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Minnesota Family Investment Program Minnesota House Research Department Page 4  child support, spousal support, child care support, and medical support payments made by the applicant caregiver for the support of a person not living in the assistance unit’s household; and  an allocation for the unmet need of an ineligible spouse or child under age 21 who lives with the applicant caregiver and for whom the caregiver is financially responsible. Second, the county adds all of the family’s unearned income that is not otherwise excluded. The county compares the result to the applicable MFIP standard. If the result is at or below the standard, the family is eligible for MFIP. MFIP Transitional Standard The transitional standard, the program’s basic income standard for a family without earned income, is a combination of the cash portion and food portion, and is based on the number of eligible persons in the assistance unit. DCYF annually publishes the amount of the transitional standard. An eligible family’s MFIP benefit is calculated by subtracting the net earned income amount from a family wage level that is 110 percent of the transitional standard for the same size family. If an eligible applicant family has only earned income, the county agency subtracts the net earned income amount from the family wage level for the same size family. The family’s MFIP benefit is the difference between the family wage level and the net earnings, up to a maximum amount that is equal to the applicable standard for the same size family. If an eligible family has both earned and unearned income, the county takes all unearned income that is not otherwise excluded and subtracts it, either: (1) from the difference calculated under the preceding paragraph if the difference is less than the applicable standard; or (2) from the applicable standard, if the difference is equal to or greater than that standard’s amount. The calculated result is the family’s total MFIP benefit. If an eligible family has only unearned income, the county agency subtracts all unearned income that is not otherwise excluded from the applicable standard. The family’s MFIP benefit is equal to the resulting amount. If an eligible family has no income, the family’s MFIP benefit is equal to the applicable standard.