2.10.2.1 W-2 Group Limit

The 48-month state lifetime limit applies to all adults in the W-2 Group An adult custodial parent, all dependent children with respect to whom the individual is a legal custodial parent and all minor children with respect to whom the adult individual’s dependent child is a custodial parent. W-2 Group includes any non-marital co-parent or any spouse of the individual who resides in the same household as the individual and any minor children with respect to whom the spouse or non-marital co-parent is a custodial parent. W-2 Group does not include any person who is receiving cash benefits under a county relief block grant program. This is also referred to as the W-2 Assistance Group (W-2 AG) .

Any month during which any adult in the W-2 Group participates in a W-2 employment position counts towards the individual’s 48-month state lifetime limit for both the parent in the placement and the non-placed parent. This includes:

Second parents;

Stepparents;

Adult SSI Supplemental Security Income / SSDI Social Security Disability Insurance recipients; and

Non-marital Co-parent With respect to an individual and a dependent child, a parent who is not married to the child’s other parent and is either an adjudicated parent or a parent who has signed and filed with the state registrar under s.69.15(3)(b)3, Stats., a statement acknowledging paternity s.

See 2.10.9 for information on what counts toward the 60-month federal lifetime limit.

In W-2 Groups with more than one adult member, the adult member with the greatest number of accumulated months determines the W-2 Group’s 48-month state lifetime limit.

When a new adult enters a W-2 Group, the group's total cumulative number of months increases if the new member has accumulated more months than the primary individual.

When an adult leaves a W-2 Group they take with them the months accumulated while in the W-2 group and any months they accumulated before joining the W-2 group.

EXAMPLE 1 : Mary is in a W-2 Group consisting of herself and her 4-year-old daughter. She has accumulated 30 months towards her 48-month state lifetime limit. Because she is the only adult in the W-2 Group, the W-2 Group is credited with 30 months toward the 48-month state lifetime limit.

John, Mary’s husband, moves in with Mary and joins the W-2 Group. John has accumulated 35 months toward his 48-month state lifetime limit prior to moving back in with Mary.

Because John has the greater number of months accumulated towards the state lifetime limit, the W-2 Group’s new total is 35 months towards the 48-month state lifetime limit.

EXAMPLE 2 : After ten months, John moves out of the home and exits the W-2 Group. At the time John left the W-2 Group, he and Mary had used an additional 10 months toward the 48-month state lifetime limit reaching a total of 45 months (35 + 10).

With John out of the W-2 group, The W-2 Group's new total is 40 accumulated months toward the 48-month state limit, reflecting:

Mary’s original 30 months before John joined the W-2 group; and

The 10 additional months accumulated while John was in the W-2 group.

John keeps his 45 accumulated months toward the 48-month state limit.

Dependent 18-year-old A person who resides with a parent and who is 18, a full-time student at a secondary school or a vocational or technical equivalent, and who is reasonably expected to complete the program before attaining the age of 19. s are considered to be children in the W-2 Group and are not subject to time limits.

Once a dependent 18-year-old turns 19 or graduates from school, the individual becomes an Excluded Adult An adult who resides with the W-2 Group, but who is not included by definition in the W-2 Group. and is no longer included in the W-2 Group.

If a dependent 18-year-old has a Dependent Child A person who resides with a parent and who is under the age of 18 or, if the person is a full-time student at a secondary school or a vocational or technical equivalent and is reasonably expected to complete the program before attaining the age of 19, is under the age of 19 and applies for services independent of their parents, they would form their own W-2 Group with their dependent child and become subject to the 48-month state lifetime limit.