ARM 37.78.420. TANF: ASSISTANCE STANDARDS; TABLES; METHODS OF COMPUTING AMOUNT OF MONTHLY BENEFIT PAYMENT

(1) Income standards as set forth in this rule are used to determine whether need exists with respect to income for any person who applies for or receives TANF cash assistance or TANF cash assistance Post-Employment Program benefits and to determine the benefit amount the assistance unit will receive if eligible. Four sets of assistance standards are used which are as follows: (a) The gross monthly income (GMI) standard sets the level of gross monthly income for each size assistance unit which cannot be exceeded if the assistance unit is to be eligible for TANF cash assistance. (b) The net monthly income (NMI) standard is used to determine the GMI. (c) The benefit standard sets the level of net countable income which cannot be exceeded if the assistance unit is to be eligible for assistance. (d) The payment standard is used to determine the amount of the monthly cash payment in the TANF cash assistance program and is based on the size of the or TANF cash assistance Post-Employment Program benefits assistance unit, unless the household is receiving benefits through the TANF Cash Assistance Post-Employment Program. Payment standards in the Post-Employment Program are a set amount as defined in (4)(e). This amount is not based on household size. The household's net countable income is subtracted from the payment standard to determine the amount of the payment for the TANF case assistance unit. This amount is prorated for the month of application if eligibility is for less than a full month. (2) The income standards vary depending on the number of persons in the assistance unit. (3) The assistance unit's GMI as defined in ARM 37.78.103 is compared to the applicable GMI standard, and after specified disregards, to the benefit standard. If the assistance unit's GMI exceeds the GMI standard or their countable monthly income as defined in ARM 37.78.103 exceeds the benefit standard, the assistance unit is ineligible for assistance. Monthly income is compared to the full standard even if the eligibility is being determined for only part of the month. (a) Eligibility for assistance and the amount of the monthly benefit payment which a TANF cash assistance unit will receive is determined prospectively, that is, based on the department's best estimate of income and other circumstances which will exist in the benefit month. (b) When comparing income to the income standards, income anticipated to be received in the benefit month is used. (4) The GMI standards, NMI standards, and benefits standards are as follows: (a) Gross monthly income standards are compared with the assistance unit's gross monthly income as defined in ARM 37.78.406. GROSS MONTHLY INCOME STANDARDS (GMI) Number of Persons in Household Gross Monthly Income (GMI) 1 $ 638 2 858 3 1,079 4 1,299 5 1,519 6 1,739 7 1,961 8 2,181 9 2,401 10 2,621 11 2,842 12 3,062 13 3,282 14 3,502 15 3,722 16 3,944 17 4,164 18 4,385 19 4,605 20 4,825 (b) Net monthly income standards are used to compute gross monthly income standards (GMI). NET MONTHLY INCOME STANDARDS (NMI) 1 $ 345 2 464 3 583 4 702 5 821 6 940 7 1,060 8 1,179 9 1,298 10 1,417 11 1,536 12 1,655 13 1,744 14 1,893 15 2,012 16 2,132 17 2,251 18 2,370 19 2,489 20 2,608 (c) Benefit standards are compared with the assistance unit's countable income as defined in ARM 37.78.406. BENEFITS STANDARDS 1 $ 271 2 364 3 458 4 551 5 644 6 738 7 832 8 926 9 1,019 10 1,112 11 1,206 12 1,299 13 1,393 14 1,486 15 1,579 16 1,674 17 1,767 18 1,860 19 1,954 20 2,047 (d) The payment standards for the TANF Cash Assistance Program are compared to the assistance unit’s net countable income as defined in ARM 37.78.406. PAYMENT STANDARDS (33% of the FY 2007 Federal Poverty Level) 1 $ 298 2 401 3 504 4 606 5 709 6 812 7 915 8 1,018 9 1,121 10 1,223 11 1,326 12 1,429 13 1,532 14 1,635 15 1,738 16 1,841 17 1,943 18 2,046 19 2,149 20 2,252 (e) The payment standards for the TANF Cash Assistance Post-Employment Program are compared to the assistance unit's net countable income as defined in ARM 37.78.406 and are set at the following: POST-EMPLOYMENT PAYMENT STANDARDS 1st Month $375 2nd Month 275 3rd Month 175 (5) The adult's gross monthly earned income as defined in ARM 37.78.103 and ARM 37.78.406 is compared to the applicable GMI limit. If the assistance unit's GMI exceeds the GMI limit, the assistance unit is ineligible for assistance. Monthly income is compared to the full limit even if the eligibility is being determined for only part of the month. When comparing income to the income limits, income anticipated to be received in the benefit month is used.