CA Needy Family Test
To be eligible for CA, the CA budgetary unit must be prospectively eligible. The CA Needy Family Test is used in the prospective eligibility determination process.
The CA Needy Family Test is used to determine whether the dependent child resides in a needy family. The test is based on the earned and unearned income of the family(g) of the caretaker relative(g) . All members of the caretaker relative’s family must be registered to the case so that AZTECS can perform the CA Needy Family Test.
NOTE The CA Needy Family Test is not conducted on Kinship Foster Care (KFC) child only cases and some Tribal TANF budgetary units. (See Tribal TANF for Tribal TANF policy.)
FAA determines eligibility for state CA when a budgetary unit(g) does not meet the following Tribal TANF program eligibility requirements:
● Tribal enrollment of specific participants.
● Resides in a Tribal Service Delivery Area (SDA).
The family size of the caretaker relative is used for the CA Needy Family Test. However, the budgetary unit size is used to determine the CA payment amount. See any of the following examples to assist in understanding the difference between family sizes and budgetary unit sizes:
● Example 1.
● Example 2.
● Example 3.
● Example 4.
When the adult caretaker is a nonparent caretaker relative (NPCR) of the dependent child and they are applying for the child only, then the family’s combined income cannot exceed 130% of the current Federal Poverty Level (FPL).
When the caretaker relative is a parent of the dependent child or the NPCR is applying for themself and the child, the family’s combined income cannot exceed 100% of the current FPL.
The CA Needy Family Test is not conducted on Kinship Foster Care (KFC) child only cases.
When it is determined that the dependent child resides in a needy family, FAA determines a payment amount based on the CA payment standard test.