1205 Assistance Units

Georgia State Seal

Georgia Division of Family and Children Services
TANF Policy Manual

Policy Title:

Assistance Units

Effective Date:

October 2024

Chapter:

1200

Policy Number:

1205

Previous Policy Number(s):

MT 74

Updated or Reviewed in MT:

MT-78

Requirements

The assistance unit (AU) includes members of the standard filing unit (SFU) and may include other individuals who are related to and living in the home with the grantee relative.

Basic Considerations

The SFU includes the dependent child for whom assistance is requested, and certain other individuals living in the home with the child who are required to be included in the AU. This includes a pregnant woman or pregnant minor and her unborn child/children.

The following individuals are members of the SFU:

  • an eligible minor sibling, (whole, half or adoptive) of the dependent child for whom assistance is requested, and

  • a biological or adoptive parent of the dependent child for whom assistance is requested.

  • a dependent child of a minor parent for whom assistance is requested.

  • a pregnant woman or pregnant minor.

The term 'child' means child or children, including a fetus with a detectable human heartbeat.

Adoptive relationships take precedence over biological relationships. When determining AU composition for an adopted child, his/her biological siblings will not be considered as members of SFU.

The number of individuals included in the AU determines the income limits used to determine financial eligibility and benefit amount.

The income and resources of certain individuals who are not included in the AU are considered when determining the AU’s financial eligibility and benefit amount.

Refer to Chapter 1500, Financial Eligibility Criteria, or to Section 1525 Income, and Section 1505 Resources, for additional information.

Other Assistance Unit Members

The parent of a child included in the AU must also be included even if the parent is not related to the grantee relative.

Other children living in the home who are within the specified degree of relationship to the grantee relative but who are not members of the SFU may be included in the AU.

Children in an AU do not have to be related to each other.

A non-parent relative may be included in the AU as the caretaker if there is no parent in the home or if the only parent in the home receives SSI.

An individual can only receive one TANF benefit as a caretaker and/or a grantee relative. S/he cannot be a caretaker and/or a grantee relative for more than one AU.

This restriction does not apply to an emergency payee or a protective payee situation.

Ineligible Individuals

The following individuals are ineligible and cannot be included in the AU:

  • a child who is not deprived,

  • a child who is not within the specified degree of relationship to the grantee relative, even if the child is a sibling to a child in the AU,

  • an adult or child who does not meet the citizenship or alien requirement,

  • an adult who is sentenced to perform unpaid public work and is permitted to live in the home while serving his/her sentence,

  • an adult or child who is in a lump sum period of ineligibility.

The income and resources of an ineligible parent are considered in determining the financial eligibility and benefit amount of the AU.

The income and resources of an ineligible child are not considered in determining the financial eligibility and benefit amount of the AU.

Income may be allocated from an AU member to the ineligible spouse or child of the AU member.

Refer to Chapter 1600, Eligibility Budgeting.

Penalized Individuals

The following individuals are penalized and cannot be included in the AU:

  • a parent or child who does not meet the enumeration requirements,

  • an individual who was convicted on or after January 1, 1997, of a serious violent felony,

  • an individual who was convicted on or after January 1, 1997, of a felony related to possession, use or distribution of a controlled substance,

  • a felon who is fleeing to avoid prosecution, custody, or confinement,

  • an individual who is a probation or parole violator,

  • a pregnant woman or pregnant minor who does not meet the prenatal care requirement,

  • a pregnant minor or minor parent who does not meet the minor caretaker living arrangement requirement,

  • a pregnant minor or minor parent who does not meet the school attendance requirement,

  • a pre-school age child who is not immunized,

  • an SFU member who fails or refuses to cooperate in determining citizenship/alienage status, or

  • an individual who voluntarily and without good cause quits a job.

An individual who is not a member of the SFU is not penalized but is excluded from the AU.

Refer to Section 1310-Ineligibility

The income and resources of a penalized individual are considered in determining eligibility and benefit amount of the AU.

Refer to Chapter 1300, Basic Eligibility Requirements: 1349 Work Requirements, 1360 Immunization, 1365 Living Arrangements of a Minor Head of Household, 1370 Pregnancy and Prenatal Care, and 1380 Cooperation with Eligibility Investigations, for additional information on penalized individuals.

Refer to Section 1505 Resources, for information on the treatment of a penalized individual’s resources.

Refer to Section 1670 Budgeting the Income of a Penalized Individual, for budgeting procedures.

