Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
(TANF): Eligibility and Benefit Amounts in
State TANF Cash Assistance Programs
Gene Falk
Specialist in Social Policy
July 22, 2014
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
R43634

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TANF: Eligibility and Benefit Amounts in State Cash Assistance Programs

Summary
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant helps states fund, among other
benefits and services, cash assistance for needy families with children. While there are some
federal rules that determine who may qualify for TANF-funded cash assistance (e.g., the family
must have a dependent child), states determine the financial eligibility criteria and cash assistance
benefit amounts. There is a large amount of variation among the states in the income thresholds
that determine whether a family is eligible for cash assistance and in the benefit amounts paid.
Most states only admit very poor families onto the benefit rolls. In July 2012, the majority of
states (28 states and the District of Columbia) required that a single mother caring for two
children earn less than $795 per month to gain entry to the benefit rolls—an earnings level
representing about half of 2012 poverty-level income. States often permit families with a working
member who obtains a job while on the rolls to remain eligible for TANF at higher earnings
levels, though in many states such eligibility is retained for a limited period of time.
States also usually require that a family has assets below a specified amount in order to qualify
for benefits. In July 2012, 27 states and the District of Columbia required applicant families to
have $2,000 or less in assets to gain entry to the benefit rolls. In most states, the value of at least
one of the family’s cars is not counted toward the state’s asset limit.
In July 2012, the state with the lowest maximum benefit paid to a family consisting of a single
parent and two children was Mississippi, with a benefit of $170 per month (11% of poverty-level
income). Among the contiguous 48 states and the District of Columbia, the highest maximum
benefit was paid in New York: $770 per month for a single parent of two children in New York
City (48% of poverty-level income). The benefit for such a family in the median state (North
Dakota, whose maximum benefit ranked 26th among the 50 states and District of Columbia), was
$427, a benefit amount that represented 27% of monthly poverty-level income in 2012. TANF
maximum benefits vary greatly by state; there is also a very apparent regional pattern to benefit
amounts. States in the South tend to have the lowest benefit payments; states in the Northeast
have the highest benefits.
Though the 1996 welfare reform law that created TANF revamped many of the rules for cash
assistance for needy families, states determined income eligibility rules and maximum benefit
amounts even before enactment of the law. There were large variations among the states in benefit
amounts before the 1996 welfare law. The regional pattern to benefit amounts—with relatively
low benefits in the South—also existed under pre-TANF law.
Additionally, cash assistance benefit amounts for needy families are not automatically adjusted
for inflation by the states, and have lost considerable value in terms of their purchasing power
over time. From 1981 to 2012, the inflation-adjusted value of cash assistance benefits for needy
families in the median state declined by 44%. Some of this decline occurred before the 1996
welfare law: between 1981 and 1996 the value of cash assistance benefits had already declined by
28%. Food assistance benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, the
program formerly known as food stamps) offset some of this decline. However, from 1981 to
2012 the value of the combined cash and food assistance benefit for a family of three in the
median state declined by 18% in inflation-adjusted terms.

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TANF: Eligibility and Benefit Amounts in State Cash Assistance Programs

Contents
Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 1
Family Circumstances and TANF Eligibility and Benefits .............................................................. 1
Eligibility for TANF Cash Assistance .............................................................................................. 2
Income Eligibility Criteria for New Applicants......................................................................... 3
Income Eligibility for Families Already on the Rolls ................................................................ 4
Asset Limits for New Applicant Financial Eligibility ............................................................... 5
TANF Maximum Cash Benefit Amounts ........................................................................................ 7
State and Regional Variation in TANF Cash Assistance Maximums ........................................ 7
Combined TANF Cash and SNAP Food Assistance .................................................................. 9
Change in Benefits Over Time ....................................................................................................... 10
AFDC and TANF Maximum Benefits ..................................................................................... 11
Trends in Cash and Food Assistance ....................................................................................... 12

Figures
Figure 1. Maximum Monthly Earnings An Applicant Family May Have and Be Eligible
for TANF Cash Assistance: Single Parent Caring for Two Children: July 2012 .......................... 4
Figure 2. State TANF Cash Assistance Program Asset Limits for New Applicant Single
Parents Caring for Two Children, July 2012 ................................................................................ 6
Figure 3. TANF Maximum Monthly Benefits for a Single Parent Caring for Two
Children, by State, July 2012 ........................................................................................................ 8
Figure 4. Combined TANF Cash Assistance and SNAP Benefit, Single Parent Caring for
Two Children: July 2012 ............................................................................................................ 10
Figure 5. AFDC/TANF Maximum Benefits for a Family of Three in the Median State,
July of Selected Years 1981-2012 ............................................................................................... 11
Figure 6. Combined Cash Assistance and Food Assistance for a Family of Three:
July 1981, July 1996, and July 2012 ........................................................................................... 13

Tables
Table 1. State TANF Cash Assistance Program Vehicles Disregards from Asset Limits for
New Applicant Families, July 2012 .............................................................................................. 6
Table A-1. Maximum Monthly Earnings an Applicant Family Comprising a Single Parent
Caring for Two Children May Have to Gain Eligibility for TANF Cash Assistance: July
2012 ............................................................................................................................................ 14
Table A-2. Maximum Monthly Earnings a Single Parent Caring for Two Children May
Have for Applicants or for Recipients to Retain Eligibility for TANF Cash Assistance,
July 2012..................................................................................................................................... 15
Table A-3. Maximum Monthly TANF Cash Assistance Benefit for a Single Parent Caring
for Two Children, July 2012 ....................................................................................................... 17
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Table A-4. Maximum Monthly TANF Cash Assistance Benefits Paid to a Family Headed
by a Single Parent, By Family Size, July 2012 ........................................................................... 19
Table A-5. Maximum Combined TANF and SNAP Benefit for a Single Parent Caring for
Two Children, July 2012 ............................................................................................................. 20
Table A-6. Maximum Monthly AFDC/TANF Cash Assistance Benefits for a Single
Parent Caring for Two Children, July of Selected Years ............................................................ 22
Table A-7. Maximum Monthly AFDC/TANF Cash Assistance Benefit for a Single Parent
Caring for Two Children in Constant July 2012 Dollars ............................................................ 24
Table A-8. Maximum Monthly AFDC/TANF Cash Assistance Benefit for a Single Parent
Caring for Two Children, as a Percent of the Federal Poverty Level, July of Selected
Years ........................................................................................................................................... 25

Appendixes
Appendix. State Tables .................................................................................................................. 14

Contacts
Author Contact Information........................................................................................................... 27
Acknowledgments ......................................................................................................................... 27

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TANF: Eligibility and Benefit Amounts in State Cash Assistance Programs

