Florida Child-Only TCA for Grandparents: How It Works and How to Apply

Your Income Does Not Count

The single most important rule in Florida's Child-Only TCA program: your personal income, your spouse's income, and every other adult's income in the household are completely excluded from the eligibility calculation. DCF evaluates only the child's own income — things like Social Security survivor benefits, child support payments, or trust fund distributions. The child's countable liquid assets must not exceed $2,000.

This means a retired grandmother living on a $3,200 monthly pension can qualify for Child-Only TCA for her grandchild. Her pension is invisible to the program.

Monthly Payment Amounts

Child-Only TCA for relative caregivers uses age-tiered rates that mirror the Relative Caregiver Program schedule:

• Ages 0–5: $242 per month per child
• Ages 6–12: $249 per month per child
• Ages 13–17: $298 per month per child

These rates have remained unchanged through the 2026–2027 state fiscal year. Payments arrive on a Florida EBT card within the first three business days of each month.

If the child has income, the grant is reduced dollar for dollar. A 7-year-old with $100 per month in trust income would receive $249 minus $100, or $149 per month.

Who Qualifies

The child must meet all of these conditions:

• Under age 18 (or under 19 if still enrolled full-time in high school or equivalent vocational training)
• A U.S. citizen or qualified legal non-citizen — the caregiver's own immigration status does not disqualify a citizen child
• Living with a relative within the fifth degree of blood or marriage: grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, first cousins
• Residing in Florida

Because the adult caregiver is not receiving benefits for themselves, Child-Only TCA cases are completely exempt from TANF work requirements and the 48-month lifetime benefit limit. You will never be required to register with CareerSource or meet work-hour thresholds.

The Child Support Cooperation Requirement

There is one string attached. Accepting TCA on behalf of a child requires cooperating with Florida's Department of Revenue to locate the non-custodial parent and establish paternity. Any child support collected is assigned to the state to offset the cost of the cash grant.

If contacting the absent parent would put you or the child at risk — domestic violence, threats, incest, or severe emotional harm — you can request a Good Cause Exception using DCF Form CF-ES 2641. Once submitted, child support enforcement pauses immediately while DCF reviews the claim. If approved, the child's TCA continues without any contact with or enforcement against the absent parent.

How to Apply Through MyACCESS

1. Create an account at the MyACCESS portal (myaccess.myflfamilies.com). You'll need an email address and a password.
2. Start a new application and select Temporary Cash Assistance. The portal also lets you apply for SNAP and Medicaid in the same submission.
3. Answer only the child's financial questions. The default screens will ask about household income. For a child-only case, your income should not appear on the child's eligibility determination. If you are unsure which fields apply, bring your documents to your local DCF Economic Self-Sufficiency office and ask for help with a child-only TCA application specifically.
4. Upload verification documents — the child's birth certificate, Social Security card, proof of your Florida residence, and proof of co-residence with the child (school records, a lease listing the child, or a signed third-party statement).

DCF says application processing may take up to 30 days. The Notice of Case Action will state the approved benefit amount and payment start date.

When TCA Converts to Something Higher

If DCF later removes the child through a dependency proceeding under Chapter 39 and places them formally in your home, your payment converts from Child-Only TCA to the Relative Caregiver Program — and potentially to the full foster care board rate of $333 per month if you obtain a Level 1 license. Florida law prohibits receiving both TCA and RCP for the same child simultaneously.

The Florida Kinship Financial Help guide covers every step of the TCA application alongside the full menu of food, healthcare, and childcare programs available to Florida kinship families.

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