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Colorado State Plan Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Effective July 1, 2018

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Colorado Works statutes state that no individual is entitled to benefits or services under the Colorado Works program. Colorado Works provides fair and equitable treatment to all applicants and participants and does not discriminate based on age, disability, race, color or national origin, or any other basis prohibited by law.

Basic cash assistance. Colorado Revised Statutes set uniform statewide basic eligibility and minimum benefit levels for basic cash assistance based on Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) rules that were in effect on July 16, 1996, with the following exceptions:

(1) Families do not have to include half siblings in the same assistance unit if at least one of the half siblings is receiving child support;

(2) Sixty seven percent of a participant’s income is disregarded for ongoing benefit calculation;

(3) All wages earned in subsidized employment from eligibility determination and grant calculation pursuant to C.R.S. 26-2-706.9 (9) (d) and C.R.S. 26-2-709 (1) (II);

(4) Two parents are treated the same as single parent families however; cash assistance is paid using State-only funds; and,

(5) A family’s resources are exempt.

Eligibility criteria for cash assistance also include the following:

(1) Colorado does not impose a family cap;

(2) Colorado does require the participant to work with child support services, to ensure child(ren) receive financial supports. Colorado does require the assignment of child support rights as a condition of eligibility for Colorado Works;

(3) Colorado does not impose different eligibility criteria or benefit levels on families moving into Colorado from other states;

(4) Expectant parents that can prove pregnancy are eligible; and,

(5) All work eligible individuals must sign and participate in an individualized plan for employment.

The following persons shall be ineligible for all Colorado Works benefits or services: