Are emancipated teen parents automatically exempt from the living arrangement rules?
No. Despite having adult status in some areas, emancipated minors do not have all of the legal rights of adults. They are still subject to legal restrictions phrased in terms of age. The living arrangement rules in the federal welfare reform law apply to any person who is under 18 years old (42 U.S.C. ‘ 608(a)(5)(A)(ii)(I)). Some emancipated minors, will, of course, fall into one of the five federal exemption criteria. While the federal rules do not specify emancipation as an exemption category, states can develop their own policies concerning emancipated minors as long as those policies are consistent with federal requirements. How can emancipated teen parents qualify for exemptions from the TANF living arrangement rules? State agencies may waive the living arrangement rules for emancipated minors on a case-by-case basis by applying the Abest interests@ exception or another exemption criteria. Or, they may enact laws or regulations, or issue policy guidance to local welfare offices, t
