442-1 INCOME EXCLUSIONS WHICH APPLY TO BOTH

442-1 INCOME EXCLUSIONS WHICH APPLY TO BOTH

Some income exclusions apply only to earned income, some apply only to unearned income, and a few apply to both earned and unearned income. The following income exclusions apply to both earned and unearned income. Income exclusions that apply to both earned and unearned income are applied first to unearned income and then to earned income.

442-1 A. INFREQUENT/IRREGULAR INCOME

Infrequent or irregular income is excluded when the amount received does not exceed $30 per calendar quarter for earned income and $60 per calendar quarter for unearned income. This exclusion may be applied to both earned and unearned income in the same month if the total of each does not exceed the limits above. Thus, it is possible to exclude as much as $90 per calendar quarter under this provision.

For this exclusion to apply, income must be either infrequent or irregular.

Infrequent. An individual receives infrequent income if he or she receives it no more than once in a calendar quarter from a single source. An example of infrequent income is quarterly interest income posted to a savings account.

Irregular. An individual receives irregular income if he or she could not reasonably expect to receive it. Examples of irregular income include small cash gifts or income from a one-time job such as shoveling snow.

Note: Do not confuse this exclusion with the $20 per month general income exclusion. This exclusion is applied before and in addition to the $20 per month general income exclusion.

442-1 B. $20 PER MONTH GENERAL INCOME EXCLUSION

The first $20 per month of any unearned income that an individual or couple receives, other than income based on need, is excluded from income. The $20 per month general income exclusion is not allowed against needs-based income.

The $20 general income exclusion is applied first to unearned income and then to earned income. If an individual or couple has less than $20 of non needs-based unearned income and has earned income, any part of the $20 exclusion not applied against unearned income is applied to the earned income. If the individual or couple has only earned income, or a combination of earned income and needs-based unearned income, the entire $20 exclusion is applied to the earned income.

The $20 general income exclusion is applied only once to a couple, even when both members have income, because the couple's income is combined in determining APA eligibility and payment.

Note: The $20 per month general income exclusion is not allowed in determining nursing home eligibility under the Long Term Care (300%) provision. It is not allowed in completing the post-eligibility Medicaid cost of care calculation.

442-1 C. AMOUNT TO FULFILL A PLAN FOR ACHIEVING SELF-SUPPORT

Any earned or unearned income of a blind or disabled recipient that the recipient needs to fulfill a plan for achieving self-support is excluded from income. To allow this exclusion, the Social Security Administration or the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation must approve any plan for achieving self-support and specify what amount of income is to be excluded.

Verification. Documentation from either the Social Security Administration or the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation shall be used to verify the amount of income to be set aside as part of a plan to achieve self-support. In the absence of such documentation, a collateral contact with the agency involved is acceptable.