A Temporary Assistance payment is received for the month in which the Temporary Assistance application is approved or the month in which the 30th day from the date of application occurs, whichever is earlier. In counting the 30 days, the date of application is the first day. For those Temporary Assistance approvals not otherwise receiving payment for the month in which the 30th day occurs, issue Retroactive Payments. Prorate any payment made for the month of application from the date of application to the end of the month.
When a family moves to Missouri from another state, and received a Temporary Assistance grant for a partial month from the other state, and is otherwise eligible for a payment from Missouri for the same month, issue a prorate payment for the month. Follow proration procedures as used in prorating first month’s benefits (i.e., divide grant amount by 30 and multiply by the number of days payment can be made to determine the payment amount.
EXAMPLE: The state of Maryland verifies that the claimant received the last Temporary Assistance check for 4/16 through 5/15. The claimant moves to Missouri and applies for Temporary Assistance on 5/4. The county is ready to approve Temporary Assistance on 5/25. Prorate the grant for May only covering 5/16 through 5/31.
Retroactive payments are not recommended for any month for which the person was obviously ineligible.
EXAMPLES:
- The person received a welfare check for that entire month from another state.
- The person received, and was eligible for, a Temporary Assistance cash payment for that month in another Temporary Assistance case. When an individual transfers from cash status in one Temporary Assistance case to cash status in another Temporary Assistance case, the individual cannot be paid under the new case for any months cash was received under the old case. An exception exists if it can be established that the individual was not eligible to receive cash under the old case, and would have been eligible for cash in the new case for the month(s) in question. The payment for other eligible persons in the new case cannot exceed the deficit or the percentage of need standard for the number of persons eligible for payment in that month, whichever is less.
- EXAMPLE: Ms. Smith receives Temporary Assistance as an only child in her mother’s case. On 7/15, she had a child and the household decides that Ms. Smith will apply for Temporary Assistance for herself and her child. Close Ms. Smith’s mother’s case and approve the Temporary Assistance application on 8/11. Since Ms. Smith received a cash grant under her mother’s case for August, she is not eligible for a cash grant under her own case for August. However, her child is eligible for a payment for August in the amount of the deficit or $130 (the percentage of need standard for one), whichever is less. The August payment is recommended as a retroactive payment for one person. However, if the person who received a Temporary Assistance cash payment in another Temporary Assistance case is an eligible child and is the only child in the case being approved, the caretaker is not eligible for cash payment for that month either. To be eligible for cash payment, the caretaker must be eligible to receive a Temporary Assistance cash payment for a child for that month.
- The person was obviously ineligible on an eligibility factor for the whole month, such as excessive resources.
NOTE: For retroactive payments covering the period prior to July 1, 1985, calculate the retroactive payment based on the percentage of need in effect for that period. See Appendix B – Consolidated Standard – Percentage of Need.