Which of the following is a cash assistance (not an in-kind transfer) program? a. Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) b. Medicare c. Medicaid d. Food stamps

In this step, we will look at each of the given options and determine if they are cash assistance or in-kind transfer programs. a. Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) - It provides financial help to low-income families. We need to confirm if it is a cash assistance program or an in-kind transfer program. b. Medicare - It is a health insurance program that primarily serves individuals aged 65 and older. It is a form of in-kind transfer as it provides healthcare services, not direct financial support. c. Medicaid - This is a health insurance program that provides healthcare coverage to low-income individuals and families. Similar to Medicare, it is an in-kind transfer program. d. Food stamps - Also known as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), it provides food assistance to low-income individuals and families. As it provides food assistance, it is also considered an in-kind transfer program.

From our analysis in the previous step, we can conclude that: - Medicare, Medicaid, and Food stamps are in-kind transfer programs as they provide goods or services instead of direct financial support. - Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) provides direct financial help to low-income families, so it is a cash assistance program. Therefore, the correct answer to the given exercise is: Option a. Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) is a cash assistance program.