Last page edit 04/23/08

Income Law Home Reading Room Search PLL Home

Welfare Avoidance Grants (WAG)

Name   Welfare Avoidance Grants (WAG) -- See Family Investment Program (FIP)
Non-Financial Eligibility Conditions   Participants must be:

Then the rules for non-financial eligibility vary by county.

  • For Example, in Baltimore City: If a family with children has an immediate financial need that can be resolved by a lump sum cash payment, they may be eligible for participation in WAG.
Income Eligibility Conditions   Net income (from any source must be below limit after certain deductions such as child care payments, 20% of any earned income...)
Asset Eligibility Conditions   Household's countable assets must be worth less than $2,000.  Certain assets are not counted; example: home, personal items, all vehicles, life insurance cash value, real property other than the family's home if it is listed for sale, etc. 

For more information and a full list of countable and non-countable assets, see COMAR 07.03.03.12.

Do these numbers change?
Benefit   The amount depends on the local rules and the type of need. It can be up to 3 months of Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) benefit for the household size, or up to 12 months of Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) benefit if compelling need.  This amount does not count under the Family Investment Program (FIP) 5-year clock, but it is limited to one payment per year.

Do these numbers change?
Apply At   Department of Social Services.  Find your local DSS Office
Appeals

   See Family Investment Program and Temporary Cash Assistance pages
Source of the Funds   See Family Investment Program and Temporary Cash Assistance pages
You Also Would Be Eligible For   See Family Investment Program and Temporary Cash Assistance pages
Sources of Law

  

Federal Law: See Family Investment Program and Temporary Cash Assistance pages

State Law: See Family Investment Program and Temporary Cash Assistance pages

State Regulations: See Family Investment Program and Temporary Cash Assistance pages

State Policy Materials:  Local Plan. The Family Investment Program (FIP) may dispense Welfare Avoidance Grants. 
Other    
Source: Maryland Legal Assistance Network (MLAN), updated by the Maryland State Law Library (MSLL).

Last review 4/23/08 (PLL/M.A.J.)
Is this legal advice? This site offers legal information, not legal advice.  We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information and to clearly explain your options.  However we do not provide legal advice - the application of the law to your individual circumstances. For legal advice, you should consult an attorney.  See our section on Finding Legal Help.

About this website. The Maryland State Law Library, a court-related agency of the Maryland Judiciary, sponsors this site. The website was developed (1999-2007) as part of an access to justice initiative by the Maryland Legal Assistance Network (MLAN) in collaboration with a number of legal services providers serving low and moderate income Marylanders.  In the absence of file-specific attribution or copyright, the Maryland State Law Library may hold the copyright to parts of this website. You are free to copy the information for your own use or for other non-commercial purposes with the following language “Source: Maryland's People’s Law Library – www.peoples-law.org. © Maryland State Law Library, 2007.”

Comments?  

Need help with the legal terms?

Understanding Legal Research