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If the expense qualifies as both a dependent care and a medical expense, the expense is counted as a medical expense.

Refer to section 3445.50.00 regarding the budgeting of dependent care expenses of ineligible/disqualified AG members. 3440.05.05 CHILD SUPPORT DEDUCTION (S)

Child support payments paid by a SNAP AG to a non-AG member are considered as an allowable deduction if the payments have been ordered by the court.

The deduction may be allowed if the payment is made to an individual or agency outside the household even if the child for whom the support is paid is an AG member. For example, if the payment is being made to IV-D, the deduction would be allowable.

No deduction is allowed if the payment is made to another AG member.

A deduction is to be allowed for any legally obligated Child Support, whether paid directly to the household or as a vendor payment. For example, Child Support that is provided in-kind, such as payment of rent directly to the landlord would also be eligible as a deduction if it is court ordered.

Arrearage payments may be included in the deduction if anticipated to continue. The support order or separation agreement does not have to require payment of arrearages.

The AG must provide verification that the payments have been ordered by the court as well as proof that payments are being made for a deduction to be given.

The AG may use an average of prior month payments as a determining factor in which to base the amount of the deduction. The AG is not required to report fluctuations in the amount of the support received within the certification period when an average has been used to determine the amount of support in the budget. However, the worker must act on changes that the AG voluntarily reports.

If a history of payments does not exist, the deduction will be based on the obligated amount.

At redetermination, verification must be obtained of changes in the legal obligation, including the amount of the obligation and the amount of child support the AG member pays.

Unchanged information must not be verified at redetermination unless the information is incomplete, inaccurate, inconsistent, or outdated.

AG’s which contain all elderly and/or disabled members and have a 12-month certification is required to report changes in the legal obligation to pay child support.

If the allowable child support deduction is paid by an ineligible member, the deduction is divided by all AG members (including the ineligible member) and everyone, but the ineligible member’s