105.25 Time-Limited Assistance

An adult head-of-household or spouse of head-of-household can only receive TANF assistance for 60 months (five years) in their lifetime. There is no time limit for Extended TANF .

55 Pa. Code § 141.41(d)

55 Pa. Code § 141.51(b)

TANF assistance counts toward the lifetime limit if the person who receives it is:

An adult head-of-household or spouse of head-of-household.

A minor child head of household.

A minor child married to the head of household.

Example: Lucy, age 20, and her child moved from New York to Pennsylvania. While in New York Lucy received TANF as an Eligible Essential EE TANF household member. Her grandmother was the specified relative. Lucy applies for TANF benefits in Pennsylvania for herself and her child. The TANF day count begins the first day Lucy qualifies for TANF in Pennsylvania, because Lucy is now the head of household. The days Lucy received TANF in New York do not count toward her TANF lifetime limit because her grandmother was the head of household there and exercised care and control over Lucy.

Periods of receipt count toward the 60-month limit even if they are not consecutive.

A family may not receive TANF assistance if the family includes an adult head of household or spouse of head of household who has received the lifetime limit of 60 months.

A family is defined as a minor child and his parent(s) or specified relative with whom he lives. A parent or specified relative who lives with the minor child is considered a member of the child’s family whether he is in the application for TANF or is applying only for the minor child.

NOTE: For the 60-month time limit, a family does not include a specified relative who is not included in the TANF mandatory filing unit and wants assistance only for the minor child.

55 Pa . Code § 141.41(d)(2)

NOTE: A parent who is not eligible for TANF because they have received 60 months of TANF assistance, and who lives in the home with their minor child, must be included in the TANF application for their minor child. See Chapter 110, Section 110.4, Mandatory TANF Budget Group Members .

Examples:

Barbara G. receives TANF for self and their three children. They receive 1,830 days of assistance (60 months). Review the family for Extended TANF. See Section 176.32 .

Marion C. applies for assistance for self, two nieces and a nephew. Marion C. has care and control of the children. The children’s mother lives in the home. As a parent, the mother is part of the mandatory budget group. She must be included as part of the applicant family. The mother has received more than 1830 days of TANF. Marion C. and the children would qualify for TANF but because the mother lives in the home, is mandatory, and has received her lifetime TANF benefit the household must meet ETANF requirements. Marion C may apply for and receive Extended TANF for herself, her nieces, nephew , and their mother if both the mother and Ms. C comply with Extended TANF eligibility requirements. See Section 135.82 . If eligible, time in Extended TANF will count toward Ms. C’s 60-month TANF limit.

55 Pa. Code § 141.51

Vicky S. applies for cash assistance for two nieces. Vicky has received 60 months of TANF. The nieces are eligible for TANF, with Vicky as an NS specified relative. Vicky does not have to be included in the family. She is not a biological parent of the TANF children and is applying only for them. Alternatively, Vicky may receive Extended TANF for herself and two nieces if she agrees to comply with Extended TANF eligibility requirements.