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COMBINED MANUAL

ISSUE DATE 04/2022

60-MONTH LIFETIME LIMIT

0011.30

MFIP: Federal rules limit public assistance eligibility for caregivers to 60 months in their lifetime. Minnesota began counting months toward the 60-month lifetime limit 7-1-97 for receipt of Family GA and Transitional AFDC.

The 60-month limit is per caregiver receiving MFIP, and the months do not have to be consecutive. Count or exclude months as noted below. The counted and exempt months include months in which a caregiver received TANF benefits from another state, even if before 7-1-97 (states may have chosen earlier start dates and shorter limits for their TANF programs).

Count months for MFIP cases with a caregiver who has a fraud disqualification beginning on or after 10-1-07.

NOTE: The same banking of months and exception policies that apply to MFIP caregivers also apply to disqualified caregivers. For example, months do not count for either an MFIP caregiver or a disqualified caregiver who is age 60 or older.

The following are EXCEPTIONS to counting a month toward the 60-month time limit. If a caregiver meets 1 of the exceptions, that month does NOT COUNT toward the 60-month limit. ● Months in which the caregiver participated in the MFIP Field Trials, with a random assignment code on the STAT/MEMB panel of E1, E2, R1, C1, or C2.

● Living on reservations with a “not employed” rate of at least 50% when the grant is issued. See TEMP Manual TE02.05.74 (60-Month MFIP Limit & Indian Reservations) for a list of these reservations.

● Victims of family violence who request a Family Violence Waiver and are complying with an Employment Plan (EP). The exception starts the month the EP is approved and continues unless the participant is out of compliance with the EP. See 0005.12.12.09 (Family Violence Provisions/Referrals), 0010.18.33 (Verifying Family Violence), 0028.15 (Employment Plan (EP)), TEMP Manual TE13.016 (TANF Family Violence Exemptions).

● Caregivers age 60 or older who have not already exceeded the 60-month time limit. Stop the clock the 1st of the month following the month the participant turns 60. Participants who are age 60 or older will not receive the 60-month warning notice referenced below, unless there is a 2nd MFIP caregiver in the household who is not exempt from the 60-month time limit.

● Minor caregivers complying with an education plan. See 0012.06 (Requirements for Caregivers Under 20), 0028.12 (Education Requirements).

● Custodial parents age 18 or 19 who are cooperating with education requirements of their Employment Plan. See 0012.06 (Requirements for Caregivers Under 20), 0028.12 (Education Requirements).

● Emancipated minors who are cooperating with education requirements of their Employment Plan. See 0012.06 (Requirements for Caregivers Under 20), 0028.12 (Education Requirements).

● Any month the unit chooses to opt out of the MFIP cash portion and the MFIP Housing Grant. See 0013.03.09 (MFIP Housing Assistance Grant), 0014.03.03.03 (Opting Out of MFIP Cash Portion).

● Any month the unit receives ONLY the food portion of the grant AND the unit does not receive the MFIP Housing Grant. This includes if the unit is sanctioned and receives only the food portion. However, see below regarding months that include a vendor payment or a recoupment.

● Any month the unit receives a grant for minor children only. This includes any month caregivers are ineligible or disqualified for a reason other than fraud.

● Any month the unit would have received only the FOOD portion of the grant (prior to recoupment).

DO COUNT months toward the 60-month limit in these situations, unless exempt above: ● Minnesota state-funded months for caregivers who received Family GA.

● Minnesota state-funded months for certain non-citizens who are ineligible for TANF-funded assistance. See 0011.03.03 (Non- Citizens - MFIP/DWP Cash).