Revision 13-2; Effective April 1, 2013

A—2561 General Policy

Revision 13-2; Effective April 1, 2013

TANF-SP

Caretakers and second parents are limited to 60 months of TANF-SP benefits. Each caretaker and second parent has their own separate TANF-SP time limit clock. When a caretaker or second parent reaches the 60th month of the TANF-SP time limit (regardless of who reaches it first), deny the entire household at the end of the 60th month. Do not count TANF-SP benefits an eligible child receives toward the time limit if the child is later certified as a caretaker or second parent.

Months a caretaker or second parent receive TANF-SP do not count toward their federal time limit.

Related Policy

General Policy, A-1910

A—2562 Determining TANF-SP Time Limit Months

Revision 13-2; Effective April 1, 2013

TANF-SP

Effective October 2001, any month a caretaker or second parent receives a TANF-SP benefit counts toward their TANF-SP time limit (TANF-SP TL). Additionally, any TANF benefit that counts towards a caretaker's or second parent's federal time limit also counts toward their TANF-SP TL. Do not count TANF-SP benefits received in another state.

Do not count a month toward the TANF-SP TL if the household's grant is

  • cancelled and not reissued,
  • cancelled and reissued without including the caretaker and second parent's needs, or
  • totally claimed as an overpayment.

A—2563 Tracking TANF-SP Time Limit Months

Revision 13-2; Effective April 1, 2013

TANF-SP

Effective October 1, 2001, a TANF-SP month counts for a caretaker and/or second parent when

  • processing Form H1010 , Texas Works Application – Your Texas Benefits, and a TANF-SP benefit is issued,
  • processing Form H1010 to:
    • add an adult recipient to the household, or
    • change an adult household member from a non-recipient to a recipient.
      Note: Each month a caretaker or second parent receives a cash benefit it is either a TANF benefit or TANF-SP benefit, but never both.

Include all federal time limit months when determining a caretaker or second parent's total countable months of TANF-SP.

A—2563.1 Denying Clients at the End of the TANF-SP 60 Months

Revision 13-2; Effective April 1, 2013

A report that identifies when the 60th TANF-SP countable benefit is issued for a caretaker or second parent is generated and sent to state office. A TANF-SP 60-Month Time Limit memo is sent to the regions after cut-off of the 59th month.

Advisors determine if the caretaker or second parent has received 60 months of countable benefits by checking the TIERS Time Limit TANF State Summary.

If the countable months are correct the advisor must:

  • document in case comments that the caretaker or second parent received his lifetime limit of TANF-SP benefits and the household is no longer eligible for TANF-SP,

  • send TF0001, Notice of Case Action, with the following message:

    "Your household is no longer eligible for TANF-SP benefits because (name of the caretaker/second parent) has reached the end of the state time limit. Your household may still be eligible for Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits even if you are working. If you have any questions please contact your Texas Works advisor or call 1-800-252-9300."

    "Su casa ya no califica para recibir beneficios de TANF-SP porque (name of caretaker/second parent) alcanzó el tiempo límite estatal. Es posible que su casa todavía tenga derecho de recibir beneficios de Medicaid y beneficios de comida del Programa SNAP aunque usted esté trabajando. Si tiene alguna pregunta, por favor, comuníquese con el consejero de Texas Trabaja o llame al 1-800-252-9300."

A caretaker or second parent who is denied TANF-SP when either one or both parents receive the lifetime limit of TANF-SP, cannot be certified on another TANF-SP case. Benefits received as an eligible child do not count if the child is later certified as a caretaker or second parent.

See A-1930, Extended TANF and Hardship Exemptions, when an individual reaches their 60th month and applies for extended TANF.

A—2564 Client Notices

Revision 13-2; Effective April 1, 2013

TANF-SP

TIERS provides initial TANF-SP time limit information on TF0001, Notice of Case Action:

  • at application,
  • when adding a new caretaker or second parent, or
  • at complete review if the caretaker/second parent have not previously been informed of the TANF-SP time limit.