Teen Moms And Dads: Your Liberties Under Welfare Reform

You must be in school full-time or have graduated from school if you are under age 20 and pregnant or a parent. You must also meet special living arrangement rules if you are under age 18 years. You’ve still got the right to register your application that is own for benefits without your mother and father, https://datingrating.net/internationalcupid-review even although you live using them.

1. Just how do the school attendance rules work?

If you are under 20 you must be in high school, middle or elementary school OR a in a full-time GED (high school equivalency) program of at least 20 hours per week unless you have graduated. When your GED system is significantly less than 20 hours a week, you might be expected to accomplish community service or other training too. This guideline will not use if you’re within 60 times of switching age 20. You really must be at school or even A ged system at minimum 75percent of times (15 hours away from a 20 hour system) to qualify for TAFDC advantages. If you’d like assist getting into college, pose a question to your DTA worker. The worker is meant to assist you find a course which help you receive time care and pay money for transport expenses to college and day care. But, you simply can’t be sanctioned if you’re perhaps not at school due to not enough youngster care or as a result of domestic or teen relationship physical violence (like where your or former boyfriend is stalking or has threatened you).

2. Are there any reasons that are good lack from college?

Yes. You’ll have cause that is good absences because of not enough transport or youngster care, inclement weather, a medical condition, a crisis or crisis you’ll want to deal with. If you don’t have good cause and you are clearly missing a lot more than 25percent of that time, you certainly will first lose about $92 of you TAFDC grant for 1 month. After thirty days, you may lose the entire TAFDC grant. Your SNAP/Food Stamps and MassHealth should carry on.

3. So how exactly does the living arrangment guideline work?

You must if you are under age 18 and not married:

• Reside together with your moms and dads, or
• Reside with another general (pertaining to you or your infant) that is age 20 or higher, or
• Reside by having a guardian that is legal or
• Be a “graduate of the DSS separate living system,” or
• Be 17 yrs old and meet”waiver that is special rules (see below).

Should you not fulfill one of several above, you may well be expected to call home in a young adult living program — if an individual is available. If you should be under 18 and hitched, you need to be coping with your spouse to be exempt.

Crucial:

18- and 19- year teens that are oldand teenagers within 60 times of switching age 18) need not live with moms and dads, loved ones or in group domiciles. You do have to meet up with the college rules above.

4. That are the family relations you are able to live with?

Teenagers still meet up with the residing arrangement guidelines if managing an aunt, uncle, grandparent, older sibling or other general who’s age 20 or older. You can even live having a stepparent—like that is former father’s ex-wife or perhaps the paternal grandparents of one’s youngster (but this doesn’t consist of coping with the little one’s dad if you’re unmarried). Your family relations do not need to get guardianship that is legal. If you reside by having an unrelated adult, that individual does must be appropriate guardian.

The earnings of family members or guardians that are legal perhaps perhaps not count in determining your TAFDC grant.

5. Imagine if you cannot live together with your moms and dads?

If you should be under 18 and cannot live together with your father or mother, tell DTA. A teenager expert under agreement with DSS will contact both you and consider whether you can easily carry on along with your moms and dads, in a living that is teen, or by yourself. You ought not have to live in the home in the event that you worry punishment, in the event your parent(s) will not give you support, there clearly was drug abuse in the house, in the event that house has rule violations, or if perhaps you will find every other “extraordinary circumstances.” The teenager specialist’s work will be discover why you can’t live in the home and also make a suggestion Be sure to inform her all of the reasons. You’ll be able to pose a question to your school guidance therapist or any other experts who understand you to definitely phone or compose the teen expert. In the event that teenager expert agrees you can’t go back home, DTA could find you a living that is teen to get or give you advice of this waiver guidelines for 17 12 months olds.

Waiver:

Teenagers who will be 17 yrs . old and should not live along with your moms and dads can request a particular “waiver” to call home by themselves if: a) in a good living situation, b) in college full-time in good standing, c) have actually stable youngster care and d) are playing a teenager parenting system.

You do not need a waiver and are exempt from the rule if you are within 60 days of turning age 18.

6. Exactly How is Parental Money counted?

You and your baby get if you are under age 18 and live at home, your parents’ income above 200% of the poverty level counts in deciding how much TAFDC. This degree is $1,990/month for just two individuals. In the event your parents will not inform DTA their income, you might be rejected TAFDC however you can certainly still submit an application for SNAP/Food Stamps and MassHealth.

Your parent’s earnings will not count as soon as you turn age 18. The earnings of non-parent loved ones you reside with will not count —regardless of the age.

7. Challenging denial of advantages:

When your TAFDC will be cut, you have actually a the ability to an advance written notice.

In the event that you require a hearing within 10 times of the date of notice, your advantages should carry on throughout the appeal.

You’ve got the right to bring in virtually any evidence that is new why you simply can’t live in the home. If DTA claims you missed a lot of college, bring to your hearing any information which explains why you missed classes. You’ve got a directly to see your TAFDC instance record, including college attendance documents and/or reports from the DSS contracted teenager professional. There is the directly to make copies of every papers in your file, to inquire about concerns of DTA worker or even the teenager expert during the hearing also to bring a close buddy or advocate to help you.

Call the local Legal Services to get more advice or appropriate representation. You may also contact the Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy: for advice and recommendations.