States may also operate programs outside TANF. They can establish separate state maintenance of effort funds. The
savings many states have enjoyed from reductions in welfare rolls are an obvious source of funding to pursue this option.
By operating outside TANF, states have far more discretion in how they structure their programs and are unhindered by
TANF regulations. A particular advantage for recipients is that they need not have to lose ground in the 60-month
lifetime limit on benefits.