# Tip Source Audit — Phase 6 of 6

**Category:** Cross-category “Did You Know?”  
**Rows reviewed:** 30 of 30  
**Verification date:** August 2, 2026  
**Source standard:** Current official government, program-operator, regulator and plan sources.

## Result summary

- **Verified current:** 12
- **Verified under the current official limit:** 2
- **Verified with qualifications:** 6
- **Verified with corrections:** 5
- **Verified with renewal requirement:** 1
- **Verified with current-year caution:** 1
- **Seasonal—current program, recheck timing:** 1
- **Seasonal—recheck current state application:** 1
- **Time-sensitive:** 1

## Material public-card corrections

- Removed the unsupported “making six figures” Child Care Assistance headline; the official screener and local determination now lead the guidance.
- Split Suffolk’s septic help into the exact county grant (up to $20,000) and separate state grant (up to 75% of eligible costs, capped at $25,000).
- Removed the universal promise that Veteran-Directed Care pays a spouse; the official page supports chosen workers that may include family, with local rules.
- Replaced the weak NY ABLE claim with the precise federal rule: the first $100,000 is excluded from SSI resource calculations, with important over-$100,000 consequences.
- Rewrote pooled-trust, Medicaid home-modification and Weatherization cards so they no longer sound like unrestricted cash or universal repair grants.
- Added CityFHEPS’s five-year limit and annual-renewal requirement.
- Added a prominent 2026 caution to diabetes cost-sharing because the official page warns that federal changes may affect current subsidies.
- Retained the $120 SUN Bucks value but made New York application and issuance timing a seasonal recheck.
- Corrected FreshConnect to the exact $2-for-$2 exchange and clarified that it covers SNAP-eligible food, not only produce.
- Narrowed all three state-park cards to their exact vehicle-entry, facility, eligibility and exception rules.
- Clarified that the NY 529 amount is a taxable-income deduction, not a dollar-for-dollar credit.
- Replaced the evergreen “$85K+ MTA job” promise with the actual published progression and a warning that the cited filing period is closed.

