Back to full list of profiles by state.
| Flexibilities affecting TANF cash assistance benefit amount |
| Maximum benefit allowed What is the maximum monthly amount a family of three could receive in cash assistance? By increasing maximum benefit amounts, states may lift parents and children above the poverty level during periods of financial setback or acute need. |
| Recurring benefit increases to TANF benefit amounts Has the state mandated increases to these amounts, as the cost of living rises? By tying benefit amounts to cost-of-living or shifts in the federal poverty level, states ensure adequate support for families with very low income in the future. |
| Eligibility flexibilities |
| Maximum income How much can a family of three earn and still be considered eligible to receive TANF cash assistance? By extending income limits, states provide assistance to more parents and children, avoiding a cycle of permanent instability and helping to smooth benefit cliffs. |
| Asset limit How much can a family maintain in savings while still being eligible for cash assistance? By increasing or eliminating asset limits, states support families’ economic mobility. Generally, this shift helps families to retain resources that will help to prevent future dependence on benefits, possibly through future investments such as education and the purchase of homes. |
| Eligibility during pregnancy for parents without children Are pregnant people with no children in the household eligible for TANF cash assistance? By providing benefits during pregnancy for low-income parents without children, states bolster children’s healthy development during pregnancy and reduce stress during an especially vulnerable time for low-income parents. |
| *Provision of cash assistance to out-of-work parents before they search for a job Does the state provide eligibility to parents without a search for employment? By eliminating the requirement for parents to search for a job before their application for cash assistance is approved, states provide stability and support to very low-income families with children in critical times of need. |
| General rules and restrictions |
| Time limit Does the state allow families to receive cash assistance up to the federal limit of 60 months? By adhering to the federal lifetime limit of 60 months, states guarantee that low-income families with children can receive cash assistance in cases of economic shocks or personal reversals such as job loss. |
| *Provision of federal TANF cash assistance to immigrant families who are lawful permanent residents (LPRs) *after* five years’ residence in US Can parents who hold green cards access cash assistance in the state once they have been in the country for five years or longer? By ensuring that LPR families have federally-allowable access to cash assistance after five years’ residence in the US, states provide equitable support to parents and children who have legally immigrated. |
| *Use of state funds to provide cash assistance to immigrant families who are lawful permanent residents (LPRs) with less than five years’ residence in US Can parents who hold green cards access cash assistance in the state if they have been in the country for less than five years? By providing cash assistance to LPR families with less than five years’ residence in the US — using non-federal funds — states support the stability of families and the development of children who may be especially vulnerable. Investment into the lives of those who often live at the lowest poverty levels is likely a strong investment in the economic future of the state at large. |
| *Transitional cash benefits for families when they stop receiving TANF Will parents who have just begun to earn enough to be ineligible for TANF cash assistance receive some additional support for a limited period? By providing transitional cash benefits to families just as they earn enough so that their TANF benefits drop away, states may effectively “smooth” benefit cliffs that destabilize such families and discourage workforce participation. |
| *Providing one-time cash payments to families in need Does the state provide a formal diversion program to support families with specific short-term needs? By providing families with one-time cash payments for items essential to family stability (such as car repair or rental assistance) while not disqualifying them for cash assistance in future, states enable such families to retain independence and continue working toward economic stability and mobility. |
| Lifting full-family sanctions Are other family members able to continue receiving cash benefits if an adult does not meet work requirements? By discontinuing full-family sanctions that terminate cash assistance for entire households when parents fall short of work requirements, states help avoid family disruption and support children’s needs for healthy early development. |
| Lifting drug felony bans Are persons convicted of drug-related felonies eligible for cash assistance? By lifting drug felony bans that restrict cash assistance, states support the healthy development of children and reduce parental stress in vulnerable families. |
| Lifting the family cap for a new birth Can families receive additional cash assistance if they have another child while receiving assistance? By lifting the family cap that restricts additional cash assistance for new babies born to very-low-income families, states recognize the critical importance of adequate supports for children in the earliest stages of their development. |