A new year can be a new adventure or a continuing challenge for many families who face economic difficulties every day. Those who benefit from the TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) program know that they will receive cash assistance that will provide relief from these challenges. TANF will not only help cover basic needs, but it also helps families plan for the future with a little more stability. So, if you or your family depend on TANF, it is essential that you understand how the payments will work and what to do if problems arise.
2025 has already arrived and here we are going to explain everything you need to start the year with peace of mind!
What is TANF and how does it work?
TANF is a program administered by the states with federal funds. It is designed to help families in difficult economic situations, offering cash assistance for a certain period of time. This money can be used to alleviate the effects of the basic good that the family deems appropriate (i.e., it can be spent on food, clothing, housing, or medical care). Likewise, the program also offers complementary services, for example, to train families or to support child care. All of this seeks to make families more economically and financially independent.
Does this program have requirements?
Of course, like all federal benefits, the Administration makes sure that it reaches the people who really need help. To receive TANF, applicants must:
- Demonstrate that the income received is below a specific level established by each State.
- Have at least one child under 18 years of age (or be pregnant)
- Actively participate in job searches or job training programs (offered by the TANF program itself)
Keep in mind that the requirements may vary depending on the state you are in, so do not hesitate to review the program rules in your state to stay informed!
What are the payment dates for this January?
TANF is usually deposited at the beginning of each month, but the exact dates may depend on each state and the distribution method they use (either by direct deposit or paper check).
As a general rule, those who receive electronic deposits receive their payments between the 1st and 5th of each month, so by the first week of January they will already have the money in their deposits. It is important that you visit the program calendar in your State,
As an example, the TANF program in Texas is governed by the Eligibility Determination Group (EDG) number and are distributed as follows:
- EDG # ending in 0: Benefits available on January 2nd
- EDG # ending in 1: Benefits available on January 3rd
- EDG # ending in 2: Benefits available on January 5th
- EDG # ending in 3: Benefits available on January 6th
- EDG # ending in 4: Benefits available on January 7th
- EDG # ending in 5: Benefits available on January 9th
- EDG # ending in 6: Benefits available on January 11th
- EDG # ending in 7: Benefits available on January 12th
- EDG # ending in 8: Benefits available on January 13th
- EDG # ending in 9: Benefits available on January 15th
Another example is that, in Florida, they are administered through an EBT Card called Florida ACCESS, and are delivered depending on the case number (depending on the ninth and eighth digits of the case number), your calendar would look like this:
- Case number 00-03: day 1 of the month.
- Case number 04-06, day 2 of the month.
- Case number 07-10, day 3 of the month
- Case number 11-13, day 4 of the month.
- Case number 14-17, day 5 of the month.
And so on until reaching case number 96-99, which will be delivered on the 28th of each month.