## Row-by-row audit

| # | Program | Status | Audit finding | Official sources |
|---:|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York Child Care Assistance Program | verified with qualification | The official statewide application and screener are active. Exact eligibility, copayment and subsidy amounts are determined by the local district, so the unsupported “making six figures” headline was removed. | [1](https://hs.ocfs.ny.gov/childcareassistance/)<br>[2](https://hs.ocfs.ny.gov/CCAPeligibility/) |
| 2 | New York hospital financial assistance law | verified current | New York’s Patient Financial Aid Law applies at all state-licensed hospitals, requires the uniform form and establishes assistance through 400% FPL for qualifying uninsured and underinsured patients. | [1](https://www.health.ny.gov/facilities/hospital/financial_assist/)<br>[2](https://www.health.ny.gov/facilities/hospital/financial_assist/patient_info/) |
| 3 | NYC HomeFirst down-payment assistance | verified current | HomeFirst currently offers up to $100,000, capped at 20% of purchase price, with education, savings, income, property and owner-occupancy requirements. | [1](https://www.nyc.gov/site/hpd/services-and-information/homefirst-down-payment-assistance-program.page) |
| 4 | Suffolk County septic improvement grants | verified with correction | Separated the two grant programs: Suffolk County SIP offers up to $20,000; the NYS replacement program may cover up to 75% of eligible costs, capped at $25,000. Neither award is automatic. | [1](https://suffolkcountyny.gov/septicgrants) |
| 5 | Enhanced Energy Affordability Program | verified current | EEAP remains an active utility-specific pilot for some moderate-income households. It cannot be stacked with traditional EAP and PSEG Long Island electric service requires separate review. | [1](https://dps.ny.gov/enhanced-energy-affordability-program) |
| 6 | CDPAP | verified current | CDPAP can pay a friend or family member chosen by an eligible Medicaid member, except the member’s spouse, designated representative or parent when the consumer is under 21. | [1](https://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/program/longterm/cdpap/) |
| 7 | Veteran-Directed Care | verified with correction | Removed the universal promise that a spouse can be paid. The official national VA page says hired workers might include a family member or neighbor, while services and worker rules vary by location. | [1](https://www.va.gov/geriatrics/pages/Veteran-Directed_Care.asp) |
| 8 | NYC SCRIE / DRIE rent freeze | verified current limit | The live NYC Rent Freeze eligibility page still requires combined household income of $50,000 or less. Higher proposed or locally authorized limits should not be presented as implemented until the city changes the application. | [1](https://www.nyc.gov/site/rentfreeze/freezing/freezing-your-rent.page) |
| 9 | NY ABLE disability savings | verified with correction | The disability-onset age expanded to before 46 in 2026. Up to $100,000 is excluded from SSI resource calculations; amounts over that can suspend SSI cash benefits while Medicaid can continue under the federal ABLE rule. | [1](https://www.mynyable.org/home/what-is-ny-able/faqs.html)<br>[2](https://www.ssa.gov/ssi/spotlights/spot-able.html) |
| 10 | NYS Unclaimed Funds | verified current | The Comptroller’s search is free, has no time limit and covers forgotten bank accounts, checks, securities and other abandoned property. | [1](https://www.osc.ny.gov/unclaimed-funds) |
| 11 | Essential Plan $0 premium, dental and vision | verified current | The Essential Plan has a $0 monthly premium, no deductible and comprehensive benefits including adult dental and vision. Current eligibility and plan networks still apply. | [1](https://info.nystateofhealth.ny.gov/EssentialPlan)<br>[2](https://info.nystateofhealth.ny.gov/news/press-release-new-york-state-department-health-announces-open-enrollment-2026-coverage) |
| 12 | Fair Fares NYC | verified current limit | The live 2026 Fair Fares page still uses $23,940 for one person and $49,500 for four people—150% FPL—not the proposed 200% expansion. | [1](https://www.nyc.gov/site/fairfares/index.page) |
| 13 | Pooled income trust / Medicaid spenddown | verified with qualification | Spenddown and pooled trusts are separate technical pathways. A pooled trust must meet nonprofit and disability rules, and deposited funds must be administered for the beneficiary rather than treated as unrestricted cash. | [1](https://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/excess_income.htm)<br>[2](https://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/trusts.htm) |
| 14 | Medicaid environmental modifications | verified with correction | Environmental modifications are available only through qualifying Medicaid pathways for an assessed need in the person-centered plan. They are not a general renovation grant; CFCO agreements above $15,000 per year require state approval. | [1](https://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/redesign/cfco/emod_guidelines.htm) |