Refer to Section 1349 Work Requirements, for additional information on voluntary quit.

Disqualified Individuals

The following individuals are disqualified and cannot be included in the AU:

  • an individual who was found to have committed an intentional program violation (IPV),

  • an individual who misrepresented residency in order to receive TANF, SNAP benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Medicaid in two or more states simultaneously.

The income and resources of an individual who has been disqualified are considered in determining eligibility and benefit amount if the individual is an SFU member or the individual is not an SFU member but was included in the AU at the time the IPV was committed.

Refer to Chapter 1300, Basic Eligibility Requirements, for additional information on disqualified individuals.

Excluded Individuals

Individuals who are not members of an AU member’s SFU but are eligible may be included in or excluded from the AU. This option must be discussed with the AU and the AU’s option documented.

A child is not a member of his/her parent’s SFU. If potentially eligible for cash assistance, the child may be included in or excluded from the parent’s AU, at the option of the AU.

For example: Grandparent applies for and is receiving for grandchildren. Grandparent has children living in AU but chooses to exclude her own children to receive TANF for her grandchildren.

The income and resources of an individual who has been voluntarily excluded from the AU are not considered in determining financial eligibility and benefit amount of the AU.

Individuals Receiving Public Assistance Other than TANF

An individual who is receiving benefits or on whose behalf benefits are received from the following programs cannot be included in the AU:

  • Supplemental Security Income,

  • Title IV-E Foster Care,

  • Child Welfare Foster Care,

  • Relative Care Subsidy.

The income and resources of these individuals are not considered in determining the AU’s financial eligibility or benefit amount.

A child on whose behalf Title IV-E Adoption Assistance or State Adoption Assistance payments are made may be included in the AU. The child is required to be included if s/he is a parent or sibling of a child included in the AU.

Refer to Section 1530 Treatment of Income-by-Income Type for treatment of adoption assistance payments received on behalf of an AU member.

Multiple Standard Filing Units in an AU

An AU may include more than one SFU. If the AU includes children who are not whole, half or adoptive siblings, each child and his/her parent and siblings are members of a separate SFUs.

A non-parent grantee relative who has no children of his/her own in the AU is not a member of an SFU.

The AU has the option of including members of multiple SFUs in the AU or excluding members of an SFU from the AU.

The advantages and disadvantages of each option must be discussed with the AU.

Verification and Documentation

The client’s statement of who lives in the household and the relationship of the household members to the client and the dependent child can be accepted, unless questionable.

For pregnant individuals, the number of fetuses must be verified. See Section 1370, Prenatal Care.

If questionable, verify household composition by one of the following sources:

  • a statement from the landlord,

  • a statement from persons outside the home who have knowledge of the AU’s circumstances,

  • any other sources which verify the AU’s statement.

Document the following information:

  • the names of all household members and their relationship to the client and the child for whom assistance is requested,

  • the reason an individual is included in or excluded from the AU,

  • the date and source of verification if the client’s statement was questionable.

Procedures

When Applying for a Dependent Child

Follow the steps below to determine the composition of the AU:

Step 1

Identify the dependent child for whom assistance is requested.
Step 2

Identify the individuals living in the home with the child and their relationship to the child.
Step 3

Include in the AU with the child the parent (biological or adoptive) of the child for whom assistance is requested.
Step 4

If there is no parent in the home include, at the AU’s option, the specified relative with whom the child lives as the caretaker.
Step 5

Include minor siblings and half siblings of the child identified in Step 1 who are within the specified degree of relationship to the grantee relative.
Step 6

Include, at the AU’s option, other children in the home who are within the specified degree of relationship to the grantee relative.
Step 7

If a child is added to the AU in Step 5 or 6, repeat Steps 3 and 5.

When Applying for Pregnant Individual with no Dependent Children

Follow the steps below to determine the composition of the AU:

Step 1

Identify the pregnant woman or pregnant minor for whom assistance is requested.
Step 2

Identify the individuals living in the home with the pregnant woman or pregnant minor and their relationship to her.
Step 3

Include in the EDG with the pregnant woman or pregnant minor, her spouse to determine TANF eligibility.
Step 4

Include, at the AU’s option, other children in the home who are within the specified degree of relationship to the pregnant woman or pregnant minor.
Step 5

If a child is added to the AU in Step 4, follow the procedures above for: When Applying for a Dependent Child.

Chart 1205.1 can be used to determine the composition of the AU in certain situations.

