Types

• There are two different ways to qualify for the California Lifeline Telephone Program. One is income-based and the other is based on enrollment in various public assistance programs.
  
  

Income

• In the income-based program, people can qualify if their income is below a certain amount, depending on the size of their household. The maximum amount for one or two person households is $24,000 per year, for three members it is $28,200 and for four person households it is $34,000 (as of October 2010). For every person above four in the household, the maximum rises by $5,800. Applicants for the program will need to present proof of income in the form of tax returns, pay stubs or government benefits statements.
  
  

Program

• Anyone who qualifies for Medicaid or Medi-Cal, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Food Stamps, Supplemental Security Income, Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, the Women, Infants and Children program or the National School Lunch's free lunch program also qualifies for California Lifeline.