| 15 | Weatherization Assistance Program | verified with correction | Weatherization is no-cost to eligible homeowners and renters, but the local provider and energy audit determine the approved work. General repairs unrelated to energy savings are not promised. | [1](https://hcr.ny.gov/weatherization)<br>[2](https://hcr.ny.gov/node/20726) |
| 16 | CityFHEPS rental assistance | verified with renewal | CityFHEPS can pay part of an eligible tenant’s rent anywhere in New York State for up to five years and requires annual renewal. Eligibility and rent/payment standards remain complex. | [1](https://www.nyc.gov/site/hra/help/cityfheps.page) |
| 17 | Diabetes cost-sharing reductions | verified with current year caution | The official cost-savings page supports $0 cost sharing for many diabetes services, but it explicitly warns that federal changes may affect 2026 subsidies. The card now tells users to confirm the exact 2026 plan documents. | [1](https://info.nystateofhealth.ny.gov/2025costsavings)<br>[2](https://info.nystateofhealth.ny.gov/2026plans) |
| 18 | New York Paid Family Leave for caregiving | verified current | For claims beginning in 2026, eligible workers may take up to 12 weeks at 67% of average weekly pay, capped at $1,228.53 per week, to care for a qualifying family member. | [1](https://paidfamilyleave.ny.gov/paid-family-leave-family-care)<br>[2](https://paidfamilyleave.ny.gov/2026) |
| 19 | New York paid prenatal leave | verified current | All private-sector employees, including new hires and part-time workers, receive 20 hours per 52-week period for their own pregnancy-related health care, separate from ordinary sick leave. | [1](https://www.ny.gov/new-york-state-paid-prenatal-leave/paid-prenatal-leave-information-employees) |
| 20 | Summer EBT | seasonal recheck | The federal SUN Bucks benefit is $120 per eligible child. New York’s indexed page still mixes the prior program year with 2026 processing language, so issuance dates and application status must be checked each summer. | [1](https://www.fns.usda.gov/summer/sunbucks)<br>[2](https://otda.ny.gov/programs/summer-ebt/) |
| 21 | SNAP produce incentives | verified current | At participating markets, a manager may issue one $2 FreshConnect Check for each $2 in SNAP exchanged. Checks can be used for SNAP-eligible food, not only produce. | [1](https://agriculture.ny.gov/consumer-benefits-farmers-markets) |
| 22 | Lifetime Liberty Pass | verified with qualification | The Lifetime Liberty Pass is free for New York veterans and Gold Star parents, spouses and children and never expires. It covers many state-operated facilities, but concessions and partner locations may exclude it. | [1](https://parks.ny.gov/visit/passes/lifetime-liberty-pass) |
| 23 | Golden Park Program | verified current | New York residents age 62+ receive free vehicle access to most state parks on non-holiday weekdays by showing valid state ID. It is not universal free admission for every service or excluded facility. | [1](https://parks.ny.gov/visit/passes/golden-park-program) |
| 24 | NYS Parks Access Pass | verified with qualification | The Access Pass covers only disability categories defined in the application. Applicants need New York ID and current proof, and the program requires reapplication every four years. | [1](https://parks.ny.gov/visit/passes/access-pass)<br>[2](https://parks.ny.gov/visit/passes/access-pass/faq) |
| 25 | NYS 529 tax deduction | verified current | New York taxpayers may deduct up to $5,000 annually, or $10,000 when married filing jointly, in qualifying NY 529 contributions. It is a deduction—not a refundable credit—and recapture rules apply. | [1](https://www.nysaves.org/why-choose-ny-529) |
| 26 | Veteran property-tax exemption | verified with qualification | New York has Alternative, Cold War and Eligible Funds veterans’ exemptions. Local adoption and exemption choice matter, an application is required, and most local deadlines are March 1. | [1](https://www.tax.ny.gov/pit/property/exemption/vetexempt.htm) |
| 27 | Free summer meals for children | seasonal current | USDA confirms free meals and snacks for all children 18 and under at open SUN Meals sites with no individual application. Sites, service dates and hours are seasonal and change. | [1](https://www.fns.usda.gov/summer)<br>[2](https://www.fns.usda.gov/summer/sitefinder) |
| 28 | NYC school tax credit | verified current | The refundable NYC school tax credit is up to $125 for qualifying joint filers and up to $63 for others. A resident who is not otherwise required to file may still claim it. | [1](https://www.tax.ny.gov/pit/credits/new_york_city_credits.htm) |
| 29 | ACCES-VR employment supports | verified with qualification | ACCES-VR lists training, tuition, transportation, tools, assistive technology, accommodations and job supports, but each funded service must be needed for an approved employment plan and some services use financial-need rules. | [1](https://www.acces.nysed.gov/vr/vocational-rehabilitation-services) |
| 30 | MTA Bus Operator | time sensitive | The cited Bus Operator notice listed $28.76 at entry and $41.09 in the sixth year, but its filing window is closed. Exact wages and qualifications must be tied to the next Notice of Examination. | [1](https://www.mta.info/document/187271)<br>[2](https://new.mta.info/careers/exam-schedule) |