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2815.00.00 IN-KIND INCOME, BARTERING, GIFTS AND GAMBLING Non-cash or in-kind benefits, bartering, gifts, and gambling are discussed in the following sections. 2815.05.00 IN-KIND EARNINGS (MED 1, 2, 4) In-kind earnings are goods and services received in exchange for working i.e., in lieu of cash. The dollar value of the work performed as established by the employer is counted as earned income only in situations where the employee has the option of receiving cash for the performed work. If the employee does not have the option of receiving cash for the performed work, the goods and services received are exempt as income.

Example: If an AG member works off his rent and the landlord state, he would pay the client $200 a month, but he prefers to receive free rent in lieu of the money. Count $200 income and allow $200 as a shelter cost. If the landlord states he would not pay the client to do the work, do not count any income or allow any shelter deduction. 2815.10.00 IN-KIND SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE (MED 1) Within MED 1, the policy stated in this section applies to MA A, MA B, and MA D. In-kind support and maintenance, or income-in-kind, is shelter received by the applicant/recipient (and the spouse or parent) because someone else pays for it8, 9. If a gift card or an awards program incentive is received on a regular basis and can be resold, or it can be used to purchase shelter, it is considered income in the month received. Any unspent balance remaining on a gift card/certificate is a resource beginning the month following the month the gift card/certificate was received.10

If a gift card or an awards program incentive is received irregularly, then this is considered a lump sum payment. See IHCPPM 2880.10.00. Shelter expenses are room, rent or mortgage payments, property taxes, heating fuel, gas, electricity, water, sewage, and garbage collection services.11 The amount to be budgeted as income is the actual value of the in-kind support and maintenance received, not to exceed one-third of the applicable federal benefit rate of SSI. (Refer to IHCPPM 3455.25.00). The actual value is determined and verified by a signed statement from the person providing the in-kind support and maintenance. The one-third value is