Child Support

State Child Support Resources

Learn about the State Agency Programs for child support available in your state.
/Child-Support/selected-states.asp

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

What is TANF?: Temporary Assistance to Needy Families. These are assistance payments made on behalf of children who don't have the financial support of one of their parents by reason of death, disability, or continued absence from the home. The program provides parents with job preparation, work and support services to help them become self-sufficient.

If you are applying for TANF, you need to provide information about the father. To be eligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families programs, it is required that you provide info that helps confirm paternity and that you collect child support from the father as part of your TANF application. The child support collected will be used to help support your children -- going either directly to you or to repay the state for your assistance grant. Your state Child Support Enforcement agency can assist you in how the child support will be used.

However, in the event that the CSE office can't find the noncustodial parent, you can get assistance from the TANF program if you are active in trying to help find the noncustodial parent. You need to discuss this with your local CSE agency, and find out what information they will need you to provide in order to get TANF assistance.

In addition, if you have received assistance under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid, and Federally assisted Foster Care programs, you are automatically referred for child support enforcement services.

However, there are limitations that are placed on you by TANF. If you receive public assistance, under the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) programs, you will be asked to assign your right to child support to the state. This will vary from state to state. In some states a “pass through” portion of the child support collected for the family and may reduce the assistance payment.