Age of parent - Effect on eligibility

1. For purposes of this section: a. "Adult caretaker" means a caretaker who is not a minor caretaker. b. "Minor caretaker" means an individual, under the age of eighteen years, who has never been married and who: (1) Is the parent of a dependent child living in the same household; or (2) Is eligible as a pregnant woman who is a caretaker relative to no child. 2. A minor caretaker who lives with the minor caretaker's own parents is eligible only if eligibility may be established after consideration of the income, but not the assets, of the parents with whom the minor caretaker lives, applying the following disregards: a. The greater of one hundred eighty dollars or twenty-seven percent of earned income of each employed parent of the minor caretaker, for work expenses. b. An amount equal to the standard of need, not including special allowances or special items of need, applicable to a household consisting of the minor caretaker's parents and any other individuals living in the home, who are or could be claimed as dependents of the minor caretaker's parents for federal income tax purposes, but who are not members of the household. c. Amounts paid by the minor caretaker's parents, to support individuals who are not members of the household, who are or could be claimed as dependents of the minor caretaker's parents for federal income tax purposes. d. Amounts paid by the minor caretaker's parents, for child support or spousal support, health insurance premiums, or child or adult dependent care costs related to employment or employment and education or training, to individuals who are not members of the household. 3. An adult caretaker, who lives with the adult caretaker's own parent or legal guardian, if eligible, is eligible without consideration of the income or assets of any adult caretaker's parents with whom the adult caretaker lives, except that regular contributions of money made by such adult caretaker's parent to any member of the household must be considered. 4. For purposes of this section, a minor caretaker who becomes an adult while living with the minor caretaker's own parents or legal guardian is treated as an adult caretaker, effective the first day of the month in which the caretaker reaches age eighteen. 5. For purposes of this section, a minor caretaker who ends residency with the minor caretaker's own parent is treated as having ended residency on the first day of the month in which the minor caretaker left the minor caretaker's parent's home. 6. For purposes of this section, a minor caretaker who resumes residency with the minor caretaker's own parent is treated as having resumed that residency on the first day of the month after the month in which the minor caretaker resumed residency with the minor caretaker's parent. 7. A minor caretaker who does not live with either of the minor caretaker's own parents, if eligible, is eligible without consideration of the income or assets of the minor caretaker's parent except that regular contributions of money made by a minor caretaker's parent to any member of the household must be considered. The minor caretaker's parents remain legally responsible for the minor caretaker's support. The matter must be referred to the child support agency for the purpose of securing support from the minor caretaker's parents as well as for the purpose of securing support for the minor caretaker's child from the child's absent parent. 8. No household may include the child of a minor caretaker, living with that minor caretaker, during any time when the minor caretaker is living in a foster home or child care institution and receiving a foster care maintenance benefit. Any amount reasonably necessary to the maintenance of such a child of the minor caretaker is included in the minor caretaker's foster care maintenance benefit. 9. Except as provided in subsection 10, a minor caretaker must live in the home of the minor caretaker's own parent, legal guardian, or other adult relative, or in a state-approved adult supervised supported living arrangement. 10. A minor caretaker may show there is good cause to live in a place other than required in subsection 9. Good cause exists if, based on evidence provided to the human service zone: a. The minor caretaker has no living parent or legal guardian; b. No parent or legal guardian of the minor caretaker will allow the minor caretaker to live in the home of the parent or legal guardian; c. The physical or emotional health or safety of the minor caretaker or the minor caretaker's child would be jeopardized if they lived with the minor caretaker's parent or legal guardian; or d. After reasonable search, the whereabouts of the minor caretaker's parents or legal guardian are unknown. 11. A household consisting of two natural or adoptive parents may be eligible for benefits when at least one parent is age sixty-five or older, if all factors of eligibility are met and the household's countable income is less than the temporary assistance for needy families standard of need.