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If a reported/discovered change would increase the benefit and requires verification, the eligibility staff member must send a request for verification allowing the household 10 days to submit. If the household complies within 10 days, the agency must make the change effective no later than the first benefit allotment issued 10 days after the change was reported by the household. For example, a $30.00 decrease in income reported on the 15th of May would increase the household’s June allotment. If the same decrease were reported on May 28th, the increase would be effective for July benefits. If the household fails to provide the verification within 10 days, the increase/change would take effect in the month following the date the verifications were received. 7 CFR 273.12(c)(1)(i) and (iii) When the increase in benefits is caused by adding an additional household member or decreases in income of more than $50.00, the household must receive the increased benefits in the month following the reported change. If the change is reported late in the month (not allowing 10 days), a supplement for the next month will need to be authorized. If the necessary verification is not received SNAP benefits do not close and SNAP benefits continue to be issued at the previous level. 7 CFR 273.12(c)(1)(ii) and (iii) If a reported/discovered change would decrease the benefit and requires verification, the eligibility staff member must send a request for verification allowing the household 10 days to submit. If the requested verification is received within the 10-day request period AND timely notice can be provided to the household, the household’s benefit is decreased accordingly. If the requested verification is not received in time to provide timely notice of adverse action or the 10-day request for information period extends into the next benefit month, the household’s benefit is authorized at the same benefit amount as the previous month. If the verification, such as a decreased expense, is not received, the expense is removed, and timely notice of decrease is provided to the household. ACTING ON UNCLEAR INFORMATION Unclear