Before you start
For U.S. household energy bills. Water, municipal services, cooperatives and landlord-billed utilities may follow different rules. A requested plan or aid application does not itself stop disconnection.
1. Find out what must happen before a shutoff
Tell the provider whether service is on, a shutoff date is listed, or service is already disconnected. Ask for the exact amount, deadline, accepted payment method and processing time required for your situation. A normal bill due date may differ from the action date on a notice.
USAGov explains that disconnection protections vary by state and provider. Weather, age or disability can affect some protections, but do not assume a blanket winter ban or automatic medical exception. Ask the utility and the relevant state regulator or local authority how a protection is requested, what proof is needed, and whether it has been accepted. Keep health documents out of this worksheet.
2. Separate old charges from the cost of keeping service
Request a balance breakdown: previous unpaid bills, current usage, fees, deposits and any payments or assistance already credited. Match the bill with your own receipts. An aid award that has not reached the utility is still pending; ask how it would affect the proposed balance when credited.
Ask whether an installment is added to each new bill or whether a quoted total already includes estimated current usage. Budget billing can smooth seasonal charges, but does not necessarily forgive arrears or prevent a later adjustment. Get the review date and adjustment rules before comparing offers.
3. Offer an amount after checking essentials and dates
The CFPB bill-priority worksheet encourages considering the consequences for housing, health, income and other obligations. List your upcoming essentials and cash availability before proposing an arrears installment; there is no single payment order for every household.
Use this call prompt: “I want to keep service and address the past-due balance. What installment options are available? With the new bill included, I can currently propose ___ on ___. Is there a smaller initial payment or a longer plan?” This is a request, not an approved contract change. If the proposed total leaves a shortfall, explain that before accepting it.
4. Ask for the complete arrangement in writing
Confirm the opening arrears balance, initial payment, number and dates of installments, current-bill requirement, fees and interest if any. Ask how payments are allocated, whether a missed installment ends the plan, and whom to contact before that happens.
If there is a shutoff notice, ask explicitly whether the accepted arrangement stops that action, until when, and under what conditions. If service is off, ask separately about reconnection cost, any deposit and the estimated restoration process. Keep a copy of the agreement and proof of every payment. A general “we noted your call” is not confirmation of a hold.
5. Check assistance while following the notice
Find the official LIHEAP route through USAGov. It may help eligible households with heating, cooling or an energy crisis. Ask the local office whether applications are open, which costs it can cover, and what urgent procedure applies to a shutoff notice. Funding, eligibility and provider participation vary; assistance is not guaranteed.
For plain-language background, see rent and utility help at GetBenefits.tools, our separate independent project. It is not an agency or an application service. Use official channels to apply, and continue checking the notice deadline while an application is pending.
Fictional example: a $30 installment is not a $30 total bill
Assume verified arrears of $360, a $180 initial arrears payment and no added fees or interest under a proposed agreement. The remaining $180 would be repaid in six $30 installments. If a later current energy bill is $140, that month needs $170 in total. If usage raises the current bill to $190, the total becomes $220.
The household has checked that the $180 is available after immediate essentials. It must still test each later payment date and confirm the provider accepts the arrangement. The illustration includes no other transactions or aid and does not establish a right to these terms.
| Item | Amount (USD) |
|---|---|
| Verified arrears | $360 |
| Initial payment toward arrears | $180 |
| Remaining arrears: 6 × $30 | $180 |
| Month with $140 current bill + $30 installment | $170 |
| Month with $190 current bill + $30 installment | $220 |
Before you finish
- Copy the notice date and verify the provider contact.
- Separate arrears, current usage, fees, deposits and credited aid.
- Check the initial payment and each total future bill against available cash.
- Obtain written plan terms and any specific shutoff or reconnection confirmation.
- Keep aid pending until credited; keep receipts and set a review date.
Prepare my utility payment-plan call
Optional planning notes only. Use general labels, with no account numbers, address or medical documents.
Optional notes stay in this page's memory. This worksheet does not send or save your entries. Do not enter account numbers, passwords, Social Security numbers, or other private information. Downloading or printing creates a copy you control.
Call the verified provider number. Compare its written response with your notes before relying on the proposal.
Questions you may have
Will paying part of the bill automatically stop disconnection?
Do not assume so. Ask what payment or accepted arrangement is required under the rules for your provider, and obtain confirmation covering the specific notice.
Does a medical need erase the bill?
A protection may affect disconnection procedures; it does not necessarily cancel charges. Ask about the local rules and required certification through the provider’s official channel.
What if the provider refuses my proposal?
Ask which other arrangements or hardship programs it offers and request the appropriate regulator or complaint contact. Check local assistance and legal help if the deadline is urgent; a complaint does not automatically pause the notice.