Maryland Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) pays monthly cash to families with a dependent child who do not have enough income to cover basic needs. It is Maryland’s version of the federal TANF program, delivered through the Department of Human Services and the local Department of Social Services (DSS) in your county.1Maryland Department of Human Services. Temporary Cash Assistance To qualify, your household has to pass two income tests, you have to cooperate with child support, and adults have to take part in work activities. Benefits are capped at 60 months over an adult’s lifetime.
Who Qualifies
Your household must include at least one dependent child under 18, or under 19 if the child is still enrolled full-time in secondary school or an equivalent vocational program. Pregnant women may qualify before the child is born under specific conditions. Everyone in the household must live in Maryland and intend to stay; a temporary absence from the state cannot exceed 90 days without putting eligibility at risk. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or qualified immigrants.2Legal Information Institute. Maryland Code of Regulations 07.03.03.07 – Eligibility Requirements
Qualified immigrants who do not meet federal funding criteria can still receive TCA, paid entirely from state general funds.
What You Will Get Each Month
Payment amounts scale with household size. As of early 2025, the maximum monthly benefit for a family of three is $753, a 3.6 percent increase over the prior year.3Maryland Department of Human Services. 25-12 IM 2025 TCA TDAP RCA Benefit Increase Smaller households get less, larger households get more, and the figures adjust periodically, so confirm the current amount with your local DSS before you plan around it.
Benefits are usually loaded onto an Electronic Benefit Transfer card (Maryland calls it the Independence Card) that works at ATMs and participating stores. In some cases, DHS issues benefits by check instead.4Maryland Department of Human Services. Family Investment Administration Application for Assistance
Income Tests, And Why Assets Do Not Matter
Maryland runs two income tests. The gross income test adds up all money coming into the household before deductions; that total generally cannot exceed 185 percent of the “standard of assistance” for your family size. The net income test then applies allowable deductions, such as work-related expenses, and the remainder must fall below the maximum payment level for your household size.5Legal Information Institute. Maryland Code of Regulations 07.03.03.13 – Financial Eligibility Larger households clear both tests at higher income levels than smaller ones.
Assets do not count. Having a car or money in the bank will not disqualify you. The one exception is sponsored immigrants, whose sponsor’s assets are counted and capped at $2,000.6Maryland Department of Human Services. TCA Manual – 0901 Assets
How to Apply
The application form is DHS/FIA 9701.4Maryland Department of Human Services. Family Investment Administration Application for Assistance You can submit it three ways: online at MarylandBenefits.gov, in person at your local DSS office, or by mail.1Maryland Department of Human Services. Temporary Cash Assistance The form asks about every household member, every source of income, and any benefits you already receive.
Gather these before you start:
- Social Security numbers for every household member
- Proof of your Maryland address, such as a recent utility bill or a signed lease
- Recent pay stubs, employer letters, or records of other income coming in
- Birth certificates for the children, to confirm ages and relationships
If you leave something out, your case manager will ask for it, and if you do not provide it the case can be denied. Having the documents ready saves weeks.
Once you submit, DHS schedules a mandatory interview covering your household circumstances, work history, and any barriers to employment. The state has 30 days to process your application and send you a written notice stating either your approved benefit amount or the specific reasons for denial.7Maryland Department of Human Services. Application for Assistance If 30 days pass with no decision, the delay itself is grounds for an appeal.
What You Have to Do to Keep Benefits
TCA comes with ongoing obligations. Three matter most.
Work Activities
Every adult on the grant, plus every child 16 or older who is not in school full-time, must take part in approved work activities scheduled for up to 40 hours per week.8Legal Information Institute. Maryland Code of Regulations 07.03.03.07-1 – Employment and Education Requirements Approved activities include employment (unsubsidized or subsidized), on-the-job training, vocational education or job skills training tied to employment, active job search, and community service work experience. Your local department has to approve the specific activity.
Child Support Cooperation
You must cooperate with the Child Support Administration to establish paternity and pursue support from any non-custodial parent. That usually means providing names and whereabouts of absent parents and attending court hearings when asked.9Legal Information Institute. Maryland Code of Regulations 07.03.03.08 – Child Support Requirements Refusing to cooperate without good cause can reduce or end your benefits. A good cause exception exists for situations where cooperation would put you or your child in danger, including domestic violence. If that applies to you, raise it with your case manager so the department can document the finding and waive the requirement.
Reporting Changes and Yearly Recertification
Report changes in income, who lives in the household, and your address. TCA’s reporting rules are more extensive than those for some other programs, so do not assume what you know from SNAP or Medicaid carries over.
Cases are recertified every 12 months. Before your certification period ends, your case manager schedules a review interview in person or by phone, you update your family independence plan, and you provide fresh documentation for anything that can change, like income or household size. Items that cannot change, such as Social Security numbers and birth certificates, do not need to be resubmitted.10Maryland Department of Human Services. TCA Manual – 0214 Redeterminations Miss the redetermination appointment and your case closes automatically.
What Happens If You Miss Work Requirements
If an adult or minor parent is found noncompliant without good cause, the adult portion of the grant is reduced by 30 percent. The portion of the grant designated for your children cannot be cut because of an adult’s noncompliance.11New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Maryland Code 5-312 – Temporary Cash Assistance – in General Even so, a 30 percent reduction on an already small grant hurts, and repeated noncompliance can lead to case closure. If a medical condition, disability, or domestic violence situation is keeping you from meeting the work rule, tell your case manager. Documented good cause can prevent the sanction.
The 60-Month Lifetime Limit
Adults are limited to 60 cumulative months of TCA over a lifetime.12Legal Information Institute. Maryland Code of Regulations 07.03.03.14 – Time Limits Every month on benefits counts, consecutive or not, and TANF months you received in another state count toward your Maryland total.
Hardship extensions can push benefits past the five-year mark. Federal law lets states keep assisting families facing hardship or domestic violence, as long as those extensions stay within 20 percent of the state’s average monthly caseload.13Administration for Children and Families. Frequently Asked Questions – Time Limits Maryland may treat substance abuse treatment, a serious medical condition, or ongoing domestic violence as qualifying hardships. If you are getting close to the 60-month cap and cannot work, talk to your case manager well before you hit it.
If You Are Denied or Your Benefits Are Cut
The adverse action notice DHS mails you explains how to request a fair hearing. You can ask orally or in writing to any DHS employee at your local office. The appeal form is DHS/FIA 334.14Maryland Department of Human Services. 800 Appeals and Hearings
Timing is the key detail. If you are already on benefits and file your appeal within 10 days of the adverse action notice, your current benefit level continues through the certification period while the appeal is pending.14Maryland Department of Human Services. 800 Appeals and Hearings Miss the 10-day window and you lose continued benefits during the process even if you win later.
Before a formal hearing, you have the right to a pre-hearing agency conference. It is an informal meeting where the local department walks through its reasoning and you present whatever shows the decision was wrong. Many disputes end there. If the conference does not resolve things, the case moves to the Office of Administrative Hearings, where you can bring a representative or legal advocate.