This study examines longitudinal patterns of financial kin support and welfare given to single mother families using life table techniques. Drawing on the 1985-1993 Panel Study of Income Dynamics(PSID), I followed 560 single mothers from the time they began a single motherhood spell. About 30 percent of these single mothers received financial support from relatives, and 40 to 50 percent received AFDC and Food Stamps, respectively. Results indicate that kin support is more likely to be given in a transitional period and tends to decrease over time. In comparison, receiving welfare appears positively time-dependent.