TANF: First Survey Document

Programs Surveyed

Applications

Availability and Development of Cash Assistance Applications
Procedures for Processing Cash Assistance Applications
Pre-Application Requirements
Pending Application Requirements
Applicant Work Requirements
Personal Responsibility Contracts
Employability Plans

Formal Diversion Programs

Emergency Assistance

Categorical Eligibility/Assistance Unit Composition

Dependent Child
Child-Only Cases
Non-Parent Caretakers
Pregnant Women
Two-Parent Families
Other Optional and Mandatory Assistance Unit Members

Financial Eligibility for Cash Assistance

Maximum Cash Benefits
Gross Income Test
Treatment of Recipients' Earnings
Treatment of Earnings in Determining Initial Eligibility
Fill-the-Gap Budgeting Methodology
Treatment of SSI Recipients in Cash Assistance Programs
Earned Income Tax Credit
Other Unearned Income
Treatment of Housing Assistance
Non-Recurring Lump Sums
Asset Rules
Individual Development Accounts
Benefit Calculation Methodology

 

PROGRAMS SURVEYED

This survey covers TANF-funded programs and separate state cash assistance programs for families with children. If your state has a cash assistance program that uses separate or segregated state funds, please describe the program in question 2B and send any additional information about it.

1. Type of program for which the answers in this copy of the survey apply: (check all that apply)

TANF program

Separate state program counted for MOE

Other. Please describe type of program:

2A. Does your state have a separate state program that is virtually identical to your TANF program?
___ yes ___ no

2B. If yes, please describe who is eligible and any differences in the rules from your TANF program: [Note that answers describing cash assistance for immigrants should be given in questions 123-135.]

3. What is the name of the program to which the answers in this copy of the survey apply? Identify:

APPLICATIONS

Filing and Processing

4. Is the same application for cash assistance used throughout the entire state?

_____ yes _____ no

If no, skip to question 7.

6. Is the statewide application a joint application for (check all that apply):

___ Food stamps

___ Medicaid

___ Child care

___ Emergency Assistance

___ state "general assistance"

___ state medical assistance

___ other assistance (please identify):

7. If the same application is not used throughout the state, does each county within the state develop its own application for cash assistance? _____ yes _____ no

8. If "yes," please indicate if the state requires each county to provide a joint application for (check all that apply):

___ Food stamps

___ Medicaid

___ Child care

___ Emergency Assistance

___ state "general assistance"

___ state medical assistance

___ other assistance (please identify):

9. Do all persons have a right to file an application for cash assistance? (check all that apply)

___ no

___ yes, provided for in statute

___ yes, provided for in regulation

___ yes, although not explicitly addressed in statute or regulation (please describe basis for the "right"):

10. Does state policy identify the time period within which cash assistance applications must be acted upon or otherwise include some standards as to the timeliness with which they must be processed? (Check one)

___ yes, must be acted upon within a specified time period (specify):

___ yes, some processing standards (e.g., "without delay") (provide language):

___ no

11. Does state policy require the administering agency to issue a written decision on the application? ___ yes ___ no

Pre-Application Requirements

This section is designed to gather information on any requirements that a family seeking cash assistance must meet before it can even submit an application for TANF-funded assistance. It specifically asks whether any of the pre-application requirements require an applicant to leave the welfare office and return at a future date in order to submit an application. We assume that virtually all states still have joint cash assistance, Food Stamps, and Medicaid applications, so these questions also solicit information on whether any of the pre-application requirements for cash assistance must be met before the state will take and begin to process a family’s application for purposes of Medicaid and Food Stamps.

12. Does your state impose any pre-application requirements? ___ yes ___ no

If no, skip to Pending Application Requirements, before question 21.

13. Are pre-application requirements applied on a statewide basis? ___ yes ___ no

14. If no, please indicate here the sub-state area with the largest TANF population, and answer based on the practices in that area:

15. Please indicate which of the following pre-application requirements families must comply with (check all that apply):

___ sign personal responsibility contract

___ attend an orientation session

___ complete an assessment (regarding the family’s need for assistance, other sources of income, parent’s employability, etc.)

___ conduct job search (describe requirement):

___ begin participating in work activities (other than job search) (describe):

 ___ agree to cooperate with child support enforcement (other than assigning child support rights)

___ cooperate with specific child support enforcement requirement(s) (e.g., provide information, attend meeting, etc.) (describe):

___ other (describe):

16. Of the pre-application requirements that are imposed, please indicate which can be met during the initial visit to the welfare office:

___ sign personal responsibility contract

___ attend orientation session

___ complete assessment

___ agree to cooperate with child support enforcement

___ other (describe):

20A. Are any applicants exempt from pre-application requirements (e.g., disabled individuals, non-parent caretakers)? ___ yes ___ no ___ county discretion

20B. If yes, please describe:

Pending Application Requirements

This section addresses "pending" application requirements, requirements that a family must meet while its application for TANF-funded assistance is being processed; if the family does not meet pending application requirements, the state stops processing the application and does not determine or denies the family’s eligibility for cash assistance. In some states, a failure to meet requirements imposed during the application process can result in a sanction, as opposed to a decision by the state simply not to process or to deny the family’s application. Please do not describe requirements that can result in a sanction -- as opposed to a family’s application being denied or never processed -- in this section.

21. Does your state impose any pending application requirements? ___ yes ___ no

If no, skip to Applicant Work Requirements, before question 29.

22A. Are pending application requirements applied on a statewide basis? ___ yes ___ no

22B. If no, please indicate here the sub-state area with the largest TANF population, and answer based on the practices in that area: ______________________

23. Please indicate which of the following pending application requirements families must comply with (check all that apply):

___ sign personal responsibility contract

___ attend orientation session

___ complete assessment (regarding the family’s need for assistance, other sources of income, parent’s employability, etc.)

___ submit to drug screening

___ conduct job search

___ begin participating in work activities (other than job search)

___ agree to cooperate with child support enforcement (other than assigning child support rights)

___ cooperate with specific child support enforcement requirement(s) (e.g., provide information, attend meeting, etc.) (describe):

___ other (describe):

27A. Are any applicants exempt from all pending application requirements (e.g., disabled individuals, non-parent caretakers)? ___ yes ___ no ___ county discretion

27B. If yes, please describe:

28. If you know, please describe the number of workers a typical applicant must meet with and the number of offices (s)he must visit in order to complete an application for TANF, Medicaid and Food Stamps:

Applicant Work Requirements

Some states have adopted different exemptions from work activities for applicants than for existing recipients.

29. Are applicants required to participate in job search and/or work activities?   ___ yes ___ no ___ county discretion

If "no," skip to Personal Responsibility Contracts.

30. Are exemptions from participation in work activities the same for applicants as for recipients?        ___ yes ___ no ___ county discretion

If "yes" or "county discretion," skip to question 32.

31. If no, please indicate which applicants are exempt from participation in all applicant work activities (check and fill in all that apply):

___ none specified

___ those for whom necessary child care is not available (please specify maximum age of child):

___ those caring for a young child (specify maximum age of child):

___ individual who is incapacitated or disabled

___ those with a temporary disability or illness

___ those caring for an ill or incapacitated household member/child/dependent

___ individual of advanced age (specify minimum age):

___ non-parent caretakers

___ those working (specify minimum number of hours per week):

___ those living in a remote or hard-to-access areas

___ pregnant women (specify minimum month of pregnancy):

___ those for whom necessary transportation is not available

___ those for whom other necessary support services are not available

___ those for whom no work activity is available

___ victims of domestic violence

___ other (describe):

 32. Is job search a required activity for some or all non-exempt applicants?

___ Yes, for all individuals [Skip to question 34A]

___ Yes, for some individuals

___ No [Skip to question 35]

33. If "Yes, for some individuals," to question 32, which groups of individuals are subject to this requirement (check all that apply):

___ those determined to be "job ready"

___ those who meet specified education level (specify):

___ those with literacy skills at a specified level (specify):

___ those with specified recent work history (specify):

___ other (specify):

 34A. What is the duration of the initial job search activity described above? Please specify:

34B. If the period of job search varies for different subgroups, specify the subgroups and duration for each:

35. If an applicant can be required to participate in work activities other than job search, please describe the other activities (including assessment) that can be required:

Personal Responsibility Contracts

This section addresses "personal responsibility" contracts that cash assistance applicants and recipients are required to sign. Some states require individuals to sign a contract limited to work-related activities/requirements for the individual; these are referred to here as "employability plans." Please answer this section for any contracts other than separate employability plans. Separate employability plans are covered in the next section. Although the term "contract" is used here, this section is not limited to legally-enforceable agreements.

36. Are applicants and/or recipients of cash assistance required to sign a personal responsibility contract or agreement?     ___ yes ___ no ___ county option

If no, skip to Employability Plans.

If "county option," answer this section based on statewide policy that governs county discretion. If there are no statewide policies, skip to Employability Plans.

37. Is the contract (check all that apply):

___ a standard form listing obligations

___ the product of individualized assessment/worker discretion

___ other (describe):

 38. At what point are applicants required to sign a contract? (Choose one)

___ prior to filing an application

___ while application is pending

___ after eligibility is determined

___ other (describe):

 39. Are specific employment activities identified as part of the contract? ___ yes ___ no

40. Who is obligated to sign the contract? (check all that apply)

___ head of household only

___ both parents in "two-parent" families

___ minor parents who are not heads of household

___ non-parent caretakers not receiving assistance

___ other (specify):

41. Who is exempt from developing and/or signing a contract? (check and fill in all that apply)

___ no exemptions specified

___ those exempt from work requirements

___ those with a child under _____ months old

___ those working more than _____ hours per week at the time of application

___ disabled caretakers

___ non-parent caretakers not receiving assistance

___ other (specify):

 42. Please indicate which recipient obligations can be included in contracts (check all that apply):

___ general agreement to participate in employment-related activities

___ participation in specific work activities

___ child school attendance requirements

___ minor parent school attendance requirements

___ immunization and/or preventative health requirements

___ cooperation with child support enforcement and/or paternity establishment

___ participation in life skills training and/or parenting classes

___ drug/alcohol provisions

___ teen parent living arrangement

___ agreement to achieve self-sufficiency within a set time period

___ other (specify):

 43A. Do contracts include a state or county agreement to provide services? ___ yes ___ no

43B. If yes, are the services listed? ___ yes ___ no

44. Is there a sanction for refusing or failing to develop or sign a contract? ___ yes ___ no

If no, skip to Employability Plans, below.

45. Is the sanction for refusing or failing to sign a contract the same as the sanction for noncompliance with work requirements? ___ yes ___ no

If yes, skip to Employability Plans, below.

46. What is the sanction for refusing or failing to sign a contract? (Check and fill in all that apply.)

___ denial of application or termination of cash grant

___ needs of individual(s) required to sign removed from grant

___ percentage of family grant: _____%

___ fixed dollar amount: $_____

___ Medicaid sanction (please specify):

___ Food Stamp sanction (please specify):

___ other (specify):

 47. How long does the sanction last? (Choose one)

___ until compliance

___ minimum duration of ____________ or until compliance, whichever longer

___ other (specify):

 

Employability Plans

Please answer this section only if your state requires individuals to sign a plan that covers only work-related requirements for the individual.

48. Are applicants and/or recipients of cash assistance required to sign an employability plan?            ___ yes ___ no

If no, skip to Diversion Programs.

49. At what point are individuals required to sign employability plans?

___ prior to filing an application

___ while application is pending

___ after eligibility is determined

___ other (describe):

 50. With whom and where do individuals develop and/or sign employability plans? (Check all that apply)

___ TANF eligibility worker at the TANF office

___ another worker at the TANF office

___ a worker at an office separate from the TANF office (describe):

 ___ other (describe):

51. Who is obligated to sign an employability plan? (check all that apply)

___ head of household only

___ both parents in "two-parent" families

___ minor parents who are not heads of household

___ non-parent caretakers not receiving assistance

___ other (specify):

52. Who is exempt from developing and/or signing an employability plan? (check and fill in all that apply)

___ no exemptions specified

___ those exempt from work requirements

___ those with a child under _____ months old

___ those working more than _____ hours per week at the time of application/

___ disabled caretakers

___ non-parent caretakers not receiving assistance

___ other (specify):

53A. Do employability plans include a state or county agreement to provide services?

___ yes ___ no

53B. If yes, are the services listed? ___ yes ___ no

54. Is there a sanction for refusing or failing to develop or sign an employability plan? ___ yes ___ no

If no, skip to Diversion Programs.

55. Is the sanction for refusing or failing to sign an employability plan the same as the sanction for noncompliance with work requirements? ___ yes ___ no

If yes, skip to Diversion Programs.

56. What is the sanction for refusing or failing to sign an employability plan? (Check and fill in all that apply.)

___ denial of application or termination of cash grant

___ needs of individual(s) required to sign removed from grant

___ percentage of family grant: _____%

___ fixed dollar amount: $_____

___ Medicaid sanction (please specify):

___ Food Stamp sanction (please specify):

___ other (specify):

 57. How long does the sanction last?

___ until compliance

___ minimum duration of ____________ or until compliance, whichever longer

___ other (specify):

 

FORMAL CASH DIVERSION PROGRAMS

The following questions address the rules and procedures for states’ formal diversion programs. These questions are not about the policies reported above in the sections on pre-application and pending application requirements that are eligibility requirements and which may result in "informal diversion." Similarly, a separate section of the survey will address "grant diversion programs" under which a family’s grant is "diverted" into a payment to an employer who agrees to hire an individual.

61. Does the state operate a "formal" cash diversion program? ___ yes ___ no ___ county option

If "no," skip to question 78A, page 19.

If "county option," please answer this section based on statewide policy that governs county discretion. If there are no statewide policies, skip to question 78A, page 19.

