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State of Wisconsin |
Release 24-01 |
7 CFR 273.26
7 CFR 273.32
Transitional FoodShare (TFS) benefits automatically extend FoodShare benefit eligibility for five months to FoodShare assistance groups whose Wisconsin Works (W-2) or Tribal TANF (TT) cash assistance ends as long as:
FoodShare assistance groups are not eligible for TFS after Wisconsin Works (W-2) or Tribal TANF (TT) cash assistance ends when:
| Note | There is no limit to the number of times someone can be eligible for TFS; however, the member must be receiving regular FoodShare prior to starting TFS. |
| Example 1 | Linda is eligible for TFS from February through June. She is injured in a fall in May and is unable to work. In May, she re-applies for W-2 and is placed in a W-2T. The TFS benefit period will continue through June. Because the five-month TFS benefit period ends in June, Linda completes a recertification review for regular FS benefits in June and starts receiving them in July. Linda returns to her full-time job in August. Her household will receive another five months of TFS benefits once her W-2 payment ends. |
7 CFR 273.26
7 CFR 273.27
The TFS allotment is calculated using the income (less the W-2/TT payment), expenses, and FoodShare assistance group size from the month prior to the last W-2/TT cash payment (benefit determination month). This amount is frozen for the next five consecutive months, regardless of the number of months remaining in the most recent certification period for regular FoodShare. A new 12-month certification period will begin when the FoodShare assistance group reapplies and is eligible for FoodShare at the end of the TFS benefit period.
If a change is reported or becomes known to the agency, the change will be acted upon at time of reapplication at the end of the TFS benefit period. Tribal TANF participants must report the end of their placement and payments 45 days following the end of their placement.
If the initial W-2/TT placement is valid the participant is eligible to receive TFS benefits when the W-2/TT payment ends. This includes cases where some of the W-2/TT payments may be recouped because the member failed to report a change, or the placement was not ended correctly. If the initial W-2/TT placement was based on fraudulent information and the total W-2/TT payments are being recovered, the household is not eligible for the TFS benefit. Calculate the correct FoodShare benefit based on non-TFS criteria for the months the household was incorrectly open for TFS to determine if there is an over/under payment.
The food unit has no change reporting requirements during the five-month TFS benefit period. Changes reported and acted upon for other programs will not change the TFS benefit amount. When a TFS case moves to another county, a renewal is not required to continue TFS.
Exceptions
If it is reported that the primary person moves out of the TFS FoodShare assistance group, the TFS benefit will end, and the case will close.
If the agency becomes aware that a TFS FoodShare assistance group moves out of state, the FoodShare assistance group’s TFS benefits should end.
CARES will systematically determine the establishment of TFS. TFS will not be established in the following scenarios:
Dual participation in FoodShare Wisconsin is prohibited. The only time a TFS benefit allotment amount changes within the five-month period is if a TFS group member moves out and becomes eligible to receive FoodShare in another case. The TFS group's benefit amount will be reduced due to the change in group size. The allotment amount will be adjusted to the new assistance group size. Income and expenses used in the original TFS benefit determination will remain the same even if the income or expenses belonged to the individual who left the group. This recalculated benefit amount will remain the same for the remainder of the five-month benefit period. Should that same person move back into the original TFS group, the benefit amount will remain at the reduced amount for the rest of the five-month period.
The dual participation policy is explained to the FoodShare member in the initial TFS notice and an additional notice will be sent if the allotment is reduced.
| Example 2 | Sally, her son, and her two roommates share the same apartment and receive FoodShare on the same case. Sally stopped receiving her W-2 payment in June because her only child graduated from high school and moved out. The FoodShare assistance group consisting of Sally, her son and her two roommates receive TFS for five months. The FoodShare assistance group size and the allotment did not change because Sally's son never applied for his own FoodShare benefits after he moved out of the household. |
If a TFS group reports that they moved into a household with individuals who are required to be included in the same food unit as the TFS food unit, the newly configured food unit must decide whether to:
| Example 3 | Rosa, a 20-year-old mother of two, received her second TFS benefit allotment in June. Rosa called her IM worker to report a change in address and that she and her children are now living with her parents (who also have an open FoodShare case). The IM worker explained that because Rosa is under 22, she must be included in the same food unit as her parents. She and her parents can decide whether to add the parents to the TFS case or if Rosa and her two children should join the parents' FoodShare case. The IM worker ran a simulated case that showed the benefit allotment would be greater if Rosa's parents were added to her TFS food unit. The parents' FoodShare case is closed, and the IM worker adds Rosa's parents to her TFS case. |
The entire assistance group, whether or not the individual members are included in the W-2 assistance group, are eligible for TFS if a W-2 or TT cash payment ends.
| Example 4 | Simon, along with his two brothers, lives with their sister, Dana, and her two children. They are all part of Simon's assistance group. Dana has been receiving a monthly W-2 payment but recently started a new job. Dana receives her last cash payment July 1. Because Dana's W-2 payments are ending, Simon's entire FoodShare assistance group becomes eligible for TFS. Simon's TFS benefit period will begin August 1 and the TFS benefit includes himself, his two brothers, Dana, and Dana's two children. |
A FoodShare assistance group that includes two W-2/TT groups who both receive a cash payment would be eligible for TFS if one W-2 or TT group stops receiving a W-2 or TT cash payment. If the other W-2 or TT group stops receiving a W-2 or TT payment during the five-month benefit period, the TFS benefit amount remains frozen at the original amount. No additional months are added to the TFS five-month benefit period.
7 CFR 273.28
TFS groups may request a renewal for regular FoodShare at any time during the five-month TFS benefit period. If a group requests to end their TFS benefits and be recertified for regular FoodShare benefits, the IM worker can determine a regular FoodShare allotment amount. The member has the choice of which allotment they will receive. If the member chooses to receive regular FoodShare benefits and end the TFS benefit, a renewal including an interview must be completed. The allotment change is effective the first of the month after the interview.
| Example 5 | Jane’s TFS is certified for February through June. She calls the agency in March to request regular FS and completes the interview and renewal. The new allotment begins in April with a new renewal due in March. |
7 CFR 273.28
The TFS benefit period will end after five consecutive months. To continue receiving FoodShare benefits, the group must complete a renewal, including an interview, before the end of the 5th month in the TFS benefit period. The agency is responsible for scheduling the interview or pending for the interview under the On-Demand model (see Section 2.1.3.1 Scheduling the Interview) and making a benefit determination to meet the standard 30-day renewal processing requirement. If benefits are not issued by the last day of the renewal month due to agency delay, the food unit is entitled to a continuation of TFS benefits until the determination is made. Delays caused by the food unit will result in a FoodShare denial. An interview must be completed within the renewal month of the current TFS benefit period to be considered timely. If the food unit fails to complete a timely interview, FoodShare will close effective the last day of the renewal month at adverse action and a new FoodShare application is required. Information known to the agency and any adjustments to the cost of living must be included as part of the redetermination for regular FoodShare.
Since a renewal is completed at the end of the TFS period, there is no eligibility for expedited services.
This page last updated in Release Number: 22-02
Release Date: 08/01/2022
Effective Date: 08/01/2022
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Publication Number: P-16001