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This brief provides a graphical overview of some of the TANF policy differences across states. It includes information about initial eligibility, benefit amounts, work and activity requirements, and ongoing eligibility and time limits.
The Welfare Rules Database tracks state TANF policies over time, from 1996 to the present. The database includes hundreds of variables related to initial eligibility, benefit amounts, work and activity requirements, and ongoing eligibility and time limits. This report describes the ways in which policies vary within the context of the federal program requirements, and includes dozens of detailed tables showing each state’s policy choices.