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Child Care Assistance Program Policy Manual Issued 10/2019 New Spouse Income policy 6.6.3 If an MFIP or DWP Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) applicant or participant marries, the new spouse’s earned and unearned income, including lump sums, does not count towards the family’s CCAP benefits when both of the following conditions are met: • They are eligible for the New Spouse Income policy for their MFIP or DWP case. See Combined Manual Chapter 22.11 (New Spouse Income) for more information about eligibility for the New Spouse Income policy for MFIP or DWP, AND • Their new household’s total annualized income, including the new spouse’s income, does not exceed 67% of the State Median Income (SMI) for their new household size. Once a household is determined eligible for the New Spouse Income policy: • The CCAP household size will increase, if the new spouse was not already part of the household. • The new spouse’s earned and unearned income is not counted for up to 26 consecutive biweekly periods. • Due to potentially increasing the household size and not counting the new spouse’s income, the copayment may decrease. Copayment decreases are allowed during the 12-month eligibility period. • Other requirements at application, during the 12-month eligibility period, and at redetermination continue to apply. Who is eligible? This policy is only available to families receiving MFIP or DWP CCAP. A CCAP applicant or participant must first be eligible for this policy on their MFIP or DWP case before they can be eligible for the policy on their CCAP case. See Combined Manual Chapter 22.11 (New Spouse Income) for more information about eligibility for the New Spouse Income policy for MFIP or DWP. For CCAP, this policy is available when: • Applicants who marry while their MFIP or DWP CCAP application is pending and are determined eligible for CCAP. • Applicants who marry while their MFIP or DWP cash assistance application is pending and are determined eligible for cash assistance as part of their initial approval when they apply for CCAP at a later date. If found eligible for CCAP, they are eligible for the remainder of the 26 biweekly periods. • Existing MFIP or DWP CCAP households where: o A newly-married member is added to an existing MFIP or DWP CCAP household. o The newly-married members are part of the same household. o The newly-married members are part of different MFIP or DWP CCAP households. Who is not eligible? The New Spouse Income policy is not available to families receiving Transition Year, Transition Year Extension, Basic Sliding Fee, Portability Pool, or “Student Parent” MFIP or DWP child care.