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SNAP CERTIFICATION MANUAL – SECTION 7000 7500 Step 2 - Gross Income Eligibility 7512 Budgeting SNAP Income Prospectively

applied for SNAP benefits on July 7 and is ineligible for July benefits but eligible for August benefits, the period of certification will begin in August. When a household is entitled to retroactive benefits, the amount of the retroactive benefits will be calculated, proration will be applied as necessary, and the retroactive benefits will be authorized. If a household is not eligible for the current month but is eligible for a prior month or months in the application period, the household will be issued any retroactive benefits. EXAMPLE: A household applies for SNAP benefits on March 15th. On May 2nd, the worker determines that the household is currently ineligible and the county was at fault for the delay in processing. The household was eligible for SNAP benefits in March and April. So the worker calculates the household’s March and April SNAP benefits. March benefits are prorated to the date of application, March 15. These benefits are authorized as retroactive benefits. There are special procedures to be used at initial application or at any time when the household’s income will vary from month to month due to anticipated changes. See SNAP 7522. There are special rules which apply when a household’s TEA or SSI benefits are reduced, terminated or suspended due to that member’s intentional failure to comply with an TEA or SSI program requirement (see SNAP 12110). 7512.1 Documentation SNAP Manual 7/01/98 It is vital that case actions based on prospective budgeting contain the following documentation: 1. The dates and amounts of the income verification used in the prospective budgeting process; 2. If applicable, the household’s statement about this income - whether they expect the income to continue, if any changes are expected, etc.; and 3. If any changes in the source or the amount of the income are expected, an explanation of the expected changes and resulting budget adjustments. Good documentation is essential to the prospective budgeting process. Reviewers must be able to determine if the prospective budget was based on the best information available to the worker at the time the action was taken.