Deeply poor families still earn too much for TANF
In June 2008, in more than half the states, a family with earnings at 50% of the Federal Poverty Level earned too much to qualify for cash assistance under TANF.
CLASP calculation based on Urban Insitute's Welfare Rules Database, Table I.E.4.
| State | Monthly maximum earnings an applicant can receive and still be eligible for assistance | Yearly Maximum Earnings | Yearly maximum earnings as % of FPL |
| Alabama | $269 | $3,225 | 18.32 |
| Alaska | $1,474 | $17,688 | 80.40 |
| Arizona | $585 | $7,020 | 39.89 |
| Arkansas | $279 | $3,345 | 19.01 |
| California | $1,170 | $14,040 | 79.77 |
| Colorado | $511 | $6,132 | 34.84 |
| Connecticut | $858 | $10,296 | 58.50 |
| Delaware | $428 | $5,136 | 29.18 |
| D.C. | $588 | $7,056 | 40.09 |
| Florida | $393 | $4,716 | 26.80 |
| Georgia | $514 | $6,168 | 35.05 |
| Hawaii | $1,802 | $21,624 | 106.84 |
| Idaho | $648 | $7,776 | 44.18 |
| Illinois | $486 | $5,832 | 33.14 |
| Indiana | $378 | $4,536 | 25.77 |
| Iowa | $1,061 | $12,735 | 72.36 |
| Kansas | $519 | $6,228 | 35.39 |
| Kentucky | $908 | $10,896 | 61.91 |
| Louisiana | $360 | $4,320 | 24.55 |
| Maine | $1,023 | $12,276 | 69.75 |
| Maryland | $706 | $8,475 | 48.15 |
| Massachusetts | $723 | $8,676 |
49.30 |
| Michigan | $812 | $9,744 | 55.36 |
| Minnesota | $1,108 | $13,296 | 75.55 |
| Mississippi | $457 | $5,484 | 31.16 |
| Missouri | $381 | $4,572 | 25.98 |
| Montana | $700 | $8,400 | 47.73 |
| Nebraska | $850 | $10,200 | 57.95 |
| Nevada | $1,375 | $16,500 | 93.75 |
| New Hampshire | $781 | $9,375 | 53.27 |
| New Jersey | $636 | $7,632 | 43.36 |
| New Mexico | $1,017 | $12,204 | 69.34 |
| New York | $781 | $9,372 | 53.25 |
| North Carolina | $681 | $8,172 | 46.43 |
| North Dakota | $1,252 | $15,024 | 85.36 |
| Ohio | $980 | $11,760 | 66.82 |
| Oklahoma | $824 | $9,888 | 56.18 |
| Oregon | $616 | $7,392 | 42.00 |
| Pennsylvania | $493 | $5,916 | 33.61 |
| Rhode Island | $1,277 | $15,324 | 87.07 |
| South Carolina | $715 | $8,580 | 48.75 |
| South Dakota | $762 | $9,144 | 51.95 |
| Tennessee | $1,315 | $15,780 | 89.66 |
| Texas | $401 | $4,812 | 27.34 |
| Utah | $668 | $8,016 | 45.55 |
| Vermont | $1,052 | $12,624 | 71.73 |
| Virginia | $1,467 | $17,604 | 100.02 |
| Washington | $1,122 | $13,464 | 76.50 |
| West Virginia | $565 | $6,780 | 38.52 |
| Wisconsin | |||
| Wyoming | $539 | $6,468 |
36.75 |
| Massachusetts value shown is for non-exempt cases; Virginia value shown is for VIEW cases. Wisconsin is missing because units with full time employment (generally greater than 30 hours a week) will not receive a cash benefit in the state. | |||
| 2008 FPL was $17,600 for a family of three in all states, except for Alaska ($22,000) and Hawaii ($20,240). | |||