Cash Assistance (CA) Income Eligibility Guidelines

Cash Assistance (CA) benefits may only be provided for an assistance unit that resides in a needy family.  A family consists of the parent or non-parent head of household, their minor children, the spouse's minor children, dependent children for whom CA is requested, and all minor siblings of the dependent children.

To be considered a needy family, the countable income of a family may not exceed:

• 130% of the current federal poverty level for families in which the head-of-household is a non-parent relative requesting Cash Assistance only for the dependent children. 
  Example: A grandparent requests CA only for a grandchild. Living in the home are the grandparent, their spouse, and the grandchild. They are a family of three and their family's income may not exceed 130% of the current federal poverty level. 
   
• 100% of the current federal poverty level for all other families. 
  *Note: The needy family income test does not apply to families requesting Cash Assistance only for a dependent child who is in the legal custody of the Department of Child Safety and who is placed in unlicensed foster care.

The assistance unit includes all members of a needy family for whom CA is requested and who meet all the non-financial CA eligibility factors.  When determining the amount of CA benefits, the countable income of the assistance unit is considered.  Also, the income of the parent(s) and minor siblings who are not included in the assistance unit are counted.

Two Payment Standards (A1 and A2) exist for CA.  When it is determined that a family is needy, the countable income of the assistance unit residing in the family may not exceed the applicable payment standard in order for the assistance unit to be eligible for Cash Assistance.  The CA benefit amounts are determined using one of the two payment standards which are based on whether the assistance unit has a shelter cost.  The payment standards are as follows: