How to Get Michigan's Child-Only FIP Grant Without Your Income Counting Against You

If you are a grandparent or relative in Michigan raising someone else's child, Michigan has a cash grant pathway that excludes your income when you apply as an ineligible grantee. Under BEM 210 of the Bridges Eligibility Manual, MDHHS evaluates only the child's income and assets for a child-only FIP (Family Independence Program) grant. Your Social Security, pension, SSDI, wages, savings, and home equity are excluded. If the child is eligible and has no countable income, the full monthly payment standard is $283 for one child, $403 for two, or $583 for three.

This is not a loophole or a workaround. It is how the program is designed. The problem is that almost nothing in Michigan's public-facing materials explains this clearly enough for the people who need it most.

Why Most Grandparents Never Apply

A common reason kinship caregivers in Michigan do not apply for child-only FIP is a misconception: they believe their retirement income disqualifies the child. This belief is reinforced at every step of the process.

When you open MI Bridges and start a benefits application, the portal asks about household income. It does not distinguish between applying for yourself as a needy adult and applying on behalf of a child as an ineligible grantee. If you enter your Social Security amount thinking you are required to, the system may route your application through income-based evaluation — and generate a denial based on income that should never have been counted.

This misconception can cause caregivers to abandon an application when the income questions appear in MI Bridges.

Children who otherwise qualify can miss monthly cash assistance when caregivers assume their own income is a barrier.

How the Child-Only Grant Works Under BEM 210

The rule is straightforward once you understand the classification:

Step 1: You apply through MI Bridges as the child's caretaker. You are applying on behalf of the child, not for yourself. The key is selecting the option that identifies you as a relative caregiver who is not requesting assistance for yourself.

Step 2: MDHHS classifies you as an "ineligible grantee." This means you are the adult managing the case, but you are not a benefit recipient. Your name goes on the case as the responsible adult; the grant is issued for the child.

Step 3: Only the child's income and assets are evaluated. Under BEM 210 and BEM 515, the following are completely excluded from the calculation:

• Your employment wages
• Your Social Security retirement benefits
• Your SSDI or SSI
• Your pension
• Your savings accounts
• Your spouse's income
• Your home equity
• Any other personal financial resources

Step 4: The grant is calculated from RFT 210 payment tables. If the child has no income (which is the case for most children in kinship care), the full grant is issued:

If the child receives child support from a biological parent, a $50 statutory pass-through disregard applies before the support reduces the grant. If the child has earned income (rare for young children), a $200 standard disregard plus a 20% deduction applies.

Step 5: No work requirements, no time limit. Because you are an ineligible grantee and not a benefit recipient, the case is exempt from Michigan's PATH work participation requirements and from both the state and federal 60-month lifetime limit on TANF benefits. The grant continues as long as the child lives with you and remains eligible.

What You Need to Bring to the Application

MDHHS may request verification documents. Submit each item by the deadline in the agency's request. MDHHS must issue a FIP or cash-assistance decision within 30 calendar days of application submission. Gather these documents before you start:

• Child's identity: certified birth certificate, state ID, or passport; alternatives include a hospital birth record, baptismal certificate, or school transcript
• Your identity: state ID or driver's license
• Proof of relationship: birth certificates linking you to the child or a probate court order; alternatives include an executed Power of Attorney or sworn relative affidavit
• Proof the child lives with you: utility bill, lease agreement, or mortgage statement; alternatives include a written statement from a landlord, school, or neighbor
• Child's income documentation (if any): Social Security benefit letters, child support records. If the child has no income, state this — do not bring your own income documents unless specifically asked for a program that evaluates household income (like food assistance)

What Not to Do

Do not assume your income determines child-only FIP eligibility. Under BEM 210, your income and assets are excluded when you apply as an ineligible grantee. Applying under a different household classification can result in the case being evaluated under the wrong income rules.

