Governmental assistance programs are essential for low-income families. With cost-of-living reaching new heights, many of these families are relying on essential assistance from federal and state programs in order to cover immediate monthly living expenses. While there are numerous programs individuals can apply for, specific states also have their own programs to assist their citizens. In Florida, eligible families can soon be expecting their Temporary Cash Assistance (TSA) payments to be hitting their bank accounts.
TCA: Proving essential support for families in Florida
The TCA is a program organized by the state government of Florida to provide cash assistance for eligible families with children under the age of 18. The point of the program is to provide temporary financial relief while families seek more permanent income sources. This assistance has the overarching goal of preventing families from being split up due to parents being unable to meet the expense demands needed to provide for their children.
According to the Florida Department of Children and Families, the following eligibility requirements must be met in order to receive the benefits form the TCA program:
- Time Limits – Cash assistance is limited to a lifetime total of 48 months as an adult (except for child only cases, which have no time limit).
- Work Rules – Some people must participate in work activities unless they meet an exemption. Regional Workforce Boards provide work activities and services needed to get or keep a job.
- Income and Deductions – Gross income must be less than 185% of the Federal Poverty level and countable income can’t be higher than the payment standard for the family size. Individuals get a $90 deduction from their gross earned income.
- Citizenship – Individuals must be U.S. citizens or qualified non-citizens.
- Residency – Individuals must live in the state of Florida.
- SSN – Individuals must provide a Social Security Number or proof they have applied for one.
- Assets – A family’s countable assets must be equal to or less than $2,000. Licensed vehicles needed for individuals subject to the work requirement may not exceed a combined value of $8,500.
- Relationship – A child must be living in the home maintained by a parent or a relative who is a blood relative of the child.
- Child Support Cooperation – The parent or the caretaker relative of the children must cooperate with child support enforcement to identify and locate the parent(s) who do not live in the child’s home, to prove a child’s legal relationship to their parent and to get the court to order child support payments.
- Immunization – Children under age 5 must be up to date with childhood immunizations (shots).
- Learnfare – Children age 6 to 18 must attend school and parents/caretakers must attend school conferences.
When can qualifying families expect their March payments?
The day your TCA payments are distributed to you depends on what your assigned case number is. Unlike Social Security payments, TCA payments occur everyday of the month and are distributed through the EBT card scheme. The following dates are when beneficiaries can expect to receive their payments for this week coming:
- Case number: 28-31. Date: 9th of the month
- Case number: 32-34. Date: 10th of the month
- Case number: 35-38. Date: 11th of the month
- Case number: 39-41. Date: 12th of the month
- Case number: 42-45. Date: 13th of the month
- Case number: 46-48. Date: 14th of the month
- Case number: 49-53. Date: 15th of the month
- Case number: 54-57. Date: 16th of the month
If your case number does not fall into these categories, and you still have not received your payment, you can refer to the TCA webpage for information confirming when your payment will be processed and distributed.
Other payments to expect this month
Other payments some beneficiaries in Florida may be expecting is the retroactive payments in light of the new Fairness Act passed by congress. These payments are beginning to be processed this month, and eligible individuals will also see their Social Security payments increase from April.
