STATEMaineTANF

Maine TANF

Maine TANF is designed to provide temporary cash assistance to children and their parents while the family works toward becoming self-supporting. 1

The law, however, allows families to receive cash benefits for no more than 60 months, with some exceptions for the elderly, disabled persons, and children under age 18.

Apart from cash aid, benefits include vouchers for child care and transportation assistance, employment support, intended to meet the basic needs of families.

FAQ

How do I qualify for TANF in Maine?

To qualify for TANF in Maine, you must meet the following eligibility requirements:

  1. Be a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident.
  2. Be a resident of the state of Maine.
  3. Be pregnant or have a child under age 19.
  4. Be unemployed or under employed (working for very low wages).
  5. Have countable assets below $2000.

How much TANF can I get in Maine?

The amount of cash assistance a family may be eligible to receive depends on the family’s size and income. For example, TANF offers the poorest families of three in Maine a maximum of $665 per month.

In addition to cash aid, families earning less than 60% of local area median income and paying no more than 125% of fair market rents for the area in which they live may be eligible for Maine’s first rent relief program of up to $800 per month. 2

How do I apply for TANF in Maine?

Application for Maine TANF can now be made online via My Maine Connection

You can also use the “pre-screener” to find out if you may qualify for other benefits such as SNAP, MaineCare, plus WIC, and the Earned Income Tax Credit.

After submitting your application, a DHHS caseworker will call you to arrange a face-to-face interview and an orientation meeting. Eligibility is determined after both the interview and the orientation are completed.

For assistance, please call
(855) 797-4357

What if I need emergency cash assistance in Maine?

Families who seek one-time, short-term assistance while searching for a job may apply for Alternative Aid Assistance instead of ongoing TANF benefits.

Voucher payments equal to up to three (3) months worth of TANF benefits are available to families during a difficult period. No cash payment is made to the family.

Footnotes

  1. Up until recently TANF benefits were limited to single parent families or 2-parent families in which one parent was disabled or unemployed. This rule has been changed so that all families with very low income and children at home, may now qualify for TANF. ↩

  2. Portland Press Herald. New rent relief program to offer struggling Mainers up to $800 a month. ↩

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