62A. Is participation in the cash diversion program mandatory for any group(s) of applicants?  Y/N

62B. If yes, please describe the group(s) for whom the program is mandatory:

63A. Are any group(s) of applicants barred from participating in the cash diversion program?  Y/N

63B. If yes, please describe the group(s) barred from the program:

 64. Beyond any groups other than those noted in the questions above, how is it determined who can participate in the state’s cash diversion program? (Check all that apply.)

_____ objective written criteria

_____ caseworker discretion

_____ other (please describe):

65A. Are any current recipients – as opposed to applicants – allowed to participate in the cash diversion program? _____ yes _____ no

65B. If "yes," please describe criteria:

66A. Is there a maximum cash payment that may be provided? ___ yes ___ no

66B. If yes, please specify the maximum amount for a family of three: (choose one)

___ dollar amount: $__________

___ number of months’ benefits for which the family would otherwise be eligible (indicate # of months):

67. How is the size of a family’s diversion payment calculated? (Check all that apply)

___ calculated on a case-by-case basis in response to family’s emergency need(s) up to the maximum

___ other (please describe):

68A. Are the income and asset limits used to determine eligibility for the cash diversion program the same as those used to determine eligibility for ongoing cash assistance? ___ yes ___ no

68B. If no, describe income and asset criteria used for the cash diversion program:

69. When a family applies for cash diversion (or agrees to take the diversion option), for which of the following programs is its eligibility evaluated? (Check all that apply.)

If a program is checked, indicate whether the diversion payment is disregarded as income in determining eligibility for the program.

___ Food Stamps [Is the diversion payment disregarded? ____ yes ____ no]

___ Medicaid [Is the diversion payment disregarded? ____ yes ____ no]

70. Are the child support rights of a family that receives a diversion payment assigned to the state’s child support enforcement agency (i.e., the IV-D agency)? _____ yes _____ no

71. Are families that receive diversion payments eligible for any of the following kinds of services (check all that apply and describe any restrictions or notable aspects):

___ child care services (describe):

___ case management services (describe):

___ employment services (describe):

___ education and training services (describe):

___ other (describe):

 72. What must a recipient of a diversion payment forego in exchange for receiving the payment? (Check all that apply)

___ not specified

___ ineligible for another diversion payment for ______ months

___ ineligible for ongoing cash assistance for _____ months

___ other (please explain):

73A. If the recipient of a payment is ineligible for ongoing cash assistance for a prescribed period, are there circumstances under which the family can begin receiving ongoing cash assistance before their period of ineligibility would otherwise expire? ___ yes ___ no

If no, skip to question 76.

73B. If yes, please describe the circumstances:

74A. Is there a provision for recouping diversion payments from clients who subsequently go on ongoing cash assistance before the scheduled period of ineligibility expires? ___ yes ___ no

74B. If yes, please describe:

75A. Are there any other consequences of receiving ongoing cash assistance before the scheduled period of ineligibility expires? ___ yes ___ no

75B. If yes, please describe:

76. How is a diversion payment treated when the state calculates the number of months a family has received assistance for purposes of applying state time limit(s)? (check only one)

_____ Payment does not use up any months of a family’s time-limited assistance

_____ Payment uses up 1 month of a family’s time-limited assistance for each month’s worth of benefits included in the diversion payment

_____ Payment uses up the number of months of assistance that a family agrees to forego in exchange for receiving a lump-sum diversion payment

_____ Other (describe):

 77. If you know, please estimate the portion of TANF applicants who receive diversion payments:

78A. A state may also make available to applicants a package of alternative resources, but not give them any cash payment. For example, applicants may be referred to job services, child care services, etc.   Is there a "formal" diversion program of this type in state policy? ___ yes ___ no

If no, skip to question 80.

78B. If yes, please describe. Include who is eligible, who must take the alternative resources rather than cash, and what the resources include:

79. If you know, please estimate the proportion of TANF applicants who receive alternative resources:

80. Please comment here on any other significant aspects of the state's formal diversion program policies or practices:

EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE

States no longer receive funding specifically for an emergency assistance (EA) program or the AFDC Special Needs program, though they generally can use their TANF block grant dollars or state maintenance-of-effort dollars to provide the kinds of benefits that were provided through EA or Special Needs programs. Many states used EA funds to provide short-term housing assistance to families. The following questions address any type of "emergency assistance" or "crisis assistance" for families that is paid for with TANF or MOE funds to families.

81A. Does the state provide emergency assistance to families who are receiving TANF cash assistance?  Y/N

81B. If yes, please check the types of assistance available: (check all that apply)

___ assistance to prevent eviction

___ short-term rental assistance to help families meet ongoing, not back, rent obligations

___ assistance to prevent a utility shut-off or to reinstate utility service

___ emergency housing assistance (to enable a family to pay a security deposit or to pay for an advance month's rent, for example)

___ temporary shelter for homeless families

___ other (describe):

82A. Does the state provide emergency assistance to families who are eligible for, but not receiving, TANF cash assistance? ___ yes ___ no

82B. If yes, please check the types of assistance available: (check all that apply)

___ assistance to prevent eviction

___ short-term rental assistance to help families meet ongoing, not back, rent obligations

___ assistance to prevent a utility shut-off or to reinstate utility service

___ emergency housing assistance (to enable a family to pay a security deposit or to pay for an advance month's rent, for example)

___ temporary shelter for homeless families

___ other (describe):

83A. Does the state provide emergency assistance to families who are not eligible for TANF cash assistance?  Y/N

If no, skip to CATEGORICAL ELIGIBILITY.

 83B. If yes, please describe eligibility criteria:

84. Please check the types of assistance available to families who are not eligible for TANF cash assistance:

___ assistance to prevent eviction

___ short-term rental assistance to help families meet ongoing, not back, rent obligations

___ assistance to prevent a utility shut-off or to reinstate utility service

___ emergency housing assistance (to enable a family to pay a security deposit or to pay for an advance month's rent, for example)

___ temporary shelter for homeless families

___ other (describe):

CATEGORICAL ELIGIBILITY/ASSISTANCE UNIT COMPOSITION

• that the child was under the age of 18, or at state option, age 18 and a full-time student, and expected to graduate before reaching age 19;
• the child was required to be living with a "caretaker relative,"which included individuals who were within a specified degree of kinship to the child; and
• the child had to be deprived of parental support or care, because of the death, absence, or incapacity of one or both parents, or because of the unemployment of the parent who was designated as the "principal earner."

A state program that does not use federal TANF funds to provide assistance may establish any rules regarding "categorical eligibility" that it chooses. However, in order to be countable toward the state’s MOE requirements, state (or local) funds must be spent on families that include a minor child or a pregnant woman, and families must meet the financial eligibility criteria established for the state’s TANF program.

Note: Family Cap policies were covered in the REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND TEENS survey, and should not be described here.

87. How does the state define "minor child" for purposes of eligibility? (Check all that apply)

___ child under age 18

___ child age 18 who is a full-time student and will graduate by age 19 (please describe any other conditions):

___ other (please describe):

States may use federal TANF funds to continue assistance for a child while the child is temporarily absent from the parent’s (or caretaker relative’s) home for a period of up to 180 days. A state may establish a longer period and provide assistance with state funds after 180 days.

88. How long can a child be absent from the home and still be eligible?

______days/ _____ months

___ no time period established

89A. Are there exceptions that allow for a longer absence? ___ yes ___ no ___ not applicable

89B. If yes, please describe criteria:

Under AFDC, parents who met the citizenship requirement were required to be included in the assistance unit with their child(ren).

90A. Other than parents excluded due to a sanction, time limit, or citizenship status, has the state created a policy that allows or requires parents to be excluded from the assistance unit?

___ yes    ___ no

90B. If yes, please describe:

For AFDC eligibility, a child had to live with a parent or "non-parent caretaker," and the relatives who might qualify as non-parent caretakers had to be within a specified degree of kinship to the child. The original language in the PRWORA specified that federal TANF funds could only be used to provide assistance to a family that includes a minor child who resides with a parent or non-parent caretaker. As amended by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, federal TANF funds can now only be used to provide assistance to a family that includes a minor child. The term "family" is not defined and it is thus unclear whether the change might be read to allow assistance where a family includes a child with a non-parent caretaker. (Note: Deeming of non-parent income is covered in the FINANCIAL ELIGIBILITY section.)

91A. Does the state still requires that a child be living with a relative?   ___ yes   ___ no

91B. If yes, which adult relatives can now qualify as non-parent caretakers? (Check one)

___ same listing as used under AFDC

___ other (please specify):

92. How are non-parent caretakers treated? (Check one)

___ one required to be included in the assistance unit

___ all required to be included in the assistance unit

___ one required to be excluded from the assistance unit

___ all required to be excluded from the assistance unit

___ given the option of being included in the assistance unit (if otherwise eligible)

93A. Is a family composed of an adult who is caring for an unrelated child eligible for assistance?

___ yes ___no

93B. If yes, what form of legal relationship between the adult and child is required? (Check one)

___ no restrictions

___ legal guardian

___ other requirements (please describe):

Under AFDC, states had the option of covering a pregnant woman who was not caring for a child if she was otherwise eligible, beginning in the 6th month of her pregnancy.

94A. Are pregnant women eligible for cash assistance? ___ yes ___ no

94B. If yes, in which month of pregnancy does eligibility begin? Month:

Under AFDC, two-parent families were only eligible if one parent was "incapacitated" or the parent designated as the "principal earner" met certain work history requirements and employment limitations (the "work history test" and "100-hour rule"). Under TANF, there are no specific provisions which mandate or limit the inclusion of two-parent families in a state’s TANF program.

95. Are all two-parent families eligible for assistance if they meet the program’s financial eligibility criteria (without regard to either parent’s incapacity, work history, etc.)?

___ yes ___ no

If yes, skip to Other Optional and Mandatory Assistance Unit Members

96. Are all two-parent families precluded from receiving assistance even if they meet the program’s financial eligibility criteria?     ___ yes ___ no

If yes, skip to Other Optional and Mandatory Assistance Unit Members

97. Are two parent families in which one parent is "incapacitated" eligible?    __ yes __ no

98A. Are there any other requirements for two-parent families in which one parent is incapacitated that differ from the eligibility requirements for single-parent families?

__ yes __ no

98B. If yes, please describe:

99A. Are two-parent families eligible based on the unemployment of a parent or "principal wage earner" in the family?     __ yes __ no

If no, skip to question 103A.

99B. If yes, does either parent have to meet the "work history test" imposed in the AFDC rules (the principal wage earner has to have received or been eligible for unemployment compensation benefits, or have at least $50 of earnings in at least 6 of 13 quarters ending within a year of applying for AFDC)?

___ yes    ___ no

100A. If no to 99B, is another work history test applied to determine initial eligibility of two-parent families?    ___ yes ___ no

100B. If yes, please describe the test:

Under AFDC, two-parent families were not eligible if the principal wage earner was employed for more than 100 hours per month, even if the family’s earnings were so low that it was financially eligible.

101A. Is there a limit on the number of hours that an applicant two-parent family’s principal wage earner can work and still be eligible for TANF? __ yes __ no

101B. If yes, what is the limit? _____ hours per month

102A. Is there a limit on the number of hours that a recipient two-parent family’s principal wage earner can work and still be eligible for TANF? __ yes __ no

102B. If yes, what is the limit? _____ hours per month

103A. Are there other categories of two-parent families who are eligible for assistance?

___ yes ___ no

103B. If yes, please describe:

103A. In addition to those described above, are there any other restrictions relating to eligibility of two-parent families?    ___ yes ___ no

103B. If yes, please describe:

Under AFDC, all dependent children (other than those receiving SSI) who lived together and were full or half-siblings were required to be included in the assistance unit, sometimes referred to as "sibling deeming."

105A. Are all dependent children who live in the home and who are full or half-siblings required to be included in the assistance unit? __ yes __ no

105B. If no, on what basis can a child be excluded from the assistance unit? (Check all that apply)

___ SSI recipient

___ child is a foster child

___ child subject to family cap restrictions

___ families receiving adoption assistance for child

___ not dependent (e.g., not deprived of parental support)

___ other, please describe:

Under AFDC, when one adult cared for children who were not full or half siblings, states could require that all of those children be included in the same unit, (e.g., when an individual cared for his/her own child and a niece or nephew) rather than allowing the children who were not full or half siblings to receive assistance as separate units.

106. Are families that include children who are neither full or half siblings: (choose one)

___ required to be counted as a single unit

___ allowed to establish separate units for the children

___ other (please describe):

Under AFDC, the only basis on which an adult who was not a parent (or a stepparent in a state which has a law of general applicability specifying that stepparents are legally responsible for their stepchildren) or non-parent caretaker could be included in a family’s assistance unit was if an individual was determined to be essential to the family’s well-being. States were not allowed to determine that a household member was an essential person unless the family agreed. Under TANF, assistance can be provided to a family that includes a child, but the term "family" is not defined.

107A. Can an individual who is not a parent or non-parent caretaker (e.g. a step-parent or a single parent’s partner) be required to be included in the assistance unit? ___ yes ___ no

107B. If yes, please describe types of individuals and conditions:

108A. Is an individual who is not a parent or non-parent caretaker allowed to be in the assistance unit (at family option)? ___ yes ___ no

108B. If yes, please describe types of individuals and conditions:

Under AFDC, the grandparent of a child of a minor parent was required to be in the same assistance unit with the minor parent and her child if the grandparent was an AFDC recipient.

109A. Does the former AFDC rule apply in the current program? ___ yes ___ no

109B If no, describe the circumstances under which a minor parent and her child in the situation described above can be in a separate assistance unit from the grandparent:

FINANCIAL ELIGIBILITY FOR CASH ASSISTANCE

149. Does state policy give some counties the authority to establish their financial eligibility rules (such as earned income disregards, maximum benefit levels, treatment of assets, gross income tests, and benefit calculation methodology)?   ___ yes   ___ no

Please answer this set of questions with respect to the statewide rules for those parts of the state, if any, in which counties do not have the authority to change the income-counting methodology. If counties have authority to set their own rules but a statewide "minimum standard" is in place, answer according to those statewide standards.

