Ten Things To Know About Work First New Jersey and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
by: Begley Law Group
1. Benefit. Work First New Jersey (WFNJ) provides monthly cash assistance to meet an individual’s or family’s basic needs.
- It helps get child support payments for care of dependent children.
- It helps secure employment and work towards self-sufficiency through job training, education and work activities.
- Supports childcare, transportation and other support services, if needed.
Under this program, members are eligible for free or discounted tickets to cultural programs throughout the state.
The program also provides short-term housing support for eligible New Jersey residents. In New Jersey, this program is called Work First New Jersey/Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (WFNJ/TANF).
Monthly payment is based on household size ranging from $214 for one person to over $900 for larger households.
WFNJ is divided into two categories: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families for families with children and General Assistance for single adults and couples without children. The program provides emergency assistance for housing support to help with back rent or utilities and moving expenses for those facing homelessness. A transitional benefit provides continued support for up to two years after starting a job.
Cash assistance is limited to a lifetime total of five years.
2. Income Limit. All income is countable. Income from employment or from other sources including, but not limited to, child support, unemployment compensation, interest, and Social Security must be reported. Most recipients are required to work 30-35 hours per week, unless they have a medical deferral. An applicant’s gross monthly income must be below 250% of the federal poverty level.
3. Resource Limit. Resources include any item of cash value such as bank accounts, bonds, or property that is not your primary residence and must have a value of $2,000.00 or less. Generally, resources must be $2000.00 or less.
4. Deeming. Income and assets of an entire household are deemed from one individual to another.
5. Transfer of Asset Penalty. There is a transfer of asset penalty.
6. Lookback Period. There is a lookback period of one year.
7. Penalty Calculation. The uncompensated value of transferred assets are divided by the monthly standard of need rounded down. The maximum penalty is one year.
8. Special Needs Trust. A Special Needs Trust is not required, because the program is not based on disability but income and assets. However, it is conceivable that in certain situations a Special Needs Trust might be useful.
9. Who Can Collect? Must participate in work-related activities or in an employment training program, except some people with disabilities may be exempt. A recipient must be a U.S. citizen or a qualified non-citizen and a resident of New Jersey. A qualified non-resident would be the holder of a green card or created asylum under the Immigration and Nationality Act, a parolee into the United States for at least one year, battered non-citizen, or victim of trafficking.
- A household member 18 or over
- Minor parents (under 18 with a dependent child)
- Seniors and individuals with disabilities
10. Determination of Disability. A Determination of Disability is usually not required.