DC TANF: payment levels miss the October 2025 (FY2026) update, the earned income disregard is 0.67 instead of two thirds, and the child support disregard stays $150 after October 2025 #10207

Summary

Problems in policyengine_us/parameters/gov/states/dc/dhs/tanf/ (PE-US 1.811.2; unchanged on main 2026-10-13 except metadata):

1. standard_payment/amount.yaml stops at 2024-10-01 for sizes 1-10 (FY2025: $490, $612, $781, $956 for 1-4). D.C. Code 4-205.52(d-1) adjusts the payment levels every October 1 by the prior calendar year's CPI-U, with no adjustment only for FY2027-FY2030. The FY2026 levels from October 1, 2025 are $504, $629, $803, $983, $1,136, $1,335, $1,532, $1,691, $1,863, $2,024 for 1-10 (+2.9%); with no FY2027 adjustment they also apply from October 1, 2026. Sizes 11-19 stop at 2023-10-01 (FY2024), so size 11 ($1,884) is below size 10 ($1,967).
2. income/deductions/earned_income_disregard/percentage.yaml is 0.67. The DC TANF State Plan the file cites says recipients deduct $160 "and then an additional two thirds of remaining earned income". With 0.67 PE counts 33% instead of 33.33% of earnings above $160: about $3.33 a month less countable income (and $3.33 more benefit) per $1,000.
3. income/deductions/child_support.yaml is $150 from 2005-10-01 only. D.C. Code 4-205.11(a)(8) disregards "the full current monthly child support obligations and voluntary child support payments" beginning on October 1, 2025 (Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Support Act of 2025, D.C. Law 26-55).

Reproduction (policyengine-us 1.811.2)

Parent 30 (40 hours a week) + children 5 and 2, is_tanf_enrolled = True, DC:

• 2025, $12,000 employment income: dc_tanf = 12 x (781 - 0.33 x 840) = $6,045.60. With two thirds: 12 x (781 - 280) = $6,012.
• 2026, no income: dc_tanf = 12 x 781 = $9,372; with the FY2026 level, 12 x 803 = $9,636. (2025, no income: PE $9,372; with FY2026 from October, 9 x 781 + 3 x 803 = $9,438.)

Sources

• D.C. Code 4-205.52(d-1): annual CPI-U adjustment of the assistance levels from October 1, 2014, except FY2027-FY2030. https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/4-205.52
• DC DHS, "TANF for District Families" (the page amount.yaml cites): maximum monthly benefit $504, $629, $803, $983, $1,136, $1,335, $1,532, $1,691, $1,863, $2,024 for 1-10, labeled "Effective October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027". https://dhs.dc.gov/service/tanf-district-families
• Legal Aid DC, FY2027 DHS budget testimony (April 2026): the maximum benefit for a family of three "is currently $803 per month"; the COLA "currently is at a modest 2.9%". https://www.legalaiddc.org/sites/default/files/2026-04/Public%20Benefits%20DHS%20Budget%20Testimony%20FY27%20-Jessica%20Berger%20%28final%29.pdf
• DC TANF State Plan (effective October 1, 2023), Section 4(4)(a), pp. 22-23 (the reference in percentage.yaml): "a $160 work expense deduction is applied and then an additional two thirds of remaining earned income is deducted". https://dhs.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dhs/service_content/attachments/DC%20TANF%20State%20Plan_Oct-2023.pdf#page=22
• D.C. Code 4-205.11(a)(8) (child support disregard). https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/4-205.11

Expected vs actual

• Expected: standard payment from 2025-10-01 = the FY2026 table above (sizes 11-19 also updated); disregard 2/3; child support from current obligations fully disregarded from 2025-10-01.
• Actual: FY2025 levels for sizes 1-10 and FY2024 levels for 11-19 in all later periods; 0.67; $150.

Related: #8367 (FY2027 60-month phase-down).

Impact (prd-comparison, CPS aligned view, shared statistics set)

The missing FY2026 update accounts for $1,236 a year on four DC units in 2026; the disregard for $380 on four units in 2025 ($397 in 2026). The child support change is not sized in the comparison.