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Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

What Makes Your Client Eligible

If your clients are families with dependent children, they may be eligible for TANF benefits.

If your client has received Federally funded assistance for a total of five years (or less at state option), he/she may NOT be eligible for cash aid under the TANF program unless he/she meets the optional exception criteria defined by the state.

States have the option to extend assistance beyond the five-year limit for Federally funded assistance if:

  • Your client has a hardship, as defined by the state
  • Your client or someone in your client’s family has been battered or subject to extreme cruelty

For more information about the TANF program in your state, visit the Administration for Children and Families Web site at www.acf.hhs.gov/contacts.html.

bulletTANF Work Requirements
bulletOther TANF Requirements
bulletApplication Process
bulletRenewal Process
bulletAppeals Process

TANF Work Requirements
To be eligible for TANF benefits, your client may be required to work as soon as he/she is job-ready, or no later than two years after receiving assistance.

If your client is considered job-ready but does not meet the TANF work requirements, his/her TANF benefits may be reduced or terminated.

Activities that a state may consider as work include:

  • Unsubsidized or subsidized employment
  • On-the-job training
  • Work experience
  • Community service
  • Job search (no more than six total weeks or four consecutive weeks)
  • Vocational training (no more than 12 months)
  • Job skills training related to work
  • Education directly related to work

Other TANF Requirements
Your client will be required to complete an Individual Responsibility Plan (IRP), which may require him/her to adhere to immunization, school attendance, and child support laws if applicable.

Application Process
The timeframe for your client’s TANF application process is determined by your state. Some states pay TANF benefits from the date of application and others within a period following the date of application.

The final determination of your client’s eligibility and the date a payment is authorized or approved will generally depend on when your client is able to verify his/her circumstances.

For more information on the application process and timeline for TANF in your state, visit www.financeprojectinfo.org/win/tanf.asp.

Renewal Process
Your clients will have to renew their TANF eligibility. Each state is responsible for setting its own renewal process and criteria. Check with your state TANF office for more information.

Appeals Process
Your state is required to have a process that enables your clients who do not agree with a state decision to appeal such a decision. The appeals process is not regulated at the Federal level, the process is left to each state.

Please check with your state TANF office for more information on the appeals process in your state, or visit www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/hs_dir2.htm.