The Temporary Assistance for Need Families (TANF) program is a federally funded and state-managed program that provides a variety of resources and services to low-income and at-risk families with children. Some goals of this program are to preserve family structures, promote family members and parents raising children as opposed to sending children into foster care, and encourage self-sufficiency in adults and children.
Every state manages its own form of the TANF program, which is why you may find different names for this program. It provides the following forms of assistance, depending on where you live:
- Temporary money assistance based on the number of children and income-earning adults in the family
- Job preparation and placement programs for adults.
- Childcare services and assistance for working parents
This financial help for needy families is temporary. To get it, you’ll need to meet the program’s qualifications in your state, which typically include the following:
- Be a resident of the state in which you’re applying for TANF
- Be a U.S. citizen or have legal alien status
- Be unemployed or underemployed, meaning there is little work available for you based on your skills and where you live
- Have a low income
- Have a child 18 years old or younger, and/or be pregnant, and/or be 18 years old or younger and be the head of your household
Some states may have additional requirements for specific types of TANF benefits and assistance, so be sure to review your state’s TANF qualifications.
Applying for this cash assistance for families generally follows the steps outlined below:
- Visit your state’s TANF program website. Find your state’s TANF program by visiting benefits.gov or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website, navigating to the state-by-state list of TANF programs, and clicking on your state’s link.
- Review your state’s qualifications for TANF benefits. In addition to the federal qualifications, you should also make sure you meet any state-specific requirements, too. Doing so before filling out the application can save you time and effort that you could spend applying for other programs you may be better qualified for.
- Fill out your state’s TANF application. Complete the online application, if available. Or, you may need to visit your local agency that manages TANF cases in your area to fill out and submit the application in person. You may need to fill out information including your contact information, physical address, family composition, employment history, and current earning potential.
- Provide additional documentation as required. Your state’s TANF program may require you to submit pay stubs and other documents that demonstrate your family’s financial need.
Update your TANF agency as needed. To maintain TANF benefits, you may need to complete follow-up applications or consultations with TANF case agents to determine whether you still need TANF assistance. Note, you can only receive this temporary money assistance for a certain number of months over your lifetime, and these timelines can differ from state to state.