In the charts below, please provide your state’s maximum benefit levels for families of 1, 2, 3 and 4 people for each relevant "subgroup". [Charts are provided for 6 different subgroups, if needed].

Finally, for purposes of this chart, please ignore "family cap" policies that might reduce the benefits available to some families. That information was addressed in the REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND TEENS survey.

50. GROUP 1:

A. To whom do the following maximum benefits apply: (check one)

___ All Families

___ Other, please describe:

151. GROUP 2

A. Describe the group of recipients to whom the following maximum benefits apply:

OPEN COMMENT

156. Please describe here any other significant issues regarding benefit levels:

Under the AFDC program, both applicants and recipients had to pass the "gross income test" in order to be eligible for assistance. In general, the gross income test compared a family’s gross income to the gross income limit, generally 185% of the state standard of need.

157. Does your state impose a gross income test on all, some, or no applicants? (Check one)

___ All Applicants

___ No Applicants

___ Some applicants, please describe which applicants must meet a gross income test:

 

158. Does your state impose a gross income test on all, some, or no recipients? (Check one)

___ All Recipients

___ No Recipients

___ Some Recipients, please describe which recipients must meet a gross income test:

 

If NO applicants or recipients are required to pass a gross income test, go to Treatment of Earnings, page 43.

159. Among those families required to pass the gross income test, does the test differ for different subgroups of families? (For example, is the test different for applicants and recipients, families with earnings, etc.)

   ___ yes   ___ no

If YES, please answer the separate sections in the chart below, indicating to whom each set of rules applies.

If NO, please answer only the GROUP 1 section.

164. For purposes of determining initial eligibility of applicants, please describe the way in which child support income is treated in the gross income test:

165. Please describe the way in which child support income is treated in the gross income test for recipients (i.e., after child support rights have been assigned to the state):

166A. Are there other important policy issues regarding your state’s gross income test?

___ Yes   ___ No

166B. If YES, please describe:

Note that there is a separate section concerning fill-the-gap budgeting. A state that uses a fill-the-gap budgeting methodology should answer the following questions only with respect to the state’s earnings disregard policies (the policies that are used to disregard a level of earnings when determining "net income"), not the state’s fill-the-gap policies.

167. Are earnings treated differently for different subgroups of recipients (that is, families already determined eligible for assistance)? ___ yes ___ no

If yes, please answer separate sections below, indicating to whom each set of rules applies.

If no, please answer only the GROUP 1 section.

168. To whom do the following rules apply? (Check one)

___ All Recipients

___ Other, please describe:

 

 

 

169. Are all families meeting the above description required to be subject to this set of earned income disregards or can families choose to be subject to a different set of rules? [For example, in some states families can choose to be subject to a more generous earnings disregard coupled with a lower maximum benefit level or they can choose to have a higher maximum benefit and a less generous earned income disregard.] (Check one)

___ mandatory

___ families can choose to be in a different group [If families can choose to be in a different group, please fill out a section for that subgroup also.]

170A. Is there a deduction for out-of-pocket child care expenses?   ___ yes   ___ no

If no, skip to question 173A, below.

170B. If yes, what is/are the maximum(s)?

$_______ for children ages ______ to _______

$_______ for children ages ______ to _______

$_______ for children ages ______ to _______

171. If the child care deduction is not structured in this manner, please describe the structure of the child care deduction:

172. Must families work a certain number of hours per month to be eligible for the maximum child care deduction (assuming their child care expenses meet or exceed this level)? (check one)

___ not applicable given structure of child care deduction

___ yes (specify the number of hours a parent must work for the family to be eligible for the full deduction):

___ no, all families are eligible for the maximum (assuming their child care expenses meet or exceed this level) regardless of the hours worked

___ other, please describe:

In the AFDC program, families with earnings received a $90 "work expense" deduction. To receive this deduction, families did NOT have to show that they had incurred $90 in work expenses.

173A. Is there a deduction for work expenses that is not tied to actual work expenses (i.e., like the $90 work expense deduction in the basic AFDC rules)?    ___ Yes   ___ No

If no, skip to question 176.

173B. If YES, how much is that work expense deduction: (check one)

___ fixed dollar amount : $_____

___ percentage of earnings: _____%

___ other, please describe:

174A. Is the work expense deduction time limited? (Are families ineligible for the work expense disregard after a certain period of time?)   ___ yes   ___ no    [If no, skip to question 176.]

174B. If YES, please indicate the duration of the time limit:

175A. After this time period, is the flat work expense disregard eliminated or changed?

___ eliminated

___ changed

175B. If changed, what is the new amount? $

175C. What is the time limit on this new disregard? (Check one)

______ months

___ no time limit

176. Is there a deduction for work expenses that is based on actual work expenses incurred other than child care?    ___   yes   ___  no

177. If YES, please describe work expenses that can be deducted and the maximum amount of the deduction, if any:

In the AFDC program, families were eligible for a "flat dollar disregard" of $30 for the first twelve months they were employed. During the first twelve months of employment, families were eligible for both the $90 work expense disregard and the $30 "flat dollar disregard."

178A. Other than any work expense disregard described above, is there any flat dollar earned income disregard or deduction? [For example, if a state disregards the first $200 of earnings and 20% of all remaining earnings and this $200 is not considered a "work expense"disregard, $200 would be the answer to this question. If a state continued the former AFDC policy, $30 would be the answer to this question.]

___ yes   ___ no

If no, skip to question 181A.

178B. If YES, what is that amount: $

179A. Is the flat earned income disregard time limited?    ___ yes    ___ no

If no, skip to question 181A.

179B. If YES, please specify the duration of the time limit:

180A. After this time period, is the flat earned income disregard eliminated or changed?

___ eliminated

___ changed

180B. If changed, what is the new amount? $

180C. What is the time limit on this new disregard?

______ months

___ no time limit

In the AFDC program, families were eligible for a disregard of one-third of earnings that remained after applying the work expense disregard and the time-limited disregard of $30. This one-third disregard was only available during the first four months a parent/caretaker worked.

181A. Other than any work expense deduction or flat dollar disregard described above, is there a percentage of earnings disregarded?    ___ yes   ___ no

If no, skip to Group 2.

181B. If YES, what is the disregard? (Check one)

___ _____% of earnings remaining after work expense disregard (if any) and flat dollar disregard (if any) are subtracted from gross earnings

___ other, please describe:

182A. Is the percentage disregard time limited?   ___ yes    ___ no

If no, skip to Group 2, below.

182B. If YES, please indicate the duration of the time limit:

183A. After this time period, is the percentage disregard eliminated or changed?

___ eliminated

___ changed

183B. If the percentage is changed, what is the new amount? _______%

183C. What is the time limit on this new disregard? _______ months ___ no time limit

OPEN COMMENT

184. Please describe here any other significant issues regarding the treatment of earnings for this group:

[Questions were repeated 3 times in the original survey, to capture different treatment of earnings for subgroups, if any.]

