Post-TAFDC benefits

You may qualify for additional services once your Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC) case closes.

If your TAFDC benefits end because you earn too much money, you are eligible through the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) for Transitional Support Services (TSS) stipends, child care services, and if you're receiving SNAP, Transitional Benefits Alternative (TBA) to help you keep your job and increase your earnings over time.

Transitional Support Services (TSS) stipends

Once you can no longer get TAFDC because of earnings from a job, you will receive two types of TSS stipends: a Work Related Expense stipend and a Transportation stipend. The Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) hopes these stipends will help you adjust to the loss of your TAFDC benefit.  

Each month your TSS stipend will either be deposited into your EBT account or directly deposited into your bank account. The way it is deposited depends on how you received your TAFDC benefits. The following are the stipend types and amounts:

 

Month  Work related  Transportation 
              1              $200            $80
              2              $150            $60
              3               $100            $40
              4              $50                   $20

 

We will mail you a letter each month when your TSS stipends are issued. If you have any questions about your TSS stipends call your former case manager.

Child care

Even when you no longer get TAFDC, you may still get help with safe, affordable child care. If your TAFDC case closed less than year ago, just:

  1. Call your former case manager or visit your Transitional Assistance Office 
  2. Provide proof (pay stubs or a letter) that you're working
  3. Your former case manager will give you a child care referral
  4. You will contact the agency listed on the referral
  5. The agency will explain the types of available child care and give you a list of child care providers with openings, or arrange for child care at home or with a relative
  6. After the child care provider has been contacted and child care arrangements are finalized, the agency will give you a voucher for the child care

For more information about child care, call the Child Care Resource and Referral Network at (800) 345-0131.

If your TAFDC case closed more than a year ago, you can apply for child care financial assistance through the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC).

Additional Resources

SNAP Transitional Benefits Alternative (TBA)

When your TAFDC case closes due to income, the Department will provide SNAP (food stamp) Transitional Benefits Alternative (TBA)  benefits for 5 months. During the 5-month TBA period, your SNAP benefit amount will be frozen at the amount you received before your TAFDC case closed, adjusted for the loss of your TAFDC income.

You don't have to reapply or submit any additional paperwork or other information to get TBA benefits. There is no interruption in your benefits during the switch from regular SNAP to TBA. 

Contact   for Post-TAFDC benefits

Phone

The DTA Assistance Line is open from 8:15 A.M. to 4:45 P.M.

Fax

DTA Document Processing Center (617) 887-8765

Help Us Improve Mass.gov  with your feedback

Please do not include personal or contact information.
Feedback