If MDHHS asks for your income documents, ask which program or rule requires them. Your caregiver income is excluded from child-only FIP, but other programs such as food assistance use household income rules. Respond to the agency's request by its stated deadline.

Do not confuse FIP with the Guardianship Assistance Program (GAP). GAP requires that the child was formally removed by a court, placed with a licensed relative foster parent for at least six months, and that a Title IV-E agreement was signed before the guardianship order. FIP child-only has none of these requirements — any qualifying relative caregiver can apply immediately.

A denial does not always mean the child is ineligible. A decision can involve missing verification, a mistaken application classification, a benefit calculation, or the child's eligibility. If you receive a Notice of Case Action denying benefits, you have 90 calendar days from the notice date to request an administrative hearing under BAM 600 and 12 calendar days from the notice date to request Aid Continuing.

Who This Applies To

• Grandparents of any income level — your retirement income is irrelevant under child-only FIP
• Aunts, uncles, adult siblings, nephews, nieces, first cousins, and step-relatives of the same degree
• Relatives raising a child informally (no court order required — informal kinship caregivers are eligible)
• Relatives with a court-ordered guardianship
• Relatives caring for a child placed by MDHHS Children's Services

Who This Does NOT Apply To

• Unrelated "family friends" or fictive kin — FIP child-only requires a blood, marriage, or adoption relationship between the caregiver and child
• Parents — this is specifically for non-parent relatives
• Anyone seeking the GAP foster care subsidy — that is a separate program with different requirements

Beyond FIP: Other Programs That Ignore or Limit Your Income

The child-only FIP grant is often the starting point, but Michigan offers several other programs where your personal income either does not count or counts differently:

• Medicaid/Healthy Kids: evaluates the child's MAGI household. Whether a caregiver's income counts depends on the household's tax and caretaker relationships. Children age 0 through 18 qualify for Healthy Kids up to 195% FPL (effectively about 198%–200% with the 5% disregard).
• Food Assistance (FAP/SNAP): does count household income, but broad-based categorical eligibility raises the ceiling to 200% FPL, and shelter and childcare expense deductions can significantly reduce countable income for grandparents paying mortgage or rent.
• WIC: children already receiving FIP are automatically income-eligible for WIC, which provides supplemental food for children up to age 5.
• Free school meals: Michigan provides free breakfast and lunch to all K-12 students regardless of income. Children receiving FIP or FAP are directly certified without paperwork.

The Financial Help for Grandparents and Relatives Raising a Child in Michigan guide covers all of these programs with application steps, document checklists, worked dollar examples, and printable tracking tools — organized so you move from one program to the next without starting from scratch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it matter how much money I have in savings?

No. Under the ineligible grantee rules in BEM 210 and BEM 515, your personal savings, investments, retirement accounts, and home equity are not counted. MDHHS evaluates the child's own income and assets, so the child's resources can affect eligibility.

What if the child receives Social Security survivor benefits?

Survivor benefits paid directly to the child are countable child income. However, after applicable disregards, the FIP grant is reduced dollar-for-dollar by the countable amount. Even with some child income, the combined total (benefits + remaining FIP) is often more than the child would receive from either source alone. The guide includes worked examples using actual RFT 210 tables.

Can I apply for child-only FIP if I have no court order?

Yes. Informal kinship caregivers — grandparents or relatives raising a child without a court order — are eligible for child-only FIP. You will need to verify the child lives with you and establish your relationship, but a formal guardianship or custody order is not required.

What happens when the child turns 18?

A child can qualify for FIP while under age 18, or at age 18 if enrolled full-time in high school or an equivalent vocational program. Medicaid can continue through age 18 under Healthy Kids. Young adults formerly in kinship care may also qualify for other transitional supports.

How long does the application take to process?

MDHHS must issue a FIP or cash-assistance decision within 30 calendar days of application submission. Medicaid applications have a 45-calendar-day processing period. Preparing requested verification documents can help you respond promptly.

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