Who pays tanf back to the state if the custodial parent becomes non custodial

[shorty56154]

Like the non  custodial parent has the child now.Does that parent still pay it back or does the parent who used to have custody pay it back?Just curious how it works.The dshs office etc aren't good at calling back about questions right away.

[prestonjohn]

it would be the parent that had the child and collected the tanf,,why would the parent that now has the child pay it back,,they arent the one that benefitted from it

[shorty56154]

Quoting prestonjohn:

it would be the parent that had the child and collected the tanf,,why would the parent that now has the child pay it back,,they arent the one that benefitted from it

that's what I would think.But i know if the mom  got tanf and kept custody the other parent would pay it back.Not sure why they do that.

[kk_bella]

It depends on a few things. Is the father on the birth certificate? Were they married? Is there a CS order in place?

[prestonjohn]

I think it is paid thru child support

Quoting shorty56154:

Quoting prestonjohn:

it would be the parent that had the child and collected the tanf,,why would the parent that now has the child pay it back,,they arent the one that benefitted from it

that's what I would think.But i know if the mom  got tanf and kept custody the other parent would pay it back.Not sure why they do that.

[coug7099]

Since when does anyone pay TANF back?

[heatherann0221]

if you are a single parent who receives it, the state goes after the other parent to pay it back. I think the basic reasoning is that if the non-custodial parent was paying child support to the custodial parent, then the custodial parent wouldn't need the welfare. So since they are on welfare, the other parent has to pay it. At least that's how it works where I live. That way you can't receive both at the same time.

Quoting coug7099:

Since when does anyone pay TANF back?

[heatherann0221]

whoops, I might be wrong. Is there a difference between cash assistance and TANF? I don't know

[shorty56154]

tanf is cash assistance.I do know you can be with the father and the state will go after him if you got tanf.Like when you don't live together.Because if you lived together and both aren't working. You might not be able to get tanf.Plus they'd be supporting their kid.They still consider it being non custodial if you don't live together .Even if you're not a single parent, they still treat it like you are.

[shorty56154]

Quoting coug7099:

Since when does anyone pay TANF back?

In WA, they make you pay it back or you can get your license suspended and eventually go to jail.

[shorty56154]

Quoting kk_bella:

It depends on a few things. Is the father on the birth certificate? Were they married? Is there a CS order in place?

Well if they were married, they both would have gotten tanf.There wouldn't be a non custodial parent.Since they'd both live together.