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ESA SNAP Policy Manual 249 Example 2 Ms. White and her three children receive TANF. In March 2020, it is discovered that James O’Brien, the father of Ms. White’s youngest child, has lived with them for the past two years. A review of Ms. White’s records shows that she failed to list James O’Brien as a household member on the recertification forms she completed during the two-year period. Because case documentation shows that Ms. White misrepresented her household’s composition, calculate an overpayment for the entire two-year period.

23.1.6 Determining an Overpayment’s Start Date When determining the amount of the overpayment, ESA will determine whether the first month’s benefits would have been adjusted had the change been reported timely and ESA had acted on that information timely. Households subject to simplified reporting must report a change within 10 days from the end of the month in which the change occurred or within 10 days of the change, whichever is later. ESA has 10 days to take action on the reported change and must follow the Notice of Adverse Action policy in Section 16.6, Notice of Adverse Action. Note: These timeframes apply only to changes required to be reported under the household’s assigned reporting system. The requirements vary according to the reporting system requirements. Example 1 Mr. Porter receives SNAP. He starts work in March and receives his first paycheck on March 27. Mr. Porter waits until his recertification appointment on July 19 to report his employment, and his wages are used to determine his benefits for the new certification period that begins August 1. Mr. Porter was expected to report his earnings by April 10. Had he done so, ESA had until April 20 to process his income change and issue a 15-day notice of a change in benefits for June. There is no overissuance for March, April and May. ESA will establish a SNAP overpayment for June and July.

Example 2 Ms. Schwarte receives TANF and SNAP. Ms. Schwarte is approved for Maryland unemployment benefits and receives her first check on May 15. She reports her new income at her TANF review on July 19. Because her caseworker cannot give a 15-day timely notice for August, she adjusts Ms. Schwarte’s TANF and SNAP benefits for September. Ms. Schwarte had until June 10 to report her unemployment benefits. Her caseworker had 10 days—until June 20—to process the change and send a 15-day notice of change for August. There are no overpayments or overissuances for May through July. ESA will establish a TANF and SNAP overpayment for August.

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