Who can claim TANF
TANF is for families with children who meet their state's financial rules and other requirements. In practice that means a parent or caretaker relative living with a dependent child, or a relative caring for a child even when the relative does not receive assistance for themselves. The details — which relatives count, what ages count, and what income is allowed — are set by each state in its TANF plan, so two families with identical circumstances in different states can get different answers. That is normal for TANF, not a mistake in either state's system.
The basic shape of a TANF family
A TANF household usually includes a child under 18 (in some states, a full-time student up to 19) living with a parent or caretaker relative. The adult applies, provides documents, cooperates with child support rules where they apply, and takes part in work activities unless exempt. Children must generally live in the home, attend school as the state requires, and be accounted for in the household's reported circumstances. If a child lives elsewhere, that child is usually not part of that household's TANF case.
Caretaker relatives and child-only cases
Grandparents, aunts, uncles, adult siblings, and other relatives who care for a child can often claim TANF for the child even when they do not need or want assistance for themselves. These are child-only cases, and they have two important features. First, the benefit is usually smaller, because it covers the child only. Second, as the home page explains, months in a child-only case do not count toward the federal 60-month limit, because the adult head of household is not receiving assistance. Relatives in this position should ask their agency specifically about the child-only route rather than assuming a full family application is the only option.
Residency, citizenship, and status
Applicants must live in the state where they apply, and the household's citizenship and immigration status affects eligibility under rules that are both federal and state-specific. In general, U.S. citizens and certain qualified immigrants may qualify, while other immigration categories are treated differently depending on the state and the category. Because this area changes and depends on individual circumstances, this site does not try to settle it: if immigration status is part of your household, ask the state agency or a qualified local adviser which category your household falls into before you rely on any general statement.
Who is usually not eligible
A household with no dependent child in the home generally cannot receive TANF cash assistance, however low its income. Adults who are already receiving SSI are generally not included in a TANF assistance unit, though their children may still be considered. Families must also meet the state's income and resource tests, explained on the next page, and must not be disqualified by a sanction or by a rule such as the treatment of a fleeing felon or a drug-related disqualification where the state applies one. Again, the state plan is the deciding document.
What to have ready before you ask
Before you apply, gather proof of identity, the children's birth records or school records, proof of where you live, and proof of income and expenses. The how-to-apply page lists the usual documents. Having them ready does not guarantee approval, but it prevents the most common delay: an application held open while the agency waits for a document you could have brought on the first visit.