Florida Kinship Care Documents Needed and Payment Rates for 2026

2026 Payment Rates by Arrangement Type

How much Florida pays a kinship caregiver depends on two things: the child's age and whether the child entered your home informally or through a DCF dependency placement. Here are the current rates.

Child-Only TCA (Informal Care, Chapter 751, or Chapter 744 Guardianship)

These rates apply when the child lives with a relative without a Chapter 39 dependency order. The caregiver's income is completely excluded — only the child's own income and assets (which must not exceed $2,000) are evaluated.

If the child has countable income (survivor benefits, child support, trust distributions), the grant is reduced dollar-for-dollar. A 7-year-old with $100/month in Social Security survivor benefits would receive $149/month ($249 minus $100).

These rates have not increased for the 2025–2026 or 2026–2027 state fiscal years.

Relative Caregiver Program (Chapter 39 Dependency Placement)

The standard RCP rates match child-only TCA, but Level I licensing bumps the payment to $333 across all age bands. Waivers for non-safety licensing requirements are available under Fla. Stat. § 409.175.

Guardianship Assistance Program (GAP)

The baseline GAP stipend is $333/month per child, but the Guardianship Assistance Agreement is negotiable. Caregivers can negotiate a higher amount based on the child's physical, emotional, or developmental needs — up to the maximum foster care board rate the child would have received. GAP also provides:

• A one-time reimbursement of up to $2,000 for legal and court costs of obtaining guardianship
• Categorical Medicaid coverage through age 18 (or 21 under Extended GAP)
• Florida public college tuition fee waiver

SNAP (Household Benefit)

SNAP is calculated on the full household's income, not just the child's. Under Florida's Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility, the gross monthly income limit is 200% of the Federal Poverty Level:

Child-Only TCA and relative caregiver payments received on behalf of the child are excluded from SNAP countable income.

Documents You Need for a Florida Kinship Care Application

Gathering the right paperwork before you apply prevents the processing delays that cause most benefit interruptions. DCF has up to 30 days to process a TCA application, and missing documents are the most common reason cases stall.

Child Identity and Age

• Primary: Official state birth certificate or U.S. passport
• Alternatives: Hospital birth record, baptismal certificate, or official school transcript
• DCF can verify Florida birth records electronically through Vital Statistics, but having the certificate in hand speeds things up

Child's Social Security Number

• Social Security card or SSA receipt (Form SSA-5028) showing a card has been applied for
• Mandatory for every child on the application

Caregiver Identity and Residence

• Florida driver's license or state ID card
• Proof of current address: utility bill in your name, lease agreement, mortgage statement, property tax bill, or voter registration card

Proof of Kinship and Co-Residence

This is the piece many caregivers struggle with, especially in informal arrangements where there's no court order yet.

• Best options: A signed lease listing the child, school emergency contact card listing you as the caregiver, or a pediatrician record showing the child's address as yours
• Alternative: A signed notarized third-party affidavit from a landlord, neighbor, pastor, or other community member confirming the child lives with you and your relationship to the child
• The child must live with a relative within the fifth degree of consanguinity or affinity (grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, first cousins)

Legal or Custodial Authority Documents

Which document you need depends on your arrangement:

Your arrangement and the program's eligibility requirements determine your benefit tier; documents help verify them. A Chapter 751 order can qualify the child for child-only TCA, subject to the other program requirements. A Chapter 39 order and approved home study can establish RCP eligibility; GAP requires additional licensing, permanency, and agreement steps.

Child Income and Asset Verification

• Award letters for child Social Security or SSI benefits
• Bank statements for any account in the child's name (countable liquid assets must not exceed $2,000)
• Child support court order or DOR payment record
• Trust distribution documents if applicable

Child Support Cooperation

TCA requires cooperation with the Florida Department of Revenue's Child Support Enforcement Program. You'll need to help identify and locate the non-custodial parents. If contact with the other parent poses a safety risk, submit Form CF-ES 2641 (Claim Notice — Good Cause for Refusal to Cooperate with Child Support) with supporting evidence: police reports, protective orders, or a letter from a licensed mental health professional.

Where to Submit

Submit online TCA, SNAP, and Medicaid applications through the MyACCESS portal at myaccess.myflfamilies.com. Create an individual account — never share login credentials. If you need someone else to manage the case on your behalf, they must file Form CF-ES 2074 for designated representative access.

For Florida KidCare (MediKids, Healthy Kids), use the separate KidCare portal if the child doesn't qualify for full Medicaid.

Our Florida kinship financial help guide includes a printable document verification binder checklist, an application tracking log, and a renewal deadline tracker — so nothing falls through the cracks between the initial application and the 12-month recertification.

See more Florida guides →