Treatment of Earnings in Determining Initial Eligibility

When calculating "net income" to determine the initial eligibility of a family applying for assistance, some states do not apply their full earned income disregards. Some states do apply the full earned income disregard if the family recently received assistance (such as in the past four months).

234. When a family applies for assistance (either for the first time or after not receiving assistance for a significant period of time), what, if any, earned income disregard is applied when calculating net income for purposes of determining whether the family is eligible for assistance (not for determining the level of assistance for which they are eligible)? (check one)

___ family only gets benefit of "work expense" disregard

___ family gets benefit of "full" earned income disregard and the state does NOT have different earned income disregards for different subgroups of families ("Full" earned income disregard includes any work expense disregard and any additional earnings disregarded.)

___ family gets benefit of "full" earned income disregard based on the "subgroup" they fall into ("Full" earned income disregard includes any work expense disregard and any additional earnings disregarded.)

___ other, please describe:

235A. Do applicants that have received assistance within some recent time period get benefit of a different earned income disregard when calculating net income for the purpose of determining whether the family is eligible for assistance (not for determining the level of assistance)?   ___ yes    ___ no

235B. If YES, within what time period must the family have received assistance?

___ within past ___ months

___ other, please describe:

236. When a family applies for assistance (for the first time or after not receiving assistance for a significant period of time), what, if any, child care deduction is applied when calculating net income for purposes of determining whether the family is eligible for assistance (not for determining the level of assistance for which they are eligible)? (check one)

___ family gets full benefit of child care deduction

___ net income calculation does not subtract out child care deduction

___ other, please describe:

237A. Do applicants that have received assistance within some recent time period get benefit of a different child care deduction when calculating net income for the purpose of determining whether the family is eligible for assistance (not for determining the level of assistance)?   ___ yes    ___ no

If no, skip to question 238.

237B. If YES, within what time period must the family have received assistance?

___ within past ___ months

___ other, please describe:

 

OPEN COMMENT

238. Please describe here any other significant issues regarding the treatment of earnings for this group:

"Fill-the-Gap" Budgeting Methodology

For purposes of this section, any state in which a family’s benefit is calculated by comparing some or all of a family’s income to a measure (i.e., the standard of need) that exceeds the maximum benefit should be considered a "fill the gap" state.

239. Does your state use any form of fill-the-gap budgeting when calculating a family’s benefit level?

___ Yes   ___ No

If NO, skip to Treatment of SSI Recipients, page 61.

240. Is "fill-the-gap" budgeting methodology used when determining whether an applicant family is initially eligible?   ___ Yes     ___ No

Under any form of fill-the-gap budgeting, a measure of a family’s income is compared to the standard of need (or in some states a percentage of the poverty line or other measure.) In some states, this first comparison is made only using net earnings — these are states in which only earnings can "fill the gap" — while in other states all countable income (net earnings, unearned income, and child support) is compared to the standard of need. For purposes of this section, the term "comparison income" means the measure of income that is compared to the standard of need (or to a percentage of the poverty line or other measure).

241. Which of the following are included in the "comparison income"? (check all that apply)

___ earnings net of deductions and disregards

___ all unearned income including child support

___ all unearned income except child support

___ all child support

___ other, please describe:

 

 

242. What is this "comparison income" compared to? (Choose one)

___ standard of need [Go to question 243]

___ % of poverty line [Skip to question 244]

___ other, please specify the levels of income the "comparison income" is compared to for families of 1, 2, 3, and 4 people:

1 person: $______

2 people: $______

3 people: $______

4 people: $______ [Skip to question 245]

243. What is the standard of need for families with between 1 and 4 members?

Standard of need for families with 1 person: $_____

Standard of need for families with 2 people: $_____

Standard of need for families with 3 people: $_____

Standard of need for families with 4 people: $_____

[Skip to question 245]

244. As of February 1, 1998, what is the dollar value of the "poverty line" measure used when determining cash assistance benefit levels: (Note: We are asking this question because some states make variations to the poverty guidelines issued by HHS.)

Poverty line for family of 1: $_____

Poverty line for family of 2: $_____

Poverty line for family of 3: $_____

Poverty line for family of 4: $_____

245. Which of the following describes how the fill-the-gap methodology is structured in your state: (Be sure to read all of the options before answering.) (Choose one)

___ a family’s benefit is equal to the lesser of the maximum benefit and the difference between the comparison income and the standard of need (or percentage of poverty or other measure)

___ a family’s benefit is equal to the lesser of the maximum benefit and a percentage of the difference between the comparison income and the standard of need (or percentage of poverty or other measure) Please indicate the percentage that is applied to the difference between the comparison income and the standard of need: %

___ a family’s benefit is computed by subtracting unearned income from the lesser of the maximum benefit and the difference between the comparison income and the standard of need (or percentage of poverty or other measure)

___ a family’s benefit is computed by subtracting unearned income from the lesser of the maximum benefit and a percentage of the difference between the comparison income and the standard of need (or percentage of poverty or other measure. Please indicate the percentage that is applied to the difference between the comparison income and the standard of need: %

___ Other, please describe:

 

246. Please describe here any other significant issues regarding the fill-the-gap budgeting rules in your state:

Treatment of SSI Recipients 

Under the AFDC program, SSI recipients could not be included in an AFDC case and their income and resources were not counted when determining whether the rest of the family was eligible for AFDC. Under TANF, states have the authority to change these rules.

247. Does your state continue to follow the prior AFDC policy in which SSI recipients are excluded from the assistance unit and their income and resources are not considered when determining whether the rest of the family is eligible for assistance?    ___ Yes   ___ No

If yes, skip to Earned Income Tax Credit.

248. Must children receiving SSI be included in the cash assistance unit and have their SSI benefits counted as income to the family?     ___ Yes   ___ No

If no, skip to question 250.

249A. If a child receiving SSI is included in the cash assistance unit, are any adjustments in the income-counting or benefit-calculation methodologies made to reflect the higher costs of a family with a disabled child? [For example, is part of the SSI benefit disregarded or do families with a disabled child have a higher payment standard?]    ___ Yes    ___ No

249B. If YES, please describe how the higher costs of these families are taken into account when the state determines ELIGIBILITY and when the state calculates BENEFIT LEVELS, then skip to question 252A:

 250. If a child receiving SSI is NOT included in the cash assistance unit, a state could choose to count some or all of the child’s SSI benefit when determining whether the rest of the family is eligible for cash assistance and/or when calculating the family’s benefit level. A state could choose to count the child’s SSI benefit when determining eligibility but not benefit levels (for example, a state could include the child’s SSI benefit for purposes of the gross income test but not for purposes of determining benefit levels).

If a child receiving SSI is NOT included in the cash assistance unit, how are SSI benefits received by a child treated for purposes of determining whether the rest of the family is eligible for cash assistance? (Check one)

___ SSI income not counted when determining eligibility

___ entire SSI benefit is counted as income available to the family when determining eligibility

___ part of the SSI benefit is counted as income available to the family when determining eligibility, please describe:

___ other, please describe:

 

251. If a child receiving SSI is NOT included in the cash assistance unit, how are SSI benefits received by a child treated for purposes of determining the level of cash assistance the rest of the family is eligible for? (Check one)

___ SSI income not counted when calculating benefit level

___ entire SSI benefit is counted as income available to the family when calculating benefit level

___ part of the SSI benefit is counted as income available to the family when calculating benefit level, please describe:

___ other, please describe:

 

252A. Has the state made any other changes to the former AFDC policy regarding the way in which a child’s receipt of SSI benefits affects the rest of the family’s eligibility for and level of cash assistance? [For example, Alabama treats a child receiving SSI and his or income differently if there are no other non-SSI recipient children in the household.]    ___ Yes     ___ No

252B. If YES, please describe:

253. Must parents receiving SSI be included in the cash assistance unit and have their SSI benefits counted as income to the family?     ___ Yes    ___ No

If no, skip to question 255.

254A. If parents receiving SSI are included in the cash assistance unit, are any adjustments in the income-counting or benefit-calculation methodologies made to reflect the higher costs of a family with a disabled parent? [For example, is part of the SSI benefit disregarded or do families with a disabled parent have a higher payment standard?]    ___ Yes    ____ No

254B. If YES, please describe how the higher costs of these families are taken into account when the state determines ELIGIBILITY and when the state calculates BENEFIT LEVELS, then skip to question 257A:

255. If parents receiving SSI are NOT included in the assistance unit, are the SSI benefits received by a parent counted in whole or in part as income available to the rest of the family when determining whether the rest of the family is eligible for cash assistance? (Check one)

___ SSI income not counted for purposes of determining eligibility

___ entire SSI benefit is counted as income available to the family when determining eligibility

___ part of the SSI benefit is counted as income available to the family when determining eligibility, please describe:

___ other, please describe:

 

256. If parents receiving SSI are NOT included in the assistance unit, are the SSI benefits received by a parent counted in whole or in part as income available to the rest of the family when calculating the benefit level for the rest of the family? (Check one)

___ SSI income not counted when calculating benefits

___ entire SSI benefit is counted as income available to the family when calculating benefits

___ part of the SSI benefit is counted as income available to the family when calculating benefits, please describe:

___ other, please describe:

 

257A. Has the state made any other changes to the former AFDC policy regarding the way in which a parent’s receipt of SSI benefits affects the rest of the family’s eligibility for and level of cash assistance?

___ Yes    ___ No

257B. If YES, please describe:

258A. Are non-parent caretakers who receive SSI treated in the same manner as parents receiving SSI?

___ Yes   ___ No

258B. If NO, please explain the differences:

 259A. Does the receipt of SSI by a family member other than a parent/caretaker or child affect a family’s eligibility for cash assistance? [For example, if a state were to include the SSI benefits of an aunt living with a family applying for assistance when determining the family’s eligibility for or level of assistance, that policy should be described here.]    ___ Yes     ___ No

259B. If YES, please describe:

Earned Income Tax Credit

Under the AFDC program, if a family received an EITC in a lump sum at the end of the year, the EITC was not counted as income in the month it was received. The EITC was also not treated as an asset in the month it was received or the month after receipt. Similarly, under the AFDC program, advance payments of the EITC that parents received during the year in their paychecks were not considered income. Under TANF, states have the authority to change these rules.

260. Does the state treat the EITC in the same manner it did under prior AFDC law?    ___ yes ___ no

If yes, skip to Other Unearned Income.

261A. If a family receives an earned income tax credit in a lump sum upon filing their year-end tax return, does the state consider the EITC the family receives as income when determining eligibility for or level of cash assistance benefits?    ___ Yes ___ No

261B. If YES, please describe how the EITC is treated as income (i.e., is all of the EITC treated as income or only part of the credit?):

262A. If a family receives an earned income tax credit in a lump sum upon filing their year-end tax return, does the state consider the EITC the family receives as assets when determining eligibility for or level of cash assistance benefits?    ___ Yes    _ No

262B. If YES, please describe how the EITC is treated as assets (i.e., is all of the credit treated as an asset or only part of the credit?):

263A. If a family receives part of their earned income tax credit in their paychecks through the advance payment mechanism, does the state consider the advance EITC received as income when determining eligibility for or level of cash assistance benefits?    ___ Yes    _ No

263B. If YES, please describe the way in which advance EITC payments are treated as income:

264A. If a family receives part of their earned income tax credit in their paychecks through the advance payment mechanism, does the state consider the advance EITC received as assets when determining eligibility for or level of cash assistance benefits?    ___ Yes    ___ No

264B. If YES, please describe the way in which advance EITC payments are treated as assets:

 265A. Are there any other changes in the way in which the EITC is treated within the cash assistance program?   ___ Yes     ___ No

265B. If YES, please describe:

266A. Has the state made any changes since the passage of the federal welfare law to the treatment of any types of unearned income (such as excluding a formerly countable form of unearned income or including a formerly excluded form of unearned income) for purposes of determining eligibility for and/or levels of cash assistance (other than treatment of SSI)?    ___ yes     ___ no

266B. If yes, please describe the changes:

Treatment of Housing Assistance

267A. Does the state place a dollar value on the receipt of any form of housing assistance (i.e. public housing, Section 8 rental certificate or voucher, etc.) that is then counted as income when determining an applicant family’s initial eligibility for cash assistance? ___ Yes    ___ No

If no, skip to question 269.

267B. If YES, which of the following forms of housing assistance are treated as income when determining an applicant family’s initial eligibility for cash assistance: (check all that apply)

___ public housing

___ Section 8 rental certificate or voucher

___ project-based Section 8 unit

___ state housing program, please describe:

___ other, please describe:

 

268. Please describe how a dollar value is assigned to housing assistance when determining eligibility:

 269. Does the state place a dollar value on the receipt of any form of housing assistance (i.e. public housing, Section 8 rental certificate or voucher, etc.) that is then counted as income when determining a family’s cash assistance benefit level?   ___ Yes   ___ No

If no, skip to question 272.

270. Which of the following forms of housing assistance are treated as income when determining an applicant a family’s cash assistance benefit level: (check all that apply)

___ public housing

___ Section 8 rental certificate or voucher

___ project-based Section 8 unit

___ state housing program, please describe:

___ other, please describe:

 

271. How is a dollar value assigned to housing assistance when cash assistance benefit levels?

___ same method as described in question 268.

___ other, describe:

272. Is the maximum benefit a family is eligible for based on whether they receive a federal and/or state housing subsidy? (Answer yes only if there is a separate benefit level. Answer no if the housing subsidy is counted as income.)     ___ Yes   ___ No

If yes, a separate "GROUP" should be filled out in the "Maximum Benefits" section above for families receiving housing assistance.

273A. Is the maximum benefit a family is eligible for based in part on the actual housing costs of the family?