Introduction
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant helps fund, among other
benefits and services, state cash assistance programs to needy families with children.1 Cash
assistance generally represents a benefit paid monthly to help meet a family’s ongoing basic
needs. Federal law prescribes the general eligible population for state cash assistance programs.
For example, a family receiving assistance must have a dependent child. However, there are no
federal rules defining what makes a family financially “needy” or determining what benefit
amounts are paid. Financial need and benefit amounts are determined by the states.
Cash assistance programs for needy families were a major focus of the “welfare reform” debates
that led to the enactment of the 1996 welfare reform law (the Personal Responsibility and Work
Opportunity Reconciliation Act, P.L. 104-193). TANF, which was created in that law, has as its
overarching purpose “to increase the flexibility of states” in operating programs to achieve its
statutory goals. State TANF cash assistance programs vary greatly in their design, some of which
is attributable to the flexibility afforded states in the 1996 law. Before the law, cash assistance for
needy families with children was provided through the Aid to Families with Dependent Children
(AFDC) program. Though TANF increased the flexibility of states in designing their cash
assistance programs, states determined income eligibility thresholds and benefit amounts under
AFDC as well.
This report describes state TANF financial eligibility rules and maximum benefit amounts. The
information represents Congressional Research Service (CRS) calculations based on data from
the Urban Institute’s Welfare Rules Database2. That information is supplemented by historical
information on maximum AFDC benefits from a CRS survey of the states for selected years from
1981 to 1996.3
Family Circumstances and TANF Eligibility
and Benefits
A family’s circumstances determine whether it is eligible for TANF cash assistance and the
amount of benefits it may receive. TANF cash assistance is a need-tested benefit (i.e., it is
intended to pay benefits and reflect a family’s financial need). The factors that affect family

1 For an overview of benefits and services funded by TANF, see CRS Report R40946, The Temporary Assistance for
Needy Families Block Grant: An Introduction, by Gene Falk.
2 The Urban Institute’s Welfare Rules Database provides detailed rules on state TANF cash assistance programs. It
currently contains information on these rules from 1996 (as they existed under the pre-TANF AFDC program) to 2012.
The database is currently funded by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). For a description of the
database, see the Urban Institute website. HHS has annually published summary information from the database. See
David Kassabian, Erika Huber, and Elissa Cohen, et al., Welfare Rules Databook: State TANF Policies as of July 2012,
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, OPRE Report 2013-27, Washington, DC, November 2013.
3 Some of the information in this report differs from that published in the Welfare Rules Databook cited above. Some
states pay different benefits in different regions within the state. The Welfare Rules Databook provides income
eligibility and benefit thresholds for the region that has the most recipient families. However, to maintain consistency
with information collected in the earlier CRS survey of the states, a different region of the state (the one with the
highest benefit levels) is reported for Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Virginia in this CRS report.
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financial need include its size (larger families “need” more income to attain a specified standard
of living), income, assets, and expenses. State rules for TANF cash assistance take into account
those factors—which differ from family to family. State rules also often differ in terms of how
different types of income and expenses are considered in determining financial eligibility and
benefits for TANF cash assistance.
This report will use the rules of state TANF cash assistance programs to describe eligibility
standards and benefit amounts. To simplify the descriptions of TANF cash assistance eligibility
and benefits, most examples in this report will depict the rules that apply to a single mother caring
for two children. Families that are headed by a recipient single parent have historically been the
focus of much of cash assistance policy for needy families. However, the current TANF cash
assistance caseload is diverse, with large shares of the caseload representing different family
settings and benefits paid to the family only on behalf of a child.4 The descriptions in this report
also assume that the family’s sole source of other cash income is earnings. They will not take into
account any expenses that might change TANF cash assistance amounts or eligibility, such as
child care expenses.
TANF cash assistance income eligibility thresholds and benefit amounts vary greatly from state to
state. To provide some context for the dollar amounts associated with income eligibility
thresholds and benefit amounts, comparison will be made to the federal poverty level (FPL),
which is uniform across the contiguous 48 states and the District of Columbia. (The federal
poverty level is higher in Alaska and Hawaii.) For a single mother with two children in the 48
states and the District of Columbia, the 2012 federal poverty level was $19,090—or $1,591
per month.
Additionally, because there is a great deal of variation in income eligibility thresholds and benefit
amounts among the states, this report will discuss the states with the highest and lowest eligibility
threshold or benefit amount, as well as the amounts for the “median state.” If states are ranked by
their eligibility thresholds or benefit amounts from 1 to 51 (50 states and District of Columbia),
with 1 being the lowest and 51 being the highest, the state that ranked 26th would be the “median
state.”
Eligibility for TANF Cash Assistance
Federal law limits TANF eligibility to needy families with a dependent child. It defines a
dependent child as a person under the age of 18, or age 18 if a full-time student in secondary
school. Individuals and couples without children are ineligible for TANF-funded cash assistance.
Federal law also prohibits states from providing TANF-funded assistance to certain individuals in
families with children.5 Aside from these rules, states have broad discretion in designing their
cash assistance programs.

4 For example, TANF cash assistance “child-only” families include those with adults who are parents receiving
Supplemental Security Income (SSI); noncitizen, nonrecipient parents; and nonparent relative caregivers. See CRS
Report R43187, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): Characteristics of the Cash Assistance Caseload,
by Gene Falk. The Urban Institute’s Welfare Rules Databook, cited above, includes detail on the rules that apply to
these families receiving cash assistance.
5 Federal law prohibits states from using federal TANF funds to provide cash assistance to (1) families with an adult
who has received assistance for 60 months (the five-year time limit); (2) teen parents not living in a supervised setting;
(continued...)
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Income Eligibility Criteria for New Applicants
Federal law requires states to restrict TANF-funded cash assistance to “needy” families.
Therefore, states must require that TANF families meet a test of financial need. However, there is
no federal definition of need. States define the criteria for determining whether a family is
financially needy and eligible for TANF cash assistance.
States typically limit entry to the cash assistance program to families with only a fraction of
poverty-level income. Figure 1 shows, by state, the maximum monthly earnings a single parent
with two children applying for TANF cash assistance may have and gain entry to the benefit rolls.
The figure provides as a reference the monthly federal poverty level (with the higher levels for
Alaska and Hawaii).
As shown on the figure, the maximum earnings thresholds for applicants in July 2012 were below
the federal poverty level in all states except Wisconsin. In that state, it was technically possible
for families with incomes as high as 115% of the FPL to be eligible for TANF, but the
circumstances that would permit a working Wisconsin parent to receive TANF cash are limited.6
For the other contiguous 47 states and the District of Columbia, maximum earnings thresholds for
a single mother caring for two children ranged from $1,447 per month in Nevada (91% of
poverty-level income) to $268 per month in Alabama (16% of poverty-level income). The median
state was South Dakota, at $772 per month (about 48% of poverty-level income). In a majority of
states (28 states and the District of Columbia), earnings of $795 per month—representing half of
poverty-level income—disqualify a family of three from coming onto the assistance rolls.

(...continued)
(3) married teen parents or teen heads of households (with a child 13 weeks or older) who are not in high school or
alternative education or training; (4) families that have not legally assigned their right (turned over rights) to child
support to the state paid on behalf of children receiving assistance; (5) felons and parole violators; (6) those who
misrepresented their residence to receive benefits; and (7) certain noncitizens. In many of these cases, states may use
state funds countable toward the TANF maintenance of effort (MOE) state spending requirement to aid such families.
6 A low-income parent working under 30 hours per week may participate in a community service job if he or she has
barriers to employment that preclude full-time work. That community service job would be part-time, with benefits
prorated based on the number of hours of participation in the job.
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Figure 1. Maximum Monthly Earnings An Applicant Family May Have and Be Eligible
for TANF Cash Assistance: Single Parent Caring for Two Children: July 2012

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the Urban Institute’s Welfare Rules
Database
Notes: Maximum earnings levels shown on the figure differ from those shown in the Urban Institute’s Welfare
Rules Databook for July 2012 for two reasons. First, the Databook showed the maximum earnings allowed to be
“technically” eligible for assistance (sometimes used for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
benefits, rather than qualifying for a cash benefit). This figure shows the maximum earnings a family may have and
still receive cash. In addition, the maximum earnings a family may have can vary within a state. For Connecticut,
Pennsylvania, and Virginia, the Databook uses the eligibility and benefit schedules for a different sub-state region
than does this figure. The information in this figure is also presented in tabular form in the Appendix,
Table A-1.

Income Eligibility for Families Already on the Rolls
Many states provide financial incentives for those already on the rolls to gain employment. This
is done by allowing recipients to retain eligibility and keep some of their TANF cash assistance
while working through disregarding some earnings in the financial eligibility and benefit
determination calculations. States have adopted very different forms of these “earnings
disregards,” with the effect being substantial variation among the states in whether and how much
TANF cash assistance is provided to families with a working parent. Some states provide
generous earnings disregards for only a short period of time (e.g., three months)—even
disregarding all earnings and allowing families to keep all of their cash assistance for that
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period—providing the TANF cash assistance as only a short transitional earnings supplement.
Other states provide for the same earnings disregard no matter how many months a recipient is
working, supplementing earnings on an ongoing rather than a transitional basis.
Table A-2 in the Appendix shows maximum monthly earnings thresholds by state for both
applicants and recipients.7 It shows that the maximum earnings thresholds are often higher for
recipients than applicants. For example, applicant single parents with two children with earnings
up to $795 per month (half of poverty-level income) are eligible for TANF cash assistance in 22
states. However, at that earnings level a recipient single parent with two children who gets a job
may retain TANF eligibility in the first month on the job in 39 states and the District of Columbia,
and even retain eligibility in the 13th month on the job in 30 states and the District of Columbia.
Asset Limits for New Applicant Financial Eligibility
Assets represent the value of liquid financial assets such as bank accounts and certain property.
Federal law and regulations do not require states to administer an asset test to determine if a
family is financially needy. Most states do require families applying for TANF cash assistance to
both meet income eligibility criteria and have assets below a certain amount. However, in recent
years a number of states have eliminated asset tests for eligibility and base financial eligibility on
income alone.
Figure 2 categorizes states by their asset limit for new applicant families comprising a single
parent with two children in July 2012. In that month, a total of six states (Alabama, Colorado,
Louisiana, Maryland, Ohio, and Virginia) had eliminated their asset limits entirely. The remaining
states and the District of Columbia retained an asset test. The most common asset limit in July
2012 was $2,000, the amount in 18 states and the District of Columbia.


7 The rules are described in the Welfare Rules Databook, cited above. See Table I.E.2, p. 84, for a description of the
earned income disregards used for income eligibility. See Table II.A.1, p. 98, for a description of the earned income
disregards used for computing benefits.
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TANF: Eligibility and Benefit Amounts in State Cash Assistance Programs

Figure 2. State TANF Cash Assistance Program Asset Limits for New Applicant
Single Parents Caring for Two Children, July 2012

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the Urban Institute’s Welfare Rules
Database, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

In states with asset tests, the value of vehicles is either fully or partially disregarded. Table 1
categorizes states by their state TANF cash assistance program vehicle disregards for new
applicant families in July 2012. A total of 18 states and the District of Columbia disregarded the
value of all vehicles in determining financial eligibility (including the six states without asset
limits). Another 18 states disregarded the full value of at least one vehicle.
The remaining 14 states disregarded a portion of the value of vehicles, which was determined at
either their fair market values or equity values. Fair market value represents an estimate of what a
vehicle could be sold for. Equity value represents its fair market value minus any outstanding
loans that financed its purchase. The vehicle disregards varied from $4,600 in equity value
(Tennessee) to $15,000 in equity value (Minnesota).
Table 1. State TANF Cash Assistance Program Vehicles Disregards from Asset Limits
for New Applicant Families, July 2012
Disregard States
All vehicles in the household (18 states and DC)
AL, CO, LA, MD, OH, VA (states with no asset limits)
AK, AZ, DE, DC, HI, KS, KY, MI, MS, NJ, NM, NC, UT
One vehicle per household (14 states)
AR, ID, IL, IA, ME, MO, MT, NE, NV, ND, PA, SD, WV,
WY
One vehicle per adult (2 states)
RI, VT
One vehicle per licensed driver (2 states)
NH, SC
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Disregard States
A portion of the value of vehicles (14 states)
TN: $4,600 in equity value
CA: $4,650 fair market value per vehicle
GA: $4,650 in equity value
MA, NY: Greater of $4,650 in fair market value or
$9,300 in equity value
TX: $4,650 in equity value
IN, OK, WA: $5,000 in equity value
FL: $8,500 in equity value
CT: $9,500 in equity value
OR, WI: $10,000 in equity value
MN: $15,000 in fair market value
Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the Urban Institute’s Welfare Rules
Database, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Additionally, states usually do not count the value of a home toward their asset limits. Some
states also exclude the value of certain other assets, such as restricted savings accounts (e.g.,
Individual Development Accounts (IDAs)).
TANF Maximum Cash Benefit Amounts
The TANF maximum cash benefit amount is generally what is paid to a family that has no other
income and complies with program rules. Families that have additional sources of cash income,
such as Social Security, receive a reduced benefit because some of their need is met by that other
form of cash income. States have adopted a wide range of policies for determining benefits paid
to families with earnings; though typically such families also receive a reduced benefit,
particularly after they have been working a certain number of months. Additionally, families not
in compliance with a state’s TANF rules (e.g., work requirements) might be financially
sanctioned, and thus receive a reduced benefit.
TANF maximum cash benefits generally vary by family size, on the presumption that larger
families have greater financial need. Only Idaho and Wisconsin pay the same maximum benefit
regardless of family size. This section will focus on maximum benefits for a family headed by a
single parent caring for two children (family size of three). See Table A-4 in the Appendix for
TANF maximum benefits for families headed by a single parent caring for one through five
children.
State and Regional Variation in TANF Cash Assistance Maximums
There is a great deal of variation in maximum benefits by state. For a single parent caring for two
children, the TANF cash assistance maximum monthly benefits ranged from a high of $923 in
Alaska to a low of $170 in Mississippi in July 2012. The highest maximum monthly benefit
outside of Alaska for such a family was in New York, $770 per month; the median state
maximum benefit was $427 per month in North Dakota.
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In July 2012, all states paid monthly maximum benefits for a single parent caring for two children
that were less than half of federal poverty-level income. New York’s $770 per month represented
48.4% of the FPL. Alaska had a higher monthly FPL, $1,989 per month, for a family of three; its
maximum benefit of $923 was 46.4% of the FPL.
Figure 3 provides a map showing the TANF maximum monthly cash assistance benefit by state
in July 2012 for a single parent caring for two children. The map shows the states categorized by
their maximum benefits. The categories themselves are based on benefits as a percent of monthly
poverty-level income. For example, a state with a maximum benefit of less than $320 per month
paid less than about 20% of poverty-level income for a family of three in 2012. The map shows
that not only do benefits vary widely among the states, but there is a pronounced regional pattern
in benefit amounts. States in the South paid the lowest benefits. States in the Northeast paid the
highest benefits.
Figure 3. TANF Maximum Monthly Benefits for a Single Parent Caring for Two
Children, by State, July 2012

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the Urban Institute’s Welfare Rules
Database, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Notes: The map’s shading categories are based on monthly benefits as a percent of the federal poverty level for
the 48 states and District of Columbia. Under $320 per month was less than 20% of poverty-level income; $320
to $479 per month was 20% to 30% of poverty-level income; $480 to $639 per month was 30% to 40% of
poverty-level income; and $640 per month or more was more than 40% of poverty-level income. The
information in this map is also shown in tabular form in the Appendix, Table A-3.
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Combined TANF Cash and SNAP Food Assistance
Families receiving TANF cash assistance are automatically financially eligible for food benefits
from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Thus, a more complete picture of
the benefits a TANF family might receive is the combined TANF cash and SNAP food benefit.
Figure 4 shows the combined TANF cash and SNAP food assistance benefit for a single parent
caring for two children for July 2012. It shows that in all states, the combined TANF and SNAP
benefits for such a family fall short of the federal poverty threshold. In New York, the combined
TANF cash and SNAP benefit totaled $1,109, reflecting 69.7% of the FPL.
SNAP policy is generally predicated on households using 30% of their net income (after
deductions for allowable expenses) for food.8 The SNAP benefits make up any deficit between
what is needed to purchase a low-cost but nutritionally adequate diet and 30% of net income. A
family’s TANF cash benefit is counted in determining income for the purposes of SNAP. Thus,
for a family with no income other than TANF, SNAP benefits are higher in states with lower
TANF cash benefits, and lower in states with higher TANF cash benefits. Therefore, SNAP
mitigates some of the differences in income produced by the variation in TANF cash benefits
across the states. Though historically the SNAP benefit was thought of as a supplement to the
TANF cash benefit, in July 2012 a family of three without any other income was eligible for a
greater SNAP benefit than TANF cash benefit in 28 states and the District of Columbia.
It should be noted that in July 2012, the SNAP benefit was higher than usual because of a
temporary SNAP benefit increase enacted in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of
2009 (P.L. 111-5).9 That increase expired in November 2013, and monthly SNAP benefits were
reduced by approximately 5.5% for a family of three.

8 See CRS Report R42505, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): A Primer on Eligibility and Benefits,
by Randy Alison Aussenberg.
9 CRS Report R43257, Background on the Scheduled Reduction to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Benefits, by Randy Alison Aussenberg and Gene Falk.
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Figure 4. Combined TANF Cash Assistance and SNAP Benefit,
Single Parent Caring for Two Children: July 2012

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS) calculations based on data from the Urban Institutes Welfare
Rules Database and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Notes: SNAP benefit assumes that a household receives only the SNAP standard deduction, and no deductions
for expenses al owed under SNAP law (high shelter costs, dependent care deductions). The information in this
figure is also shown in tabular form in the Appendix, Table A-5.


Change in Benefits Over Time
The amount paid to a family under TANF is decided by states—there are no federal rules for how
states determine the amount of TANF cash assistance. Before the 1996 welfare reform law, Aid to
Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) paid cash assistance to needy families with children.
States also determined the maximum amount of cash assistance paid to a family under AFDC.
Examining maximum cash assistance benefits for 1981 through 2012, AFDC and TANF cash
assistance maximum benefits increased over time, but not enough to compensate for price
increases.
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AFDC and TANF Maximum Benefits
Figure 5 shows the maximum cash assistance benefit for a single parent caring for two children
in the median state for selected years from 1981 to 2012. In 1981, the maximum monthly benefit
in the median state was $305, an amount that increased to $427 by 2012. However, this increase
was not enough to compensate for inflation over this period. In July 2012 dollars (past dollars
adjusted to reflect what they could purchase in July 2012), the maximum cash assistance benefit
for such a family declined from $763 in 1981 to $427 in 2012. This represents a decline in the
purchasing power of the maximum benefit in the median state of 44% since 1981. A large share
of that decline occurred under AFDC—before the enactment of the 1996 welfare reform law.
From 1981 to 1996, the maximum AFDC cash benefit in the median state declined from $763 per
month to $550 in 2012 dollars—a 28% reduction.
The figure shows that between July 2010 and July 2012, the benefit paid to a single parent caring
for two children in the median state declined slightly, from $428 per month to $427 per month
even in nominal (not inflation-adjusted) dollars. In July 2012, the maximum benefit for such a
family was lower than it had been in July 2010 in nominal dollars in seven states: California,
Delaware10, New Mexico, Oregon, South Carolina, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Figure 5. AFDC/TANF Maximum Benefits for a Family of Three in the Median State,
July of Selected Years 1981-2012
In Nominal Dol ars and in Constant July 2012 Dol ars

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS). Information for the TANF years (i.e., after 1996) is based on
data from the Urban Institute’s Welfare Rules Database, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human

10 Delaware temporarily raised its TANF benefits effective November 1, 2009, based on additional TANF funding
provided to the state through the TANF Emergency Contingency Fund (ECF). The temporary benefit increase expired
on September 30, 2010, when funding for the TANF ECF ended. The decline in Delaware’s maximum benefit between
July 2010 and July 2012 reflects the end of that temporary benefit increase.
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TANF: Eligibility and Benefit Amounts in State Cash Assistance Programs

Services (HHS). Information for AFDC (1996 and earlier years) is from the CRS survey of state AFDC financial
eligibility and benefit amounts.
Notes: Constant dollars were computed using the Consumer Price Index for al Urban Consumers (CPI-U), not
seasonally adjusted for July of selected years. State-by-state information on maximum benefit amounts for the
selected years shown in this figure are shown in tabular form in the Appendix, Table A-6 and Table A-7.
Additionally, Table A-8 shows state-by-state maximum benefits for a single parent caring for two children for
the selected years as a percent of the FPL.
Trends in Cash and Food Assistance
Unlike AFDC and TANF cash assistance, benefit amounts for SNAP food assistance (formerly
called Food Stamps) are set in federal law, and generally have been adjusted over time for
inflation. SNAP benefits are tied to the “Thrifty Food Plan,” a market basket of foods to provide a
low-cost, nutritionally adequate diet. Over time, Congress has periodically adjusted SNAP
benefits to be higher (or slightly lower) than the Thrifty Food Plan. An ad-hoc increase in SNAP
benefits was legislated in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-5); that
increase was effective April 1, 2009, and expired on October 31, 2013.
Over time, the decline in the value of AFDC and TANF cash benefits was partially compensated
for by an increase in SNAP benefits. Just as SNAP pays higher benefits in states with lower
TANF cash assistance benefits at a point in time, the erosion of the cash assistance benefit relative
to inflation has resulted in higher SNAP benefits paid to families that receive cash assistance over
time.
Figure 6 shows the combined AFDC or TANF cash assistance benefits and SNAP food assistance
benefits for a single parent caring for two children in the median state for July 1981, July 1996,
and July 2012 in constant July 2012 dollars. Over this period, the value of the combined benefit
declined by 17.7%. Additionally, the food assistance portion of the benefit increased as a share of
the combined benefit—to the point where the SNAP benefit was greater than the TANF cash
benefit in the median state in July 2012. The July 2012 SNAP benefit includes the increase in
ARRA; that increase subsequently expired and SNAP benefits are lower in 2014.
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TANF: Eligibility and Benefit Amounts in State Cash Assistance Programs

Figure 6. Combined Cash Assistance and Food Assistance for a Family of Three:
July 1981, July 1996, and July 2012
Constant July 2012 Dol ars

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS). Information for TANF cash assistance (2012) is based on data
from the Urban Institute’s Welfare Rules Database, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS). Information for AFDC cash assistance (1981 and 1996) is from the CRS survey of state AFDC financial
eligibility and benefit amounts. SNAP food assistance benefits are based on information from the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Notes: Food assistance benefits were calculated based on the cash assistance amount in the median state for the
selected years. SNAP benefit assumes that a household receives only the SNAP standard deduction, and no
deductions for expenses al owed under SNAP law (high shelter costs, dependent care deductions). Constant
dollars were computed using the Consumer Price Index for al Urban Consumers (CPI-U), not seasonal y
adjusted for July of selected years.
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Appendix. State Tables
Table A-1. Maximum Monthly Earnings an Applicant Family Comprising a Single
Parent Caring for Two Children May Have to Gain Eligibility for
TANF Cash Assistance: July 2012
Maximum Earnings as a
Percent of the Federal
State Maximum
Earnings
Poverty Level
Alabama $268
16.8%
Alaska 1,605
80.7
Arizona 567
35.6
Arkansas 278
17.5
California 1,258
79.1
Colorado 420
26.4
Connecticut 879
55.3
Delaware 427
26.8
District of Columbia
587
36.9
Florida 392
24.6
Georgia 513
32.2
Hawai 1,740
95.1
Idaho 631
39.7
Illinois 794
49.9
Indiana 377
23.7
Iowa 1,061
66.7
Kansas 518
32.6
Kentucky 905
56.9
Louisiana 359
22.6
Maine 1,022
64.2
Maryland 717
45.1
Massachusetts 707
44.4
Michigan 814
51.2
Minnesota 1,019
64.1
Mississippi 457
28.7
Missouri 540
33.9
Montana 753
47.3
Nebraska 912
57.3
Nevada 1,447
91.0
New Hampshire
843
53.0
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TANF: Eligibility and Benefit Amounts in State Cash Assistance Programs

Maximum Earnings as a
Percent of the Federal
State Maximum
Earnings
Poverty Level
New Jersey
635
39.9
New Mexico
865
54.4
New York
859
54.0
North Carolina
681
42.8
North Dakota
1,142
71.8
Ohio 794
49.9
Oklahoma 804
50.5
Oregon 615
38.7
Pennsylvania 703
44.2
Rhode Island
1,258
79.1
South Carolina
1,428
89.8
South Dakota
771
48.5
Tennessee 1,306
82.1
Texas 401
25.2
Utah 667
41.9
Vermont 1,040
65.4
Virginia 628
39.5
Washington 936
58.8
West Virginia
565
35.5
Wisconsin 1,829
115.0
Wyoming 792
49.8
Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS) calculations based on information in the Urban Institute’s
Welfare Rules Database, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Table A-2. Maximum Monthly Earnings a Single Parent Caring for Two Children May
Have for Applicants or for Recipients to Retain Eligibility for TANF Cash Assistance,
July 2012
For Recipients, Eligibility is Based on Number of Months on the Job


Recipients, by Months on the Job
State Applicant
First
Fourth
13th
Alabama
$268
No Limit
No Limit
256
Alaska
1,605 2,388 2,388 2,149
Arizona 567
567
567
567
Arkansas 278
696
696
696
California
1,258 1,368 1,368 1,368
Colorado 420
1,357
1,357
420
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TANF: Eligibility and Benefit Amounts in State Cash Assistance Programs



Recipients, by Months on the Job
State Applicant
First
Fourth
13th
Connecticut
879 1,589 1,589 1,589
Delaware
427 1,818 1,818 1,228
District of Columbia
587
1,415
1,415
1,415
Florida 392
786
786
786
Georgia 513
740
740
504
Hawai
1,740 1,916 1,916 1,916
Idaho 631
631
631
631
Illinois
794 1,724 1,724 1,724
Indiana
377 1,112 1,112 1,112
Iowa
1,061 1,238 1,238 1,238
Kansas
518 1,137 1,137 1,137
Kentucky 905
No
Limit
881
627
Louisiana 359
1,250
1,250
350
Maine
1,022 1,022 1,022 1,022
Maryland 717
940
940
940
Massachusetts
707 1,143 1,143 1,143
Michigan
814 1,164 1,164 1,164
Minnesota
1,019 1,019 1,019 1,019
Mississippi
457
No Limit
No Limit
441
Missouri 540
1,094
1,094
372
Montana 753
753
753
753
Nebraska 912
912
912
912
Nevada 1,447
No
Limit
2,486
466
New
Hampshire
843 1,330 1,330 1,330
New Jersey
635
No Limit
1,692
846
New Mexico
865
865
865
865
New
York
859 1,424 1,424 1,424
North Carolina
681
No Limit
681
681
North Dakota
1,142
1,142
1,142
761
Ohio
794 1,130 1,130 1,130
Oklahoma 804
804
804
804
Oregon 615
615
615
615
Pennsylvania 703
822
822
822
Rhode
Island
1,258 1,258 1,258 1,258
South Carolina
1,428
1,428
1,428
836
South Dakota
771
771
771
771
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TANF: Eligibility and Benefit Amounts in State Cash Assistance Programs



