TANF Cash Assistance: Can I Get Monthly Cash Help, and How Much?

1What TANF is, and why it differs so much by state

TANF replaced the old welfare program in 1996. Washington sends each state a fixed block grant, about $16.5 billion a year in total, a figure that has not changed in dollars since the program began, and the states decide most of the rest: who qualifies, how much they receive, what work is required and how long help lasts. Many states run it under their own name, such as CalWORKs in California or Ohio Works First.

That design explains the program's two defining features. It is flexible: TANF cash can go to rent, a utility bill, diapers, a bus pass or a car repair, whatever a family needs most. And it is uneven: the same family can be eligible for a meaningful payment in one state and very little in the next. TANF is also not an entitlement. Unlike SNAP, meeting the rules does not guarantee a payment, and a state can limit new cases.

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2Who it is for

Most applications are settled by a handful of questions. The household must generally include a child under 18, or under 19 if still in high school, living with a parent or another relative caring for them; many states also help pregnant women. Income and assets must be under your state's limits, which for most states are well below the poverty line; some count savings and a car, others have dropped the asset test. Adults must be citizens or qualified immigrants, and most qualified immigrants wait five years after getting that status. You must live in the state where you apply, and you will generally be asked to help the state establish paternity and collect child support from an absent parent.

When only the child qualifies, often because a grandparent or other relative is raising them, the case is usually handled as a child-only case. In many states the relative's own income is not counted, and the work rules and time limit generally do not apply in the same way. Grandparents raising grandchildren are among the families who most often miss this help.

3How the payment is figured

Each state sets a maximum monthly payment by family size and reduces it as the family's countable income rises. Most states do not raise the maximum every year, so in many places it has lost much of its value since 1996. States also decide how much of a parent's earnings to ignore, and most ignore a flat amount plus a share of the rest, so a new job does not cut the payment dollar for dollar.

The numbers in that example are invented to show the mechanics; your state's will differ. Our TANF eligibility screener checks the federal threshold questions and points you to your state's agency for the actual payment.

4The work rules

Adults receiving TANF are generally required to work or take part in work activities once they are ready, and in any case after 24 months of assistance. States are measured on the share of families meeting federal participation standards: for example, 30 hours a week for a single parent, or 20 hours for a single parent of a child under 6.

Work activities include a job, subsidized employment, on-the-job training, job search for limited periods, vocational education, community service and, for young parents, finishing high school. States can exempt a single parent caring for a baby under 1, and many exempt people who are ill, disabled or caring for a disabled relative. Missing a required activity without reporting good cause can lead to a sanction that reduces or ends the payment, so ask at the start exactly what your state expects and what counts.

5The clock: 60 months

Federal law limits assistance paid with federal funds to 60 months in an adult's lifetime. The months do not have to be consecutive, and they follow the adult from state to state, so months used years ago elsewhere usually still count; the new state may contact the old one to confirm them.

Many states set a shorter limit. States may also exempt up to 20 percent of their caseload for hardship, such as domestic violence or disability, and some use their own money to keep helping families beyond 60 months. Before you plan around a payment, ask your state how many months you have used.

6Help beyond the monthly check

Much of TANF's money is spent on things other than monthly payments, and a family that does not qualify for ongoing cash may still be helped. Ask specifically about:

• Diversion payments: a one-time payment, often worth a few months of benefits, to solve a short-term problem such as a car repair or overdue rent, sometimes offered instead of ongoing assistance.
• Emergency assistance for families facing eviction or a utility shutoff.
• Work supports such as child care, transportation help and job training.

Being told there is no ongoing cash is not always the end of the conversation. Diversion in particular is meant for families with a job starting or income on the way who need a bridge, so mention any offer or expected income when you ask.

7What changes the payment

Several things can move a TANF payment up or down. Child support collected while you receive TANF may be kept by the state, though many states pass part of it through, often up to $100 a month for one child or $200 for two, without reducing the payment. Most states raise the payment when a baby is born, though a few still limit the increase for a child born while the family receives TANF. New earnings or other income must be reported by your state's deadline. And TANF does not transfer between states: you apply again in the new state, and months already used still count; see moving to another state.

8Applying

Apply through your state or county human services agency, online, by mail or in person; the federal Office of Family Assistance lists each state's program. Expect an interview, and bring proof of identity, the children's birth certificates and Social Security numbers, proof of income and expenses, and information about any absent parent. Many states require an orientation or a work assessment before payments begin. Our guide to applying for benefits covers what to gather.

If you are denied or your payment is cut, the notice explains how to ask for a fair hearing and the deadline; see how to appeal a benefit decision. TANF families usually qualify for other help too: receiving TANF makes you income eligible for WIC, most families also qualify for SNAP, and children are usually eligible for Medicaid or CHIP.

10Why this guide gives no dollar amount

There is no national TANF benefit. Your state sets the income limit, the payment, the time limit and the work rules, and it decides your application. Our screener checks the federal threshold questions, such as a child in the home and immigration status; it does not apply your state's income or asset limits or tell you whether your area is taking new cases.