Indiana Child-Only TANF Application for Grandparents and Relatives

You took in your grandchild or a relative's child, and the bills started piling up the first week. Child-Only TANF is cash assistance paid on behalf of the child — and the state doesn't count your income when you apply.

What Makes Child-Only TANF Different

Standard TANF evaluates every adult in the household. Child-Only TANF treats you as a "non-needy relative caretaker." That means your wages, pension, Social Security, or savings stay completely out of the eligibility calculation. DFR looks only at the child's income — child support payments, Social Security survivor benefits, or any other income paid directly to the child.

Most kinship children have little or no income of their own. Eligibility still depends on the child's income and the other TANF requirements.

You must be related within the fifth degree: grandparent, great-grandparent, aunt, uncle, great-aunt, great-uncle, adult sibling, half-sibling, first cousin, or niece/nephew. Family friends and unrelated caregivers generally do not qualify unless they have adopted the child or otherwise meet the specified-relative rules.

How to Apply

You have three options:

1. Online at fssabenefits.in.gov — select "Apply for Benefits" and choose TANF. List the child and clearly tell DFR you are applying as a non-needy relative caretaker; the portal may not make this child-only route clear, so confirm the case type with DFR.
2. In person at your county DFR office. Indiana has offices in all 92 counties.
3. By mail — request a paper application from DFR or download it from the FSSA forms page.

After you submit, DFR will schedule a phone or in-person interview. Bring or have ready:

• The child's birth certificate or hospital records
• Social Security numbers for the child (and yours as the applicant)
• Proof of your relationship — birth certificates linking generations, or a marriage certificate if you're related by marriage
• Proof the child lives with you — school enrollment records, a medical record, or a utility bill showing the same address
• Any documentation of the child's income (child support stubs, SSA award letters)

DFR typically processes Child-Only TANF applications within 30 to 45 calendar days from filing.

Child Support Assignment

There's one requirement that catches people off guard. When you apply for TANF, you must assign the child's right to parental child support to the state. DFR refers the case to the county Title IV-D child support prosecutor to establish or enforce a support order against the parents.

If pursuing child support would put the child or you in danger — domestic violence history, abuse, or a kidnapping threat — you can request a Good Cause Exemption using State Form 87. You'll have 20 days to submit supporting evidence (protective orders, police reports, medical records). While DFR evaluates the exemption, it won't contact the parents.

No Work Requirements, No Time Limits

Because you're not included in the assistance unit, the IMPACT work program requirements don't apply to you. And the federal 60-month lifetime cap on TANF doesn't count against child-only cases. Your grandchild can receive benefits until they turn 18, regardless of how many years the grant runs.

What Happens After Approval

DFR loads the monthly benefit onto a Hoosier Works EBT card or sends it via direct deposit. The amount depends on the number of children and any income the child has — a single child with no income receives the maximum of $248 per month.

You'll need to report changes within 10 days, including if the child moves out, returns to a parent, or the child's unearned income changes by more than $125 per month. DFR reviews the case annually.

The Indiana Kinship Financial Help Guide walks through the full Child-Only TANF application, including the DFR portal screens, the authorized representative forms (State Form 53460), and what to do if your application is denied.

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