FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the mission of the Miracle-Ear Foundation?
The Miracle-Ear Foundation, together with their donors, provides tools that empower underserved Americans with hearing loss to enhance their life experiences through the Gift of Sound. The Miracle-Ear Foundation is a Minneapolis-based non-profit and works to provide hearing instruments to qualified applicants across the United States and Puerto Rico.
How long does it take to process my application?
If the application and supporting documents are completed in full, you will be notified by email or phone of the outcome. However, applications that are not completely filled out or are missing information will delay the application process or stop it completely.
Is net or gross income needed when applying to the Miracle-Ear Foundation?
The guidelines are based on gross income. Please provide a copy of current 1040/1040A tax form(s) or copies of government benefit award statements and your last two monthly bank statements (if you do not file taxes) for you and all adult members of your household to verify your income eligibility.
Is net or gross income needed when applying to the Miracle-Ear Foundation?
Sharing our recipients’ stories helps the Miracle-Ear Foundation educate and lessen the societal stigma around hearing loss. If you are willing to share your story with others, we are required to have you sign the Applicant Testimonial Consent and Release form. While we encourage all applicants to sign this form if you do not wish to share your story you do not have to sign it.
Do I have to pay for ear molds?
Adults receive their first pair of ear molds free of charge. After that there will a charge for any new ear molds. Ear molds for children will always be free of charge through the Foundation as they are continuing to grow.
Why do all of the adults in my household have to provide their current 1040/1040A/1040-SR tax form(s)/Social Security/Government Benefit Award statement(s)?
The income guidelines are based on the total household income; therefore, we need to verify the total income of every adult in your household with their current 1040 tax form(s) or Government Benefit Award(s) statement and last two monthly bank statements. A household is defined as all those who live together or are dependent on each other.
Can I submit a copy of my W-2 or a paycheck summary instead of my 1040 tax form?
We cannot accept W-2s or paycheck summaries instead of your 1040/1040A/1040-SR tax form as proof of income.
Is there a warranty for my hearing aids?
The warranty for adult recipients is three years and it does not cover lost or damaged hearing aids. The warranty for child recipients is three years and will cover one replacement per ear within the three-year period for lost or damaged hearing aids.
What happens if an adult recipient loses or damages their hearing aid(s)?
The Miracle-Ear Foundation does not replace lost or damaged hearing aids for adult recipients (19 and older). We encourage you to take special care of your hearing aids to avoid damaging or losing them. When not in your ears, keep them in a safe place, where they will not be misplaced or damaged. If you would like to replace lost or damaged hearing aids, you will be responsible for purchasing new hearing aids through your local Miracle-Ear store. You may only reapply for new hearing aids through the Miracle-Ear Foundation every five years.