What are TANF benefits and who is eligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families?
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits provide financial assistance to families. Learn what they are and who is eligible to receive them.
The federal government has several aid programs, including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). We’ll walk you through what these benefits consist of and who is eligible to receive them.
What are TANF benefits and who is eligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families?
TANF is a time-limited program that helps when parents or other family members who are unable to meet the family’s basic needs.
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides grant funds to states and territories to provide families with financial assistance and related support services.
State-administered programs may include child care assistance, job readiness, and employment assistance.
States use their TANF grants to fund monthly cash assistance payments to low-income families with children, as well as a broad range of services designed to address the following goals:
- Provide assistance to families in need so that children can be cared for in their own homes or in the homes of relatives.
- End the dependence of needy parents on government benefits by promoting job readiness, employment, and marriage.
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Who can apply for benefits?
Eligibility requirements vary from state to state, as states run their own programs and decide things such as program design, type and amount of assistance payments, services to be provided and the rules for determining who qualifies for benefits.
Generally speaking, however, to be eligible for this benefit program, applicants must be residents of the state in which they are applying and be U.S. citizens, legal aliens, or qualified aliens.
Additionally, applicants must be unemployed or underemployed and have low or very low income. You must also be within these groups:
- Have a child 18 years of age or younger
- Being pregnant
- Be 18 years of age or younger and be head of household
Because each state administers its own program, the recommendation is to find the nearest TANF office in your state or territory to apply for benefits and obtain more information about eligibility. Here you can review the complete directory of TANF agencies that handle these benefits.