With so many people out of work or experiencing pay or hour cuts due to the Coronavirus pandemic, bills are starting to pile up. The best thing you can do about them is to contact your providers and ask them to help out. We’ve compiled a guide of who is offering what and the best way to get in touch.

If you’re worried about getting your service cut off, take a breath. Every major internet and phone provider in the country has signed the FCC’s “Keeping Americans Connected” Pledge. That guarantees that they will do three things for 60 days:

1. not terminate service to any residential or small business customers because of their inability to pay their bills due to the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic;

2. waive any late fees that any residential or small business customers incur because of their economic circumstances related to the coronavirus pandemic; and

3.open its Wi-Fi hotspots to any American who needs them.

 However, most are not doing these automatically. You must contact them in order to get late fees waived or avoid disconnects.

Whether you’re economically struggling right now or not, the best thing you can do is prepare by negotiating your bills. Even with service disconnects suspended, you’ll still owe the remaining balance as soon as this ends. 

Here’s our guide to negotiating your own bills: