How to Apply for Child-Only TANF in Nevada as a Grandparent or Relative

Nevada's Child-Only TANF program pays monthly cash assistance for a child living with a grandparent or other relative — and the application process trips up more people than it should. One labeling mistake on the paper form can route your case into the wrong TANF track, triggering work requirements and income tests that should never apply to you.

What Child-Only TANF Actually Is

Child-Only TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) is a cash grant paid on behalf of a child who lives with a non-parent relative caregiver. The program is administered by Nevada's Division of Welfare and Supportive Services (DWSS) through the Access Nevada portal or paper applications at local DWSS offices.

The payment goes to the caregiver but is calculated based on the child's needs, not the caregiver's. A single child receives $254 per month under the standard rate, or $418 per month (ages 0–12) or $463 per month (ages 13+) under the Kinship Care TANF stream for qualifying caregivers.

There are no work requirements, no federal lifetime limits, and no asset test on the caregiver's personal property.

Who Qualifies as a Non-Needy Relative Caregiver

You must be related to the child within the 5th degree of consanguinity. That includes grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, adult siblings, adult nieces, adult nephews, step-parents, and step-relatives of equivalent degree. Fictive kin — family friends without a blood or marriage tie — do not qualify under the relative rule; if the child is in formal child welfare custody and the caregiver is pursuing kinship foster care licensing, they may receive Child-Only TANF for up to six months.

Your gross household income must be at or below 275% of the Federal Poverty Level. For a household of two, that is roughly $60,000 per year. Once you pass this threshold test, your personal income and assets are completely excluded from the child's grant calculation. Pensions, Social Security retirement, savings accounts, and home equity do not reduce the child's monthly payment.

The child must be under 18, or age 18–19 if enrolled full-time in high school or vocational training.

The TCHD Labeling Rule

This is the single most important step in the paper application. Write TANF CHILD-ONLY (TCHD) in bold capital letters across the top of page one of Form 2136-EE. Check "NONE" for adult assistance requested. Check "TANF" only for the child.

Without that label, intake workers sometimes process the application under adult-included TANF (the NEON track), which triggers a 130% FPL income test, work participation requirements, and a 24-month state time limit — none of which apply to non-needy relative caregivers.

If you apply online through Access Nevada, select the TANF option for the child only and do not request benefits for yourself as the caregiver.

Step-by-Step Application Process

1. Gather documents. You need the child's birth certificate, Social Security card, and proof of Nevada residency. You also need birth certificates or other records linking your family relationship to the child — this is the consanguinity chain. Bring your own Nevada ID and proof of household income for the initial 275% FPL screening.

2. Complete Form 2136-EE (paper) or the online application at Access Nevada. Label the form as described above.

3. Submit to your local DWSS district office or upload through the portal. DWSS has 30 calendar days to process your application.

4. Attend the eligibility interview if requested. Bring originals of all documents.

5. Cooperate with Child Support Enforcement. TANF requires you to help the state identify and locate the child's non-custodial parents. If cooperation would put you or the child at risk — domestic violence, incest, rape, or pending adoption — request a Good Cause Exception in writing with supporting documentation such as a protective order or police report.

What Counts as the Child's Income

Only the child's own income matters for the grant calculation: Social Security Survivor Benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and court-ordered child support. If a child receives SSI, that child is excluded from the TANF grant unit entirely, though other non-SSI siblings in the household remain eligible.

The caregiver's wages, pensions, retirement accounts, and personal savings are not counted once the 275% FPL threshold is cleared.

Common Application Mistakes

The most frequent problem is the missing TCHD label. The second most common is bringing incomplete consanguinity documentation — if you are a great-aunt, you need birth certificates linking the child to the child's parent, the parent to their sibling (your niece or nephew), and that sibling to you. Missing one link in the chain delays processing.

A third mistake is assuming you need a court order. You do not need legal guardianship or custody to apply for Child-Only TANF. Informal kinship care — where you are simply raising the child without court involvement — is sufficient.

What Happens After Approval

Benefits are loaded onto an EBT card monthly. If your household receives TANF, report changes in employment status, unearned income of $50 or more, expenses, or someone moving into or out of the home by the fifth day of the month after the change. Check your notice for any additional program-specific reporting requirements. Recertification happens periodically — keep copies of all documents you submitted so renewals go faster.

If your application is denied, you have the right to request a DWSS Fair Hearing within 90 calendar days of the adverse notice. If a notice reduces or terminates existing benefits, request a hearing within 10 calendar days of the mailing date to preserve them during the appeal.

Our Nevada Kinship Financial Help Guide walks through the full TANF application process with document checklists, consanguinity worksheets, and a benefits comparison chart covering every program available to relative caregivers in the state.

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