___ Yes   ___ No

273B. If YES, please describe:

274A. Do a family’s actual housing costs affect its level of, or eligibility for, cash assistance in any other way?    ___ Yes     ___ No

274B. If YES, please describe:

OPEN COMMENT

275. Please describe here any other significant issues regarding the treatment of housing assistance:

Non-Recurring Lump Sum Income

Under AFDC, if a family received a nonrecurring lump sum of money from a countable source, with some exceptions, the family was disqualified for a period of months calculated by dividing the lump sum (and any other countable income received during the month) by the applicable standard of need for the family in that month. Under TANF, states may treat lump sum income in this manner, or they may treat it in any other way they choose. For example, the income might be treated as income in the month received, and as an asset in subsequent months to the extent any portion of the funds are retained as savings by the family.

276A. Does the state treat lump sum income in the same or a similar manner to the AFDC "lump sum" rule? (Check one)

___ yes, for all countable lump sump income

___ yes, for certain types of lump sum income (specify):

___ no

276B. If "no" or "yes, for certain types", how does the state treat lump sum income, or those types of lump sum income not subject to the AFDC lump sum rule? Please describe:

Asset Rules

Under the AFDC program, families that had countable assets above the asset limit (set at $1,000 under standard AFDC rules) were ineligible for assistance even if their income was low enough to otherwise qualify them for aid. This was known as the "asset test."

296. Does your state impose an asset test on recipients and/or applicants?    ___ Yes    _ No

If NO, skip to Benefit Calculation Methodology.

Some states have opted to have different asset limits for different groups of families. Some states apply a different asset limit when determining the initial eligibility of a family applying for assistance than for recipients, while others vary the asset limit based on whether the parent/caretaker is employed or participating in work activities.

297. Are all applicants and recipients subject to the same asset limit? (Answer yes if the limit is the same for all families but the way in which a family’s assets are calculated differs for different groups of families. For example, if all families are subject to a $2,000 asset limit but families with an employed parent/caretaker are permitted to disregard the value of one car entirely while other families can not, answer YES here. There will be space below to discuss differences in the manner in which a family’s assets are calculated.) Yes No

298. If YES, what is the limit on countable assets: $___________ [Skip to question 304.]

For each group of families subject to an asset test, please describe the subgroup and the relevant asset limit. For example, if your state has one asset limit for recipients and one for applicants, you should fill out the chart for two subgroups — applicants and recipients.

304. In determining assets, is the value of the house in which the family lives counted for no, some, or all families? (Check one)

___ not counted for any families

___ counted for all families including applicants and recipients

___ counted for some families, please describe:

 

Treatment of Cars

305. Is the value of a car treated differently for different groups of families?    ___Yes   ___ No

If YES, please answer the following set of questions for each group.

If NO, please answer in the space provided for Group 1.

306. GROUP 1: These rules pertain to:

___ All Families [Answer questions 307A-C, then skip to question 312.]

___ Some Families, please describe:

 

307A. For purposes of the asset test, how is the value of a car treated? (If a family has more than one car, describe here the rules that apply to the first car.) (Check one)

___ equity value of car in excess of $ treated as a countable asset

___ fair market value of car in excess of $ treated as a countable asset

___ value of one automobile excluded entirely

___ treatment of cars follows food stamp rules

___ other, please describe:

 

307B. If there is more than one adult in the family, how is the value of a second car treated? (Check one)

___ second car is treated in the same manner as the first car

___ entire fair market value of the second car is counted as an asset

___ entire equity value of the second car is treated as an asset

___ other, please describe:

 

307C. If a family has only one adult, how is the value of a second car treated? (Check one)

___ second car is treated in the same manner as the first car

___ entire fair market value of the second car is counted as an asset

___ entire equity value of the second car is treated as an asset

___ other, please describe:

 

308. GROUP 2: Please describe the families to whom these rules pertain:

309. For purposes of the asset test, how is the value of a car treated?(If a family has more than one car, describe here the rules that apply to the first car.) (Check one)

___ equity value of car in excess of $______ treated as a countable asset

___ fair market value of car in excess of $______ treated as a countable asset

___ value of one automobile excluded entirely

___ treatment of cars follows food stamp rules

___ other, please describe:

 

310. If there is more than one adult in the family, how is the value of a second car treated? (Check one)

___ second car is treated in the same manner as the first car

___ entire fair market value of the second car is counted as an asset

___ entire equity value of the second car is treated as an asset

___ other, please describe:

 

311. If a family has only one adult, how is the value of a second car treated? (Check one)

___ second car is treated in the same manner as the first car

___ entire fair market value of the second car is counted as an asset

___ entire equity value of the second car is treated as an asset

___ other, please describe:

 

OPEN COMMENT

312. Please describe here any other significant issues regarding the treatment of assets:

Individual Development Accounts (IDAs)

A number of states allow recipients to accumulate savings that will only be used for certain specified purposes (e.g., business start-up, home purchase, education etc.) and specify a limit on the amount of such savings that the individual can have without becoming ineligible for assistance that is separate and higher than the general asset limit described above. States have come up with various names for such special savings programs, and one of the common names is Individual Development Accounts.

313. Does state policy authorize recipients to establish Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) for TANF-eligible families or recipients? (Answer yes, even if IDAs are only in place through a small demonstration or pilot program or for a small group of families.)

___ yes ___ no ___ county discretion

If NO, skip to Benefit Calculation Methodology.

If "county discretion," answer this section based on statewide policy that governs county discretion. If there are no statewide policies, skip to Benefit Calculation Methodology.

314A. Is the IDA program a pilot? ___ yes ___ no

314B. If YES, please describe the size/scope of the pilot:

315. What are the eligible uses? (Check all that apply)

___ Post-secondary Educational Expenses

___ First Home Purchase

___ Home Rehabilitation

___ Business Capitalization

___ Business Assets

___ Business Expansion

___ Medical expenses

___ Other describe:

 

316. What is the maximum allowable amount in an IDA? If the maximum amount varies with the use, list each use and its corresponding maximum.

$ ________ maximum for all eligible uses of IDAs

$ ________ maximum for (describe):

$ ________ maximum for (describe):

$ ________ maximum for (describe):

317. For whom in an eligible family may an IDA be established? (Check all that apply)

___ Any family member

___ Parent

___ Caretaker

___ Child

___ Other family member

318A. Must contributions to an IDA made by the eligible individual come from that individual’s earnings?

___ yes ___ no

318B. If NO, please indicate what other sources of income may be used by an eligible individual to make a contribution to an IDA:

Some IDA programs provide that contributions to the account by an individual of family will be matched by funds from other public or private sources.

319A. Is there a matching provision? ___ yes ___ no ___ county discretion

If "no" or "county discretion," skip to question 321.

319B. If yes, what will be the sources of matching contributions? (Check all that apply)

___ TANF funds

___ Non-TANF public funds: federal, state, and local (e.g., state tax credits ordeductions for private contributions), describe:

 

___ Non-profit organizations

___ Private contributions: corporations, foundations, etc.

___ Private contributions: individuals

___ Other allowable sources of matching contributions, describe: