Social Services

TANF - Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

Click here to apply online at the Virginia Commonhelp website

TANF is a program which provides temporary financial assistance to eligible families with children. To be eligible, a family must be financially needy and must meet certain other requirements such as those listed below.

Must have a child under the age of 18, or if 18, will graduate from high school before age 19
Is attending school regularly if between the ages of 5 and 18
Is living with a parent, or other relative of specified degree
Is a citizen of the U.S. or an eligible immigrant

A family may receive TANF no longer than 60 months in a lifetime.

An applicant must cooperate with the Division of Child Support Enforcement.

Parents who are able-bodied must register in a program that will help them find a job.

Normal processing time frame for TANF is 30 days from the date of application.

INCOME CHART FOR TANF
Size of Assistance Unit	Amount of Assistance	185%(Max Gross Income)
1	$144.00	$270.00
2	228.00	424.00
3	292.00	546.00
4	354.00	662.00
5	418.00	781.00

* Maximum reimbursable payment for family size 6 or more is $443.00
No resource limit is counted for TANF. (Examples of resources: bank accounts, vehicles.)

Am I eligible for Assistance? - This online service can help you find out if you are eligible to receive temporary cash assistance or food stamps.

You will need to bring the following verifications when applying for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF):

We will need to see proof of:

All incomes: Social Security, SSI, Veterans, Child Support, Self Employment Incomes, and all wages for the month prior to the application month.
Social Security Numbers for all household members (to include absent parent)
Verification of child care expenses
Birth Certificates for all family members - Agency must view original
Marriages License/Divorce Decree
Immunizations of children under the age of 6 years

For more information: www.dss.virginia.gov/benefit/tanf/

Date Last Modified: 07/03/2012