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Step 1
Ensure that your income does not exceed the required amount. A person who does not have a job due to a lack of opportunities, a lack in job skills or a physical ailment is often eligible for welfare benefits such as disability or unemployment. Similarly, a person who makes less than the state's established poverty level also may be eligible.
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Step 2
Commit to seek ways to improve the situation. A person who receives welfare benefits is often required to enter into an agreement that says he agrees to work toward self-sufficiency. A welfare recipient must also promise to abide by the rules and regulations established by the agency that distributes the welfare benefits. This may involve meeting regularly with case workers to discuss what progress is being made toward self-sufficiency.
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Step 3
Live with the children claimed on the application form. Dependent children almost always must live in the same household as the applicant for the applicant to receive welfare benefits for them. The minors in the home who are of school age must be attending school.
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Step 4
Be a legal resident. In most cases, the applicant must be able to prove citizenship or legal residency. To obtain state welfare benefits, an applicant must provide documentation that he or she resides within the state.
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Step 5
Be willing to divulge financial information. The amount of money earned in a home often determines the amount of welfare assistance a person can receive. Along with the money in checking and savings accounts, some agencies will use the value of automobiles and homes to determine how much welfare assistance should be granted.
