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Chapter 13 - Lifetime Limits 13.1 1 INTRODUCTION

This chapter only applies to the TANF program. Since its beginning in 1997, federal regulations have set a lifetime limit of 60 months for receipt of TANF benefits, but allowed for a percentage of a state’s TANF caseload to exceed that limit.

Up through March, 2011, the District of Columbia has maintained families on TANF beyond the 60 month limit in excess of federal law.

Effective April 1, 2011, District law requires that TANF eligibility for groups including adult recipients of TANF will be determined using a Reduced Payment Level, once the adult member(s) receive TANF for more than a cumulative total of 60 months in the District of Columbia, not necessarily consecutive. Effective October 1, 2013, the Reduced Payment Level is 60% of the Full Payment Level (See Exhibit VI-4: Standard of Assistance and Payment Levels in Part VI.)

13.2 LEGAL AUTHORITY

AREA/TOPIC DISTRICT FEDERAL Lifetime Limits TANF: D.C. Code 4-205.11a, 4-205-11b, and 4-205.52 TANF: 42 USC 608(a)(7)

13.3 3 GROUPS COVERED BY LIFETIME LIMITS

Any TANF group that includes a mandatory or optional adult member who has received TANF benefits for more than 60 months is subject to the lifetime limit provision.

The 60 month lifetime limit is applied to:

 adults who are mandatory members of a TANF assistance unit. This includes adults who are mandatory members but who are disqualified from receiving benefits(such as persons sanctioned for non-participation in work efforts and persons who are unqualified aliens); and  adults who are optional members of a TANF group and have opted to be included in the group.

Example Joyce Esthers has received TANF for herself and her children for every month since July, 2005. The TANF group consists of Joyce and the children. As of April 1, 2011, she has received TANF benefits for 68 months. As the children’s mother, she is a mandatory member of the TANF group. Effective April, 2011, determine the group’s eligibility using the Reduced Payment Level. Example Ralph Justice has received TANF intermittently for himself and his child since May, 2003. In June, 2011, he receives the 60th TANF payment. As his child’s father, he is a mandatory member of the TANF group. Effective July 1, 2011, determine the group’s eligibility using the Reduced Payment Level. Example Elizabeth Patterson has received TANF for herself and her two grandchildren continuously since June 2000. As of April 1, 2011, she has received TANF for a total of 129 months. Although an optional member, Ms. Patterson has chosen to be part of the group for the entire time period. Effective April 1, 2011, determine the group’s eligibility using the Reduced Payment Level.