TANF Cash Help
Last updated August 2026
TANF Cash Help is monthly money for Texas families with very little. A single parent with two kids gets up to $382 a month. Two-parent families and child-only cases have their own tables. It lands on the same Lone Star Card as SNAP, and one application at YourTexasBenefits.com covers both.
Before you apply, know the two hard gates. Your countable assets must be under $1,000. And the months are timed: adults get 12, 24, or 36 months depending on education and work history, then a five-year freeze-out, plus a federal 60-month lifetime cap. Children can keep getting help after an adult times out.
Now the option almost nobody knows: One-Time TANF, a single $1,000 payment for a family in crisis, like a job loss, with income up to twice the poverty line. Taking it locks you out of monthly TANF for 12 months, so choose deliberately. A separate once-in-a-lifetime $1,000 exists for grandparents and other relatives who take in a related child.
Monthly TANF comes with the Personal Responsibility Agreement: work activities through the Choices program, child support cooperation, kids in school with shots, no drug convictions. Breaking it stops the whole family's benefits for at least a month, and two months of noncooperation closes the case. Sign it knowing that.
If the numbers rule you out, do not stop. SNAP reaches far higher incomes on the same application, the kids likely qualify for Medicaid or CHIP, and 2-1-1 (option 1) knows the local emergency funds. Denied or cut unfairly? You have 90 days to ask for a fair hearing.
Updated August 2026 Program details can change — confirm with the program directly.
Who qualifies
- Families with children 18 and younger, with little to no money (income limits are very low)
- Grandparents and other relatives caring for a related child may qualify for help even at higher incomes
You may qualify. The program makes the final decision.
How to apply
- 1
Apply at YourTexasBenefits.com; form H1010 covers TANF and SNAP together. Or visit any HHSC office.
- 2
In a one-time crisis with income under twice the poverty line? Ask about One-Time TANF, $1,000 once, before committing to monthly aid.
- 3
Raising a relative's child? Ask about the once-in-a-lifetime $1,000 relative payment and a child-only case.
- 4
Do the interview and send proof: ID, income, assets (must be under $1,000), and that a child lives with you.
- 5
Sign the Personal Responsibility Agreement knowing the terms: Choices work program, child support cooperation, school and shots for the kids.
- 6
Ask the worker which time tier you fall in (12, 24, or 36 months) so the clock never surprises you.
- 7
Denied, reduced, or cut? Request a fair hearing within 90 days via 2-1-1 or in writing.
What the application looks like
Common questions
How much is TANF in Texas?
Up to $159 a month for one person, $331 for two, $382 for three, $459 for four in a single-caretaker home. Two-parent and child-only cases use different tables. Grants adjust each October.
What is One-Time TANF?
A single $1,000 payment for a family in crisis, like a job loss, with income at or below 200 percent of poverty. After taking it you cannot get monthly TANF or another one-time payment for 12 months.
Can grandparents raising grandkids get help?
Yes, two ways: a once-in-a-lifetime $1,000 payment for relative caregivers, and monthly child-only TANF for the child, which does not count the caregiver's time limits.
How long can I get TANF in Texas?
Texas assigns adults 12, 24, or 36 months based on education and work experience, followed by a 5-year freeze-out, inside a federal 60-month lifetime cap. Children can continue after an adult times out.
What is the asset limit for TANF?
$1,000 in countable resources. Over that, the household is ineligible no matter how low the income is.
What happens if I miss a Choices work activity?
The whole family's benefits stop for a month or until you cooperate, whichever is longer. Two straight months of noncooperation closes the case. Tell your worker early if something blocks you; exemptions exist.
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