Recipients, by Months on the Job
State Applicant
First
Fourth
13th
Tennessee
1,306 1,306 1,306 1,306
Texas 401
1,707
1,707
307
Utah
667 1,050 1,050 1,050
Vermont
1,040 1,040 1,040 1,040
Virginia
628 1,589 1,589 1,589
Washington 936
936
936
936
West Virginia
565
565
565
565
Wisconsin
1,829 1,829 1,829 1,829
Wyoming 792
792
792
792
Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS) calculations based on information in the Urban Institute’s
Welfare Rules Database, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Notes: “No Limit” represents months where 100% of earnings are disregarded.
Table A-3. Maximum Monthly TANF Cash Assistance Benefit for a Single Parent
Caring for Two Children, July 2012
Benefit Amounts and Benefit as a Percent of the 2012 Poverty Guidelines
Maximum Benefit as a
Percent of the 2012
State Maximum
Benefit
Poverty Guidelines
Alabama $215
13.5%
Alaska 923
46.4
Arizona 277
17.4
Arkansas 204
12.8
California 638
40.1
Colorado 462
29.0
Connecticut 674
42.4
Delaware 338
21.2
District of Columbia
428
26.9
Florida 303
19.0
Georgia 280
17.6
Hawai 610
33.3
Idaho 309
19.4
Illinois 432
27.2
Indiana 288
18.1
Iowa 426
26.8
Kansas 429
27.0
Kentucky 262
16.5
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TANF: Eligibility and Benefit Amounts in State Cash Assistance Programs

Maximum Benefit as a
Percent of the 2012
State Maximum
Benefit
Poverty Guidelines
Louisiana 240
15.1
Maine 485
30.5
Maryland 574
36.1
Massachusetts 618
38.8
Michigan 492
30.9
Minnesota 532
33.4
Mississippi 170
10.7
Missouri 292
18.4
Montana 504
31.7
Nebraska 364
22.9
Nevada 383
24.1
New Hampshire
675
42.4
New Jersey
424
26.7
New Mexico
380
23.9
New York
770
48.4
North Carolina
272
17.1
North Dakota
427
26.8
Ohio 450
28.3
Oklahoma 292
18.4
Oregon 506
31.8
Pennsylvania 421
26.5
Rhode Island
554
34.8
South Carolina
216
13.6
South Dakota
555
34.9
Tennessee 185
11.6
Texas 263
16.5
Utah 498
31.3
Vermont 640
40.2
Virginia 389
24.5
Washington 478
30.0
West Virginia
340
21.4
Wisconsin 653
41.0
Wyoming 602
37.8
Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS) calculations based on information in the Urban Institute’s
Welfare Rules Database, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
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TANF: Eligibility and Benefit Amounts in State Cash Assistance Programs

Table A-4. Maximum Monthly TANF Cash Assistance Benefits Paid to a Family
Headed by a Single Parent, By Family Size, July 2012

Number of Children
State One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Alabama
$190 $215 $245 $275 $305
Alaska 821
923
1,025
1,127
1,229
Arizona
220 277 334 392 448
Arkansas
162 204 247 286 331
California
516 638 762 866 972
Colorado
364 462 561 665 767
Connecticut
544 674 786 886 992
Delaware
270 338 407 475 544
District of Columbia
336
428
523
602
708
Florida
241 303 364 426 487
Georgia
235 280 330 378 410
Hawai
486 610 736 861 986
Idaho
309 309 309 309 309
Illinois
318 432 474 555 623
Indiana
230 288 346 405 464
Iowa
361 426 495 548 610
Kansas
352 429 497 558 619
Kentucky
225 262 325 361 398
Louisiana
188 240 284 327 366
Maine
363 485 611 733 856
Maryland
453 574 695 805 885
Massachusetts
518 618 713 812 912
Michigan
403 492 597 694 828
Minnesota
437 532 621 697 773
Mississippi
146 170 194 218 242
Missouri
234 292 342 388 431
Montana
401 504 606 709 812
Nebraska
293 364 435 506 577
Nevada
318 383 448 513 578
New
Hampshire
606 675 738 798 879
New
Jersey
322 424 488 552 616
New
Mexico
304 380 459 536 613
New
York
562 770 928
1,091
1,204
North
Carolina
236 272 297 324 349
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TANF: Eligibility and Benefit Amounts in State Cash Assistance Programs


Number of Children
State One
Two
Three
Four
Five
North
Dakota
328 427 523 620 717
Ohio
368 450 555 650 723
Oklahoma
225 292 361 422 483
Oregon
432 506 621 721 833
Pennsylvania
330 421 514 607 687
Rhode
Island
449 554 634 714 794
South
Carolina
171 216 261 307 350
South
Dakota
496 555 613 671 730
Tennessee
142 185 226 264 305
Texas
228 263 316 351 404
Utah
399 498 583 663 731
Vermont
536 640 726 817 879
Virginia
323 389 451 537 570
Washington
385 478 562 648 736
West
Virginia
301 340 384 420 460
Wisconsin
653 653 653 653 653
Wyoming
567 602 602 638 638
Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS) calculations based on information in the Urban Institute’s
Welfare Rules Database, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Table A-5. Maximum Combined TANF and SNAP Benefit for a Single Parent Caring
for Two Children, July 2012
Benefit Amounts as a Percent of the 2012 Federal Poverty Level




Benefits as a Percent of the 2012 FPL
Combined
Combined
State TANF
SNAP
Benefit TANF
SNAP Benefit
Alabama
$215 $505 $720 13.5% 31.7% 45.3%
Alaska
923
425 1,348 46.4 21.4 67.8
Arizona
277
487 764 17.4 30.6 48.0
Arkansas
204
508 712 12.8 31.9 44.8
California
638
378 1,016 40.1 23.8 63.9
Colorado
462
431 893 29.0 27.1 56.1
Connecticut
674
367 1,041 42.4 23.1 65.4
Delaware
338
468 806 21.2 29.4 50.7
District of Columbia
428
441
869
26.9
27.7
54.6
Florida
303
479 782 19.0 30.1 49.2
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TANF: Eligibility and Benefit Amounts in State Cash Assistance Programs





Benefits as a Percent of the 2012 FPL
Combined
Combined
State TANF
SNAP
Benefit
TANF
SNAP
Benefit
Georgia
280
486 766 17.6 30.5 48.1
Hawai
610
703 1,313 33.3 38.4 71.7
Idaho
309
477 786 19.4 30.0 49.4
Illinois
432
440 872 27.2 27.7 54.8
Indiana
288
483 771 18.1 30.4 48.5
Iowa
426
442 868 26.8 27.8 54.6
Kansas
429
441 870 27.0 27.7 54.7
Kentucky
262
491 753 16.5 30.9 47.3
Louisiana
240
498 738 15.1 31.3 46.4
Maine
485
424 909 30.5 26.6 57.1
Maryland
574
397 971 36.1 25.0 61.0
Massachusetts
618
384 1,002 38.8 24.1 63.0
Michigan
492
422 914 30.9 26.5 57.4
Minnesota
532
473 1,005 33.4 29.7 63.2
Mississippi
170
519 689 10.7 32.6 43.3
Missouri
292
482 774 18.4 30.3 48.6
Montana
504
418 922 31.7 26.3 58.0
Nebraska
364
460 824 22.9 28.9 51.8
Nevada
383
455 838 24.1 28.6 52.7
New
Hampshire
675
367 1,042 42.4 23.1 65.5
New
Jersey
424
442 866 26.6 27.8 54.4
New
Mexico
380
456 836 23.9 28.7 52.5
New
York
770
339 1,109 48.4 21.3 69.7
North
Carolina
272
488 760 17.1 30.7 47.8
North
Dakota
427
442 869 26.8 27.8 54.6
Ohio
450
435 885 28.3 27.3 55.6
Oklahoma
292
482 774 18.4 30.3 48.6
Oregon
506
418 924 31.8 26.3 58.1
Pennsylvania
421
443 864 26.5 27.8 54.3
Rhode
Island
554
403 957 34.8 25.3 60.2
South
Carolina
216
505 721 13.6 31.7 45.3
South
Dakota
555
403 958 34.9 25.3 60.2
Tennessee
185
514 699 11.6 32.3 43.9
Texas
263
491 754 16.5 30.9 47.4
Utah
498
420 918 31.3 26.4 57.7
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TANF: Eligibility and Benefit Amounts in State Cash Assistance Programs





