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To determine the amount of deemed income, determine the following: • Determine gross earned and unearned income. Include all earned and unearned income that would be countable if the income were received by an SR group member except income that is: o received from a public assistance program such as TANF; o used by any cash assistance program to determine the amount of that program's benefits to the spouse or someone else; o received as a tax refund on income; o used to comply with the terms of court-ordered support; o received as income in-kind in the form of support and maintenance; o received through a federal, state, or local government program for purchasing chore, attendant, or homemaker services for the SR individual; or • Deduction based on the presence of children in the home. Deduct an amount for each child (or step-child) living in the home who is under age 18 or who is under age 21 and a student. The amount to be deducted is the difference between the SSI benefit level for a couple and for an individual. If a child has income of his/her own, the amount allocated for that child is reduced by the amount of the child's income. If a child is a member of any other cash assistance unit including TANF or SSI, no amount is allocated for that child. The amount allocated for each child is deducted first from the unearned income of the spouse. Any remainder is deducted from the earned income of the spouse. • Deduction based on the spouse being an alien's sponsor. Deduct an amount for each alien sponsored by the spouse. The amount allocated for each alien is one-half of the SSI income standard for an individual. If an alien has income of his/her own, the amount allocated for that alien is reduced by the total countable income of the alien. The amount allocated for each alien is deducted first from the unearned income of the spouse. Any remainder is deducted from the earned income of the spouse. • Calculate deemed income. Compare the remaining monthly income to the difference between the SSI benefit level for a couple and for an individual. If the remaining income is equal to or less than this level, no income is deemed to the SR individual. If the remaining income is greater than this amount, all of the income is deemed to the SR individual. Remaining earned income deemed to the group is treated as income earned by the group member -- that is, this income is eligible for the applicable earned income disregards. Similarly, remaining unearned income is treated as income received by the group member and is eligible for the unearned income disregard. If the spouses cease to live together, income is treated separately, beginning the month of separation. The reason for the separation does not matter. QM: See SR. MC: The only relative who has financial responsibility for a member of an MC assistance unit is a