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2840.05.00 SOCIAL SECURITY INCOME

Benefits that are paid by the Social Security Administration (SSA) are unearned income for all programs. These types of benefits include Retirement, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (RSDI), special age 72 payments (PROUTY), and black lung benefits. These benefits may be available through the SSA under Title II of the Social Security Act to the covered former wage earner and his dependents or survivors.

Black Lung benefits may be available through the United States Department of Labor under Title IV of the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 to the former miner and his dependents or survivors. Application for benefits is to be made through the nearest Social Security Administration District Office.

Social Security benefits recouped by SSA that are not received by the household are not counted as income. Refer to Section 2890.10.15 for verification requirements.

All Social Security payments to individuals whose disability is based on Drug Addiction and/or Alcoholism (DAA) are required to be paid to a representative payee. Some organizations act as the representative payee but charge a fee for providing payee services. For SNAP, the amount of the fee which the representative payee withholds from the funds it receives on behalf of the SSI recipient is not counted as income. The worker will enter the required information regarding this deduction on the Income Deductions page in the system. (f19) 2840.10.00 VETERANS’ BENEFITS

Veterans' benefits are unearned income in the form of compensation or pension benefits available through the Department of Veterans' Affairs to veterans and their dependents or survivors.

Compensation is paid to veterans with service-connected disabilities and is based on the degree of the disability. Pensions are available to certain wartime veterans who are permanently and totally disabled. (f20)

Any portion of the VA benefit which is allowed for a dependent(s) is considered unearned income of the dependent. Refer to Section 2890.10.20 concerning verification requirements.

The amount being recouped from a veteran's benefit is an allowable deduction. 2840.10.05 SPINA BIFIDA ALLOWANCE FOR VETERANS’ CHILDREN

Allowances paid to children who are born with Spina Bifida and are children of Vietnam veterans will have this allowance excluded from the income and resource determination for SNAP and TANF. (f21)

The monthly payment is to be considered as exempt income.