aside from these, there are also merit-based education grants for single parents that are given based on academic merits or performance such as the Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) and the National SMART Grant (Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent).

Another grant for a good cause is the Raise the Nation’s Loan Repayment Grants for Single Mothers which assists single mothers to pay outstanding student loans. Those who have been awarded with these grants must eventually give back through community service or by sharing their expertise with those who are in need.

Once a person is able to receive grants, he or she can then afford to pursue higher education, either online or in universities. This will eventually open doors of opportunities for single mothers and fathers and help them become more financially independent in the future.

Next Article:- Being a Single Parent

Help

Counting on Financial Help for Single Parents

By Unknown →

There will definitely be monetary concerns among single parents. But how to get all the help available is critical. Apparently, most people are aware of the financial help for single parents provided by the government. But not all may be properly informed about the existence of non-profit organizations and the extent of single parent benefits that they can provide.

In the article Charities for Single Parents: Where to Give this Year, Jennifer Wolf enumerated a number of charities that can be found in the different states in the US. These groups offer a variety of services depending on their core mission.

There are groups whose main goal is to work with the homeless such as Bridge of Hope (Exton, PA), Fellowship Housing (Hoffman States, IL) and Warrick Dunn Charities (Atlanta, Georgia). There are other organizations focusing on other services such as financial assistance, scholarships, life skills training and helping single mothers pursue a college degree.

These groups include Heaven’s Rainbow and Helping Hands for Single Moms (Goodyear AZ). With the aim of helping single moms become self-sufficient, Single Mothers Outreach (Santa Clarita, CA) centers on financial and technological programs for single moms as well as workshops.

Financial support for mothers who are fighting cancer is among the services being offered by Singleton Moms (Scottsdale, AZ). Other groups include SPARC or Single Parent Alliance and Resource Center (Norcross, GA), Single Parent Advocate (Plano, TX) and Extended Family (Woodland Hills, CA).

Photo By: USAG- Humphreys

Aside from getting financial help, it is important that parents are also able to effectively manage benefits or earnings that they get either from their work, from the government or from charitable institutions. Availing financial assistance and not being able to use it wisely can lead to more stress and problems.

This can be avoided by seeking financial coaching or mentoring to ensure that money is spent primarily on the basic needs of the family. Being able to decide which bills or expenses must be prioritized can help a parent stay focused and allow one to have enough time to take care of other household necessities and responsibilities.

Listing down miscellaneous expenses, debts and bills to be paid and when they are due can help a parent easily monitor where one’s money is going to. A person will have an opportunity to analyze and ask questions. Is too much money being spent on eating out or in buying things that are not actually needs but wants?

By determining the average expenses in a week or in a month, for instance and categorizing them based on importance, one can have a clearer view of one’s actual financial state. Finding out what constitutes most of the expenses will then help parents create a reasonable budget that will serve and fit the needs of the entire family.

Acquiring financial help entails discipline and responsibility. One can achieve this if he or she is aware of the organizations which can provide additional benefits, if he or she knows how to seek assistance, if he or she is guided in handling money and if he or she is eager to develop new skills and use them to increase one’s income, to invest and save for the future of the family.

Next Article:- Grants for Single Parents

Help

The Single Parent Help that You Need When the Going Gets Tough

By Unknown →

At the beginning, being a lone or solo parent is like entering a different world. The entry may be gradual at times, like during a separation or divorce. Somehow, one can see the signs of a breaking relationship in the process that eventually leads to its end. Sometimes, it can be abrupt.

The death of a spouse or partner can leave one feeling like he or she is literally barging in to this uncomfortable world. It will take awhile to get used to it and one might neither be emotionally nor financially prepared for this change. Suddenly one is confronted with the hard truth that he or she is alone in this.

For both situations, healing takes time and single parent help is badly needed not just from the government but also from close relatives and friends. It is imperative that one is aware of the forms of help that are available. Adjusting to the single parent situation at the beginning is one of the crucial stages where one greatly needs emotional help.

A single parent will need someone to talk to while recovering from mourning or while healing a broken heart. Within the company and support of family and friends, a parent can eventually regain strength and get back to his or her feet again. When a person is already adjusted, there will be a time when one gets worn out and wants to give up.

Single mom and author Christine Coppa shares 10 Single Mom Secrets that a parent can do to survive single parenthood. She offers very helpful tips for parents to consider. One must try to find inspiration by seeking role models. Reading stories of successful single parents will help inspire and revive one’s depressed spirit.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Aside from this, it is important to find a work schedule that will be convenient for the parent and the child. Sometimes, it is necessary to request from the management or find other jobs and companies that have more flexible time. In fact, more companies are becoming considerate and are providing a family-friendly environment for their employees.

A parent must also take time off to relax, go out with friends by arranging a babysitter or a close friend to stay with the child. This should be done at least once in a while so that the parent is able to come back with a clearer mind, ready for the challenge of being a parent once more.

Despite the temptation, one should refrain being a super mom who attempts to do and finish everything. Instead of being overly obsessed with cleanliness that playing becomes impossible, a parent should lighten a bit, play and enjoy each moment spent with the child.

Finding a group of single parents to plan play dates or family activities with is also a great venue to mingle, get help and give help as well. Through this, single parents can share experiences and tips with other parents and make the road of parenthood easy to travel.

Other assistance needed is usually financial in nature and through single parent benefits that the government provides, a parent will find it much easier to provide the needs of his or her children.

Next Article:- Financial Help for Single Parents

Benefits

How to Claim Single Parent Benefits

By Unknown →

It is not enough that a single parent knows the benefits that he or she is entitled to. More importantly, one must be familiarized with specific guidelines regarding how to claim single parent benefits. Moreover, procedures are different in each country.

One must thoroughly check the information in the country where one is residing to ensure that one gets what is rightfully his or hers. In some Asian countries like the Philippines, to avail single parent benefits, one must secure a Solo Parent Identification Card (Solo Parent ID) from the City Municipal Social Welfare and Development office.

Requirements prior to issuance of ID include barangay certificate residency in the area, documents that prove that the parent is indeed single such as death certificate of spouse, declaration of nullity of marriage and medical certificate (if the other parent is incapacitated).

Once the ID has been issued, the parent can already inquire from the different government agencies regarding availing their benefits such as housing, educational assistance, health services and parental leave.

Some countries are capable of giving benefits generously. In Ireland, they have what they call One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) as a form of financial support to single parents, men or women under the age of 66. A single parent can avail the benefit until the youngest child turns 18.

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When the OFP ends, one will still be given assistance under a different scheme. To claim benefits, one must fill up an OFP form and submit it with the supporting documents to the Department of Social Welfare.

In order to be qualified for OFP, the parent must be able to comply with the requirements, which include the following: the parent applying should be the custodial parent, parent should have been living apart from spouse or partner for at least 3 months, support of the non-custodial parent is inadequate and parent has one child with age below 7.

Parents must also ensure that they file their taxes correctly by consulting a tax representative in their country. In the US, a parent who files as “head of household” can also get benefits such as less tax payment and higher standard deduction claims.

In the UK, a lone parent is eligible for what they call income support, which can include basic and extra payments, depending on one’s current income and savings. Extra payments or premiums can be availed considering certain circumstances such as a parent or the child with a disability.

One can claim by phone or by post. There are forms available for downloading plus contact information in the Gov. UK website, to ensure convenience in applying. Benefits or allowances are eventually deposited to an account.

The bottom line is that single parents are in need of financial aid and being aware of the extra money or assistance they are entitled to – and how they can avail them – can save them a lot of trouble and anxiety.

Lastly, by finding the time to complete the necessary documents and completing the requirements no matter how tedious they may seem, getting that ‘extra help’ will be worth the wait.

Next Article:- Single Parent Help

Benefits

Up to What Extent Should Single Parent Allowance Be Provided?

