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Couple status ceases for spouses who are no longer living together the month after the month of separation. The reason for the separation does not matter. (See Chapter 2, Part VII for information on the treatment of spouses in LTC cases).

An SSI recipient is always in an SR unit.

QM: Only Medicare beneficiaries can be included in a QM unit. Spouses who are both applying for assistance with Medicare premiums, deductibles, and co-payments must be included in the same QM unit.

TANF To determine the TANF mandatory group members, SSRs should start the group formation with the child for whom assistance is requested. If no step-parent is in the home, the child’s parent(s) who lives in the home and meets each non-financial eligibility requirement must then be included. Then the SSR should add the child's siblings and half-siblings who live in the home and meet each non-financial eligibility requirement. Eligible siblings and half-siblings of TANF children must be included. Adoptive siblings receiving an adoption subsidy must be excluded. The SSR should then add the sibling's parent(s) who live in the home and meet each non-financial eligibility requirement. If a step-parent is living in the home, and the parent is not, the step-parent can choose to be included in the group with his/her step-children. In this situation, the step-parent is treated as a caretaker relative. When any member of a couple that has a child in common applies for TANF, the group must consist of all of the following: • both members of the couple, whether or not they are married, • the child in common, and • all of the dependent siblings and half-siblings of the child in common who are in the home and who meet TANF eligibility criteria. When a married couple does not have a child in common, and one member of the couple applies for TANF for his/her child(ren), the only mandatory members are that parent’s child(ren). However, the children’s parent may choose to be included in the assistance unit (See Section 1.4: Optional Group Members in this Chapter.) If the parent chooses to include his/her needs in the group, the group must consist of all of the following: • the applicant’s child(ren), • the applicant, • the applicant’s spouse (the step-parent), and • all dependent children of the step-parent. When an unmarried couple does not have a child in common, and one member of the couple applies for TANF for his/her child(ren), the group must consist of all of the following: • the applicant, and • the applicant’s dependent children. Children without a common parent are not drawn into a group together unless a married applicant chooses to include his/her needs in the group. If the parent is included, the step-parent and the step- parents' children must be included in the group. Also see Section 1.11: Multiple Generations in this Chapter.