摘要：Studies on welfare programs in the United States have identified three types of welfare
migration (employment, benefit, and amenity-related). This paper introduces a fourth type
of migration induced by welfare time limits. After a welfare-dependent family runs out of
benefits, it is possible for them to reset the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families time
clock by crossing state lines to extend their benefits. Our theoretical results suggest that the
likelihood of migration increases if the migration distance is small or the gain from the move
is large. We hypothesize that, ceteris paribus, families migrating in order to extend their benefits
will minimize the distance they migrate, and will be likely to move into the nearest state,
especially into counties just across the state border. We utilize macro data at the county level
to look for evidence of time-limit induced migration. Estimates indicate that time limits may
be associated with an increase in welfare migration.