Benefits as a Percent of the 2012 FPL
Combined
Combined
State TANF
SNAP
Benefit
TANF
SNAP
Benefit
Vermont
640
378 1,018 40.2 23.8 64.0
Virginia
389
453 842 24.5 28.5 52.9
Washington
478
426 904 30.0 26.8 56.8
West
Virginia
340
468 808 21.4 29.4 50.8
Wisconsin
653
374 1,027 41.0 23.5 64.6
Wyoming
602
389 991 37.8 24.5 62.3







Median
State
427
442 869 26.8 27.8 54.6
Maximum
923
703 1,348 48.4 38.4 71.7
Minimum
170
339 689 10.7 21.3 43.3
Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS) calculations based on information in the Urban Institute’s
Welfare Rules Database, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); and from the U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service.
Notes: SNAP benefits are computed based on the TANF household taking only the standard deduction in
determining countable income.
Table A-6. Maximum Monthly AFDC/TANF Cash Assistance Benefits for a Single
Parent Caring for Two Children, July of Selected Years
State
1981 1990 1996 2000 2007 2010 2012
Alabama
$118 $118 $164 $164 $215 $215 $215
Alaska
571 846 923 923 923 923 923
Arizona
202 293 347 347 347 277 277
Arkansas
161 204 204 204 204 204 204
California
506 694 596 626 750 694 638
Colorado
379 356 356 356 356 462 462
Connecticut
498 680 636 636 656 656 674
Delaware
266 333 338 338 338 416 338
District
of
Columbia 286 409 415 379 407 428 428
Florida
195 294 303 303 303 303 303
Georgia
183 273 280 280 280 280 280
Hawai
468 632 712 570 570 610 610
Idaho
305 317 317 293 309 309 309
Illinois
302 367 377 377 396 432 432
Indiana
255 288 288 288 288 288 288
Iowa
360 426 426 426 426 426 426
Kansas
353 409 429 429 429 429 429
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TANF: Eligibility and Benefit Amounts in State Cash Assistance Programs

State
1981 1990 1996 2000 2007 2010 2012
Kentucky
188 228 262 262 262 262 262
Louisiana
173 190 190 240 240 240 240
Maine
301 453 418 461 485 485 485
Maryland
270 406 373 417 549 574 574
Massachusetts
379 539 565 618 618 618 618
Michigan
397 442 459 459 489 492 492
Minnesota
446 532 532 532 532 532 532
Mississippi
96 120 120 170 170 170 170
Missouri
248 292 292 292 292 292 292
Montana
259 370 438 477 375 504 504
Nebraska
350 364 364 364 364 364 364
Nevada
241 330 348 348 383 383 383
New
Hampshire
326 506 550 600 625 675 675
New
Jersey
360 424 424 424 424 424 424
New
Mexico
220 310 389 439 389 447 380
New
York
429 577 577 577 691 753 770
North
Carolina
192 272 272 272 272 272 272
North
Dakota
334 401 431 457 477 427 427
Ohio
263 334 341 373 410 434 450
Oklahoma
282 325 307 292 292 292 292
Oregon
321 444 460 503 514 528 506
Pennsylvania
332 421 421 421 421 421 421
Rhode
Island
367 543 554 554 554 554 554
South
Carolina
129 206 200 205 240 270 216
South
Dakota
321 385 430 430 508 555 555
Tennessee
122 195 185 185 185 185 185
Texas
118 184 188 201 236 260 263
Utah
348 387 426 451 474 498 498
Vermont
476 630 597 622 640 640 640
Virginia
310 354 354 389 389 389 389
Washington
415 501 546 546 546 562 478
West
Virginia
206 249 253 353 340 340 340
Wisconsin
444 517 517 673 673 673 653
Wyoming
315 360 360 340 340 561 602








Median
305 367 377 389 396 428 427
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TANF: Eligibility and Benefit Amounts in State Cash Assistance Programs

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS). Information for the TANF years (after 1996) is based on data in
the Urban Institute’s Welfare Rules Database, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS). Information for AFDC (1996 and earlier years) is from the CRS survey of state AFDC financial eligibility
and benefit amounts.
Table A-7. Maximum Monthly AFDC/TANF Cash Assistance Benefit for a Single
Parent Caring for Two Children in Constant July 2012 Dollars
State
1981 1990 1996 2000 2007 2010 2012
Alabama
$295 $207 $239 $217 $236 $226 $215
Alaska
1,428 1,486 1,347 1,224 1,015 970 923
Arizona
505 515 506 460 382 291 277
Arkansas
403 358 298 270 224 214 204
California
1,266
1,219 870 830 825 729 638
Colorado
948 625 519 472 392 486 462
Connecticut
1,246
1,195 928 843 722 689 674
Delaware
665 585 493 448 372 437 338
District
of
Columbia 715 719 606 502 448 450 428
Florida
488 517 442 402 333 318 303
Georgia
458 480 409 371 308 294 280
Hawai
1,171 1,110 1,039 756 627 641 610
Idaho
763 557 463 388 340 325 309
Illinois
755 645 550 500 436 454 432
Indiana
638 506 420 382 317 303 288
Iowa
900 748 622 565 469 448 426
Kansas
883 719 626 569 472 451 429
Kentucky
470 401 382 347 288 275 262
Louisiana
433 334 277 318 264 252 240
Maine
753 796 610 611 533 510 485
Maryland
675 713 544 553 604 603 574
Massachusetts
948 947 824 819 680 649 618
Michigan
993 777 670 609 538 517 492
Minnesota
1,116 935 776 705 585 559 532
Mississippi
240 211 175 225 187 179 170
Missouri
620 513 426 387 321 307 292
Montana
648 650 639 632 412 530 504
Nebraska
875 640 531 483 400 383 364
Nevada
603 580 508 461 421 402 383
New
Hampshire
815 889 803 796 687 709 675
New
Jersey
900 745 619 562 466 446 424
New
Mexico
550 545 568 582 428 470 380
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TANF: Eligibility and Benefit Amounts in State Cash Assistance Programs

State
1981 1990 1996 2000 2007 2010 2012
New
York
1,073
1,014 842 765 760 791 770
North
Carolina
480 478 397 361 299 286 272
North
Dakota
835 705 629 606 525 449 427
Ohio
658 587 498 495 451 456 450
Oklahoma
705 571 448 387 321 307 292
Oregon
803 780 671 667 565 555 506
Pennsylvania
830 740 614 558 463 442 421
Rhode
Island
918 954 808 735 609 582 554
South
Carolina
323 362 292 272 264 284 216
South
Dakota
803 676 627 570 559 583 555
Tennessee
305 343 270 245 203 194 185
Texas
295 323 274 266 260 273 263
Utah
870 680 622 598 521 523 498
Vermont
1,191
1,107 871 825 704 673 640
Virginia
775 622 517 516 428 409 389
Washington
1,038 880 797 724 601 591 478
West
Virginia
515 437 369 468 374 357 340
Wisconsin
1,111 908 754 892 740 707 653
Wyoming
788 632 525 451 374 590 602








Median
763 645 550 516 436 450 427
Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS). Information for the TANF years (after 1996) is based on data in
the Urban Institute’s Welfare Rules Database, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS). Information for AFDC (1996 and earlier years) is from the CRS survey of state AFDC financial eligibility
and benefit amounts.
Notes: July 2012 constant dol ars were computed using the Consumer Price Index for al Urban Consumers
(CPI-U), not seasonally adjusted data.
Table A-8. Maximum Monthly AFDC/TANF Cash Assistance Benefit for a Single
Parent Caring for Two Children, as a Percent of the Federal Poverty Level,
July of Selected Years
State
1981 1990 1996 2000 2007 2010 2012
Alabama
20.0% 13.4% 15.2% 13.9% 15.0% 14.1% 13.5%
Alaska
77.4 76.9 68.3 62.6 51.6 48.4 46.4
Arizona
34.3 33.3 32.1 29.4 24.3 18.2 17.4
Arkansas
27.3 23.2 18.9 17.3 14.3 13.4 12.8
California
85.9 78.9 55.1 53.1 52.4 45.5 40.1
Colorado
64.3 40.5 32.9 30.2 24.9 30.3 29.0
Connecticut
84.5 77.3 58.8 53.9 45.8 43.0 42.4
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TANF: Eligibility and Benefit Amounts in State Cash Assistance Programs

State
1981 1990 1996 2000 2007 2010 2012
Delaware
45.1 37.8 31.2 28.7 23.6 27.3 21.2
District
of
Columbia
48.5 46.5 38.4 32.1 28.4 28.1 26.9
Florida
33.1 33.4 28.0 25.7 21.2 19.9 19.0
Georgia
31.1 31.0 25.9 23.7 19.6 18.4 17.6
Hawai
69.0 62.4 57.2 42.0 34.6 34.8 33.3
Idaho
51.8 36.0 29.3 24.8 21.6 20.3 19.4
Illinois
51.3 41.7 34.9 32.0 27.7 28.3 27.2
Indiana
43.3 32.7 26.6 24.4 20.1 18.9 18.1
Iowa
61.1 48.4 39.4 36.1 29.8 27.9 26.8
Kansas
59.9 46.5 39.7 36.4 30.0 28.1 27.0
Kentucky
31.9 25.9 24.2 22.2 18.3 17.2 16.5
Louisiana
29.4 21.6 17.6 20.4 16.8 15.7 15.1
Maine
51.1 51.5 38.6 39.1 33.9 31.8 30.5
Maryland
45.8 46.1 34.5 35.4 38.4 37.6 36.1
Massachusetts
64.3 61.3 52.2 52.4 43.2 40.5 38.8
Michigan
67.4 50.2 42.4 38.9 34.2 32.2 30.9
Minnesota
75.7 60.5 49.2 45.1 37.2 34.9 33.4
Mississippi
16.3 13.6 11.1 14.4 11.9 11.1 10.7
Missouri
42.1 33.2 27.0 24.8 20.4 19.1 18.4
Montana
44.0 42.0 40.5 40.5 26.2 33.0 31.7
Nebraska
59.4 41.4 33.7 30.9 25.4 23.9 22.9
Nevada
40.9 37.5 32.2 29.5 26.8 25.1 24.1
New
Hampshire 55.3 57.5 50.8 50.9 43.7 44.2 42.4
New
Jersey
61.1 48.2 39.2 36.0 29.6 27.8 26.7
New
Mexico
37.3 35.2 36.0 37.2 27.2 29.3 23.9
New
York
72.8 65.6 53.3 48.9 48.3 49.4 48.4
North
Carolina
32.6 30.9 25.1 23.1 19.0 17.8 17.1
North
Dakota
56.7 45.6 39.8 38.8 33.3 28.0 26.8
Ohio
44.6 38.0 31.5 31.6 28.7 28.4 28.3
Oklahoma
47.9 36.9 28.4 24.8 20.4 19.1 18.4
Oregon
54.5 50.5 42.5 42.7 35.9 34.6 31.8
Pennsylvania
56.4 47.8 38.9 35.7 29.4 27.6 26.5
Rhode
Island
62.3 61.7 51.2 47.0 38.7 36.3 34.8
South
Carolina
21.9 23.4 18.5 17.4 16.8 17.7 13.6
South
Dakota
54.5 43.8 39.8 36.5 35.5 36.4 34.9
Tennessee
20.7 22.2 17.1 15.7 12.9 12.1 11.6
Texas
20.0 20.9 17.4 17.0 16.5 17.0 16.5
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TANF: Eligibility and Benefit Amounts in State Cash Assistance Programs

State
1981 1990 1996 2000 2007 2010 2012
Utah
59.1 44.0 39.4 38.2 33.1 32.6 31.3
Vermont
80.8 71.6 55.2 52.7 44.7 41.9 40.2
Virginia
52.6 40.2 32.7 33.0 27.2 25.5 24.5
Washington
70.4 56.9 50.5 46.3 38.2 36.8 30.0
West
Virginia
35.0 28.3 23.4 29.9 23.8 22.3 21.4
Wisconsin
75.4 58.8 47.8 57.1 47.0 44.1 41.0
Wyoming
53.5 40.9 33.3 28.8 23.8 36.8 37.8








Median
51.8 41.7 34.9 33.0 27.7 28.1 26.8
Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS). Information for the TANF years (after 1996) is based on data in
the Urban Institute’s Welfare Rules Database, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS). Information for AFDC (1996 and earlier years) is from the CRS survey of state AFDC financial eligibility
and benefit amounts.

Author Contact Information

Gene Falk

Specialist in Social Policy
gfalk@crs.loc.gov, 7-7344


Acknowledgments
CRS Graphics Specialist Amber Wilhelm created the figures in this report. CRS GIS Analyst Calvin
DeSouza assisted in the creation of Figure 3.
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