Chart 1205.1 - Determining the Composition of an AU

Chart 1205.1
SITUATION TREATMENT

A biological parent lives in the home with a child who has been adopted

AND

the adoptive parent is in the home.

Include the biological parent as a sibling if both of the following conditions exist:

  • the biological parent is also the child (adoptive or natural) of the adoptive parent

    AND

  • the biological parent meets basic eligibility requirements.

Adoption terminates both the legal responsibility and the SFU requirement to be included as a parent.

A biological parent lives in the home with a child who has been adopted

AND

the adoptive parent is not in the home.

Include the biological parent as the caretaker if s/he is eligible and chooses to be included. The biological parent is treated as a non-parent caretaker relative.

Adoption terminates both the legal responsibility and the SFU requirement to be included as a parent.

A biological parent whose parental rights have been terminated lives in the home with the child and a specified relative other than a parent.

Include either the biological parent or the specified relative as the caretaker relative, at the option of the AU.

Termination of parental rights severs legal responsibility to be included as a parent; therefore, the specified relative or the biological parent can choose to be included in the AU.

Both parents live in the home with a mutual child.

Include both parents in the AU if the mutual child is deprived.

The parents do not have to be married to each other. If the mother was legally married to another man at the time of the child’s birth, exclude the biological father living in the home, unless paternity is established. Refer to Section 1315 Deprivation

A child is placed in a residential childcare institution, such as the Georgia Baptist Children’s Home, United Methodist Children’s Home or the Georgia Sheriffs' Boys' Ranch.

The child is ineligible for TANF

A child lives with an individual who has legal custody but who is not a legal guardian and who is not within the degree of relationship.

The child is ineligible for TANF

A couple lives together

AND

they are not married

AND

there is no eligible mutual child, but each has a child.

Determine eligibility as separate AUs.

An individual is required to be in multiple AUs.

Combine all individuals into one AU.

A married couple has no eligible mutual child, but each has a child.

Determine the option that is most advantageous to the family.

Combine in one AU or make separate AUs.

A minor parent with dependent children or pregnant minor with no dependent children lives in the home with her parent. (no spouse)

Include the minor parent and child as a dependent child or pregnant minor if either one of the following conditions exists:

  • the minor’s sibling is included in the AU, or

  • the minor’s parent is included as a caretaker

A minor parent or pregnant minor and spouse lives in the home with a parent. (with a mutual child)

Include the minor parent or pregnant minor as a dependent child if either one of the following conditions exists:

  • the minor’s sibling(s) are included in the AU, or

  • the minor’s parent is included as a caretaker.

Include the minor’s spouse and mutual child in the AU.

A minor child or pregnant minor and spouse live in the home with their parent. (no mutual child)

Include the minor child or pregnant minor as a dependent if either one of the following conditions exists:

  • the minor’s sibling(s) are included in the AU, or

  • the minor’s parent is included as a caretaker.

Include the minor’s spouse in the EDG as an ineligible spouse if they have no mutual child. See Section 1620 for deeming/allocation if applicable.

The only dependent child receives SSI, Title IV-E Foster Care, Child Welfare Foster Care or Relative Care Subsidy.

Determine the child’s eligibility on all points other than financial need.

Include only the eligible caretaker and other eligible adult (if applicable) in the AU. The dependent child that receives SSI, Title IV-E Foster Care, Child Welfare Foster Care, or Relative Care Subsidy income cannot be included in the AU when determining TANF eligibility.

The income/resources of a child who receives the income above are not considered when determining TANF eligibility.

A parent lives in the home with the child and a specified relative who has legal custody of the child (parental rights have not been terminated).

Include the parent in the AU as the caretaker relative.

Designate the relative with legal custody as the payee if it is not in the best interest of the child for the parent to be payee.

A roomer or boarder lives with the AU.

Determine the AU composition without regard to others living with the AU and paying a fee for food and/or shelter unless they are members of the SFU.

A stepparent lives in the home.

AND

the stepparent has no children of his own living in the home.

Include the stepparent in the AU, at the stepparent’s option, if one of the following situations exists:

  • there is no parent living in the home.

  • the parent in the home receives SSI.

A striker lives in the home.

If the striker is the parent, the members of the striker’s SFU AU are ineligible for any month in which the parent is on strike on the last day of the month.

If the striker is a non-parent, caretaker relative, exclude the non-parent from the AU for any month s/he is on strike on the last day of the month.

  • If the striker is the only child, the entire AU is ineligible for any month in which the child is on strike on the last day of the month.