By Unknown →

It is a known fact that lone or solo parents are usually in a difficult condition in raising one’s child for a variety of reasons, one of which is monetary. There are single parents who find somebody to care for their children while they are off to work. However, there are parents who simply cannot work and have to take care of their children, thus, needing more financial support from the government.

In light of these, countries – who can afford to so – provide single parent allowance. As mentioned, this will depend highly on the economic status of a country and its population. For instance, Germany is one of those that provide very helpful financial assistance as single parent benefits to those lone parents. Single parents can avail as much as 14 months allowance since they do not have a partner.

Different countries have different priorities to alleviate poverty and monetary help for unemployed single parents might just be too much to shoulder. Believe it or not, the government, though financially able, spends a lot on these allowances.

This has been the issue in Australia, where the law for granting single parent allowance was amended to give single parents a lower financial support. They were taken off their pension and instead, given the unemployment benefit which is lower. This particular change, applies to parents whose children already turn 8, encouraging parents to eventually join the workforce.

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Indeed, despite criticisms received by former Prime Minister Julia Gillard, it has saved the Australian government by as much as $728 million for four years. Japan has also adopted a similar reform, such as welfare-to-work policies due to the growing number of single parents, as a result of the increasing number of divorced and unmarried mothers.

Rather than maintaining the provision of high benefit, the government planned and implemented programs that assist these parents to work. One of these is the option of being able to place children in subsidized daycare centers so that parents can comfortably work.

Japan actually patterned this modification from other countries such as the US and UK who started limiting this benefit and helping single parents work as early as in the 90s. On the contrary, this reform misses out other reasons related to unemployment of single parents in Japan such as social class and educational background which significantly affect their chance to be self-sufficient.

If this is an issue in high-income countries, it is all the more a serious concern in low-income countries, who can offer less. There are a lot of people who live below poverty line (not necessarily unemployed) and can die from hunger and this is a more pressing problem to be solved by the government. In fact, other countries do not even have single parent allowances to start with.

There is no doubt that single parent allowance offers immense help and it is fortunate that most countries recognize its positive impact on the lives of these parents. However, it is a painful reality that the government also has limitations because of the high cost of sustaining their needs.

It is but reasonable that policies are being diverted towards helping single parents gain employment. Other countries, however, are too poor to provide similar help though geared towards goals of giving more benefits in the future.

It is important to be reminded though that education is one of the aspects that must be strengthened as this is largely related to unemployment and the underlying cause of continuous poverty of a nation.

Next Article:- How to Claim Single Parent Benefits

Benefits

Single Parent Holidays: Perfect Time to Relish with Children

By Unknown →

In the previous years, many parents perhaps would be reluctant to avail single parent holidays, considering the inconvenience and danger it poses for both a parent and a child.

Without having someone to assist a lone parent in watching over his or her child especially in a possibly new and uncontrolled environment such as the beach or somewhere out of town, it can certainly be tough and exhausting.

There is also the concern of the single parent that his or her child may feel out of place where most children usually spend time with both parents. It is reasonable that a parent might feel somehow protective of his or her child, thus, resulting to a tendency to withdraw from the society.

Amazingly, many organizations who aim to help single parents have thought of activities that address such issues. This is one kind of single parent benefits organized by the organizers varies from country to country.

In the UK, for instance, it is quite remarkable that there are specialist groups such as Mango who serves as a tour operator for single parents and organizes single parent holidays in groups. This somehow helps eliminate the feeling of being ‘different’ from the crowd.

This also facilitates in providing quality time for parents and children, without feelings of fear or uncertainty since single parents are often times busy with their work. Through such events, parents also get the chance to take a breather from the stress that they regularly experience and find support groups from each other’s company.

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A healthy relationship can be developed by removing the problems of single parent holidays

Children, on the other hand, get the opportunity to meet other children from similar types of families like theirs. Consequently, they are able to not just enjoy a healthy bonding experience with their parents but also make new friends without the fear of being teased by their peers.

Mango also provides adult activities and a special promo for single parents as a benefit who need to be away through their Adults Only Weekends and Holidays. This is because there are cases when parents also want to take the time off because they need space. Lone parents may feel guilty of leaving their children to babysitters or caregivers when they want time for themselves.

This should not be the case since they also need rejuvenating experiences that allow them to see the other side of their personhood, not just as parents. It will be unfair that their chance to have ‘me’ time should serve as an emotional burden for them.

People need time to do other things that they like, special hobbies or just simply joining activities with other friends to make them whole, to become better people. Consequently, this ‘time out’ will likely be beneficial for the child because this gives the parent the chance to become a better parent.

Another group with offices in the US and Canada, EXPLORE! The Adventure Travel Experts also offers single parent family holidays where families get the chance to travel as they mingle. Since EXPLORE! has been running group adventures since the early 80s, they are already quite experienced in this field and can ensure the safety of parents and children.

One of the advantages of having a travel company organize activities for single parents is that it relieves them of the anxiety of planning and preparation and the possibility of having an activity flop. Instead, parents are able to direct their attention on the sheer enjoyment of spending each moment with their children.

On top of these, there are many forms of recreation that single parents can also try with their children, even inexpensive ones, based on common interests. What is truly important is the pocket of wonderful memories that a child – and a parent – can keep in their hearts through a shared experience.

Next Article:- Single Parent Allowance

Benefits

Single Parent Housing Benefits - A Challenge to Face and Conquer

By Unknown →

It is one thing for single parents to physically face the world alone in bringing up their children. But having them face the psychological, emotional and financial challenges that go with it is an entirely different thing.

Each has a unique hurdle to conquer as this situation can be caused by various reasons such as divorce, annulment, death of spouse or teenage pregnancy, to name a few.

It does not help that these parents are sometimes subject to prejudice by the society and at times, even deemed undeserving of help. Worse, even their children cannot escape being ridiculed by friends for having an ‘incomplete’ family.

With this scenario, it is understandable that in most countries, the government (based on one’s existing laws or guidelines) provides single parent benefits as a means of support.

Housing is one of the important benefits that they can obtain especially since not all of them are employed with a salary that is sufficient for their family’s needs. Apparently, employment is not enough to provide home for their children.

In the US, for instance, single moms, though employed, are likely to be poor due to low-income jobs which lack benefits and an opportunity for career advancement. It is further noted that one of the factors affecting this is the fact that some do not have proper education to qualify for a high-paying job.

In some cases, there are those who earn too much to qualify for some benefits and earn too little to provide even basic necessities for the family.

Fortunately, in some cities like Philadelphia, there are quite a list of programs that have very noble goals that address these concerns and give options to parents such as Women’s Community Revitalization Project, Dignity Housing, Housing Choice Voucher program and the Overington House.

The latter aims to help “homeless women who suffered from abuse and addiction” and give them opportunity to get their lives back by assisting them until they are capable enough to work independently for their children.

The guidelines for housing benefits in the Northern Ireland seem to show fair and considerate terms of granting this aid and ensure proper dissemination about how they can claim. Having started since 1971, it has obviously helped a lot of parents. In third-world countries like the Philippines, finding an appropriate shelter is a problem not just for lone parents.

Even when both parents are employed, this poses as a financial difficulty, as shown significantly in a lot of slum areas in the city and homeless people who do not have any choice but to find solace in the streets.

On a positive note, Filipino parents have more things to thank for as compared to the previous years because of the amendment of the Solo Parent Welfare Act in 2012, thereby providing more benefits for single parents.

In the light of these issues, there is no doubt about the importance of providing housing benefits to single parents across cultures. But this is linked to a lot of factors like poverty, education, low income, unemployment and corruption experienced at different levels in various countries which may hamper the improvement of giving these benefits.

With the existing programs that a country has, it is a must that people are well-informed by the government about the details and are assisted in the best way possible. Similarly, it is an absolute necessity for lone parents to know how they can get help and assert their rights to claim these benefits.

Providing home for one’s family is something basic. It contributes tremendously to creating a positive environment not just for the children but for also for the parent.

Next Article: Single Parent Holidays

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