When a family is experiencing financial hardship, understanding which assistance programs may be available can make it easier to identify the right place to seek help. In the United States, one of these programs is Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
TANF is a federally funded, state-run program that provides temporary assistance to eligible families. Depending on the state or tribal program, assistance may include cash benefits as well as services intended to support employment and greater financial stability. TANF programs can help families with basic needs such as food, housing, home energy, and child care, while many states also provide employment-related services.
Unlike a nationwide benefit with identical eligibility rules and payment amounts everywhere, TANF varies significantly by state. States determine many important aspects of their programs, including eligibility rules, benefit amounts and available services. Even the name used for TANF can differ depending on where you live.
If you’re considering applying—or already receive TANF—this guide explains how TANF works, how to apply, how to check your application and how to check your available TANF balance.
What Is TANF?
TANF stands for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. You may also hear this type of assistance referred to generally as welfare.
The federal government provides TANF grants to states, which then design and operate their own programs within federal requirements. This decentralized structure is one of the most important things to understand about TANF.
There is no single nationwide TANF payment amount that every eligible family receives.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), states make decisions concerning the design of their TANF programs, the types and amounts of assistance payments, the services available and the rules used to determine who qualifies.
This means someone receiving TANF in one state may encounter different requirements and benefit amounts than a family living in another state.
What Can TANF Help Pay For?
According to USAGov, TANF can help families experiencing financial hardship with expenses such as:
- Food
- Housing
- Home energy
- Child care
Many states also provide services such as job training and assistance with tuition for certain work-related education.
However, available services vary. Applicants should always check the program operating in their own state or tribal area rather than assuming that a service offered somewhere else will also be available to them.
Who May Qualify for TANF?
There is no single eligibility test that applies identically to every TANF applicant nationwide.
Each state or tribal government establishes requirements for its TANF program. USAGov notes that applicants must be residents of the state in which they apply.
Other eligibility rules depend on the applicable program.
Because TANF is intended to assist needy families, state programs establish financial and family eligibility criteria. The exact income limits and other requirements can vary.
For this reason, online articles can explain the general TANF process, but they cannot determine whether a particular family will be approved.
The most reliable way to determine whether you may qualify is to review the requirements of the TANF program where you live.
How to Apply for TANF
TANF applications are handled at the state, territorial or tribal level, rather than through one national application covering the entire country.
Start by identifying the TANF office responsible for your area. USAGov provides information for locating the appropriate TANF program.
Find TANF information through USAGov
Your local program can explain its eligibility rules, application procedure and required documentation.
Depending on where you live, the application process and available submission methods may differ. Follow the instructions from your state or tribal TANF agency carefully.
What Information May Be Required?
Because states operate their own TANF programs, documentation requirements are not necessarily identical everywhere.
Applicants should be prepared to provide the information requested by their TANF agency so it can determine whether the household satisfies applicable eligibility requirements.
Do not rely on a document checklist from another state. Instead, use the application instructions issued by the agency processing your case.
This is particularly important because TANF programs have substantial flexibility in establishing eligibility and program rules.
How to Check Your TANF Application Status
After submitting an application, the next question is often:
“How do I know if I was approved for TANF?”
Because TANF is administered locally, you generally need to deal with the state or tribal agency processing your application.
There isn’t one universal federal TANF account where every applicant in the United States can check their application.
If your state provides an online benefits portal, you may be able to obtain information there. Otherwise, follow the contact instructions provided by your TANF agency.
USAGov directs people with questions about TANF to their local TANF office.
Be careful with websites that claim they can independently approve TANF applications. Eligibility decisions come from the government program responsible for your application.
What Happens If You Are Approved?
What happens next depends on your state’s TANF program.
TANF can include cash assistance, but states have considerable flexibility over benefit amounts and program design.
USAGov states that TANF benefits may be issued electronically on a debit card or through direct deposit, and some states may also issue benefits by paper check.
If approved, carefully review the information provided by your TANF agency. It should explain how your benefits are delivered and what requirements apply while participating in the program.
How Much Can You Receive From TANF?
There is no single national TANF benefit amount.
This distinction is important because advertisements or websites may sometimes give the impression that every approved family receives the same payment.
That isn’t how TANF works.
HHS states that individual states make decisions about the type and amount of assistance payments provided through their TANF programs.
Therefore, a payment amount mentioned for one state should not automatically be applied to another.
The amount available to a particular household depends on the rules of the program administering that household’s benefits and the circumstances considered by that program.
How to Check Your TANF Balance
For existing recipients, checking the TANF balance is different from determining how much a new applicant might receive.
If you receive TANF benefits electronically, USAGov identifies several ways you may be able to check how much money remains available.
One option is to look at the receipt after making a purchase with the TANF card. Many retailers print the remaining balance on the receipt.
Your state may also provide a mobile application for managing benefits and viewing the available balance.
Another option is to look for the customer-service telephone number printed on the back of the benefits card. USAGov notes that this number may connect you with the appropriate service or TANF office that can provide balance information.
The exact options available depend on the state.
TANF Card vs. TANF Balance
If your TANF cash assistance is delivered electronically, the available balance represents funds remaining in the account associated with those benefits.
This should not be confused with simply seeing an advertisement that says you may qualify for TANF.
Eligibility, approval and available balance are three different things.
Someone who hasn’t applied does not yet have a TANF balance to check. An applicant awaiting a decision may need to check their application status. A person already receiving electronic TANF assistance may be able to check their available balance.
Keeping these stages separate helps avoid confusion.
Can TANF Be Deposited Directly Into a Bank Account?
Depending on the program, yes.
USAGov states that states issue TANF benefits electronically on a debit card or through direct deposit, while some states can also issue benefits by paper check.
The payment method available to you depends on the program handling your benefits.
If you are approved, use the payment information provided by your TANF agency to determine which options are available.
Is TANF the Same as SNAP?
No. Although a household may encounter both programs when looking for assistance, TANF and SNAP are separate programs.
TANF provides temporary assistance to needy families and may include cash assistance and employment-related services.
SNAP—the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program—is specifically intended to help eligible low-income households purchase food. SNAP benefits are issued through an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card.
The fact that electronic benefit cards can be involved in both programs does not make TANF and SNAP the same benefit.
Does TANF Have Work-Related Requirements?
Work and employment are significant parts of the TANF framework, but the rules affecting a particular participant depend on federal requirements together with the applicable state program.
Federal TANF regulations include work-related provisions, while states have flexibility in designing and administering their programs.
TANF programs can also provide employment-related support. USAGov notes that many states offer job training and assistance with tuition for work-related education.
If you receive TANF, review the requirements communicated by your state agency rather than assuming that rules described for another participant or another state apply to your case.
How Long Can Someone Receive TANF?
The word “Temporary” in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families is important.
Federal law generally establishes a 60-month lifetime limit on federally funded TANF assistance for a family that includes an adult recipient, subject to applicable exceptions, while states can establish different or shorter limits in certain circumstances.
This doesn’t mean that every family automatically receives TANF for five years.
Eligibility and continued participation depend on applicable rules, and state policies can differ. The 60-month federal limit should therefore not be interpreted as a guaranteed duration of benefits.
Participants should consult their TANF agency for the rules that apply to their particular case.
Can Your TANF Benefits Change?
Because states determine TANF benefit levels and eligibility rules, a household should follow its agency’s instructions regarding changes in circumstances and reporting requirements.
If something changes in your household, don’t assume that your benefits will automatically stay the same.
Follow your state’s reporting procedures and check official notices concerning your case.
Likewise, if the amount appearing in your account is different from what you expected, contact the program responsible for your benefits rather than relying on estimates from third-party websites.
What Should You Do If Your TANF Balance Looks Wrong?
First, verify the balance using one of the methods supported by your program.
For electronic TANF benefits, that may include checking a recent transaction receipt, using an available state benefits application or contacting the telephone number on the back of your card.
If the amount still appears incorrect or you don’t recognize a transaction, contact the agency or customer-service channel responsible for the account.
Avoid sharing your card number, PIN or other sensitive account information with websites or individuals that claim they can check the balance for you.
TANF Benefits Can Vary by State
This is perhaps the most important point to remember about TANF.
Two families with apparently similar circumstances but living in different states should not assume they will encounter identical TANF programs.
States determine important elements such as eligibility criteria, benefit levels and available services within the TANF framework.
Programs can also operate under different names.
Whenever you’re researching TANF information, check which state the information applies to and whether it comes from the agency responsible for that state’s program.
How to Find Your TANF Office
If you want to apply, check an existing application or ask questions about current benefits, locating the appropriate TANF agency is an important starting point.
USAGov maintains a TANF information page that directs users to the relevant local programs and explains basic information about eligibility, applications and balance checking.
Find your TANF program and learn how to apply
Remember that your state’s program may have a different name, so don’t assume that you need to see the letters “TANF” prominently displayed for it to be the correct program.
Protect Your TANF Information
Benefit cards and account credentials should be treated like other sensitive financial information.
Do not give your PIN, full card information, passwords or other private account credentials to an unknown website simply because it promises to reveal a TANF balance or guarantee additional benefits.
When you need account-specific information, use the channels provided by the program administering your benefits, such as the number on your benefits card or your state’s official benefits system.
Similarly, no advertisement can determine that you have been approved simply because you clicked on it. Approval comes from the agency responsible for processing the application.
Final Thoughts
TANF can provide temporary financial assistance and other services to eligible families experiencing financial hardship, but there isn’t one identical TANF program for everyone in the United States.
If you’re interested in receiving assistance, start by identifying the TANF program in your state or tribal area and reviewing its eligibility requirements. Follow that program’s instructions to submit your application and provide any information it requires.
If you’ve already applied, check your application status through the agency handling your case.
And if you’re already receiving electronic TANF cash assistance, you may be able to check your available balance through a transaction receipt, a state-supported mobile app when available, or the telephone number provided on your benefits card.
Most importantly, don’t assume that eligibility requirements, payment amounts or procedures from another state apply to you. TANF is administered at the state, territorial and tribal levels, so the program responsible for your case is the appropriate source for information about your eligibility, benefit amount and current balance.