TANF 60-month lifetime limit
What is the TANF 60-month lifetime limit?
Federal law caps federally funded TANF cash assistance at 60 months over an adult's lifetime, counted across every state — months used in one state still count after moving. Many states set shorter limits of their own, some as a rolling window or a waiting period rather than a lifetime cap, but the federal count never resets.
This is the hidden cost of assuming TANF "starts over" in a new state. The case starts over; the clock does not. Bring your old case records when applying after a move so the accounting is right.
Federal source: HHS OFA — TANF ↗
Related terms: EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer)