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COMBINED MANUAL

ISSUE DATE 01/2020

EARNED INCOME DISREGARDS

0018.18

Earned income disregards are an employment incentive. Subtract earned income disregards only from the monthly earned income of a client. See 0017.12.06 (Earned Income), 0017.15.33 (Self-Employment Income). Do not reduce earned income to less than $0 or use earned income disregards to reduce unearned income.

People may lose the earned income disregard when computing overpayments for failure to report a change timely. See 0025.03 (Determining Incorrect Payment Amounts).

MFIP, DWP, GA: Disregard the 1st $65 of earned income per wage earner plus half of the remaining earned income of the assistance unit.

SNAP: Allow 20% of the unit's gross earned income as an earned income deduction. See 0017.15.36.06 (Identifying Title IV or Federal Student Aid), 0017.15.36.09 (Student Financial Aid Deductions).

If after applying the farm loss offset, the unit passes the GIT and income remains, allow a 20% deduction of the gross earned income from that amount prior to applying other deductions. See the SNAP Farm Loss Offset Policy Guide (PDF).

MSA: For SSI recipients, no county action is required.

For non-SSI recipients due to excess income, disregard the 1st $65 of earned income plus half of the remaining earned income of the assistance unit.

● Allow the Student Earned Income Disregard from earned income when a client meets ALL 3 of the following conditions:

- Is under age 22.

- Is certified as blind or disabled by the Social Security Administration or the State Medical Review Team.

- Is expecting to attend school at least 1 month in the next calendar quarter, or did attend school at least 1 month of the current calendar quarter.

Limit the Student Earned Income Disregard to a maximum of $1,900 a month and $7,670 in a calendar year. Apply it only to the client's income.

Also see 0018.06 (Work Expense Deductions).

GRH: For aged, blind or disabled adults, follow MSA.

For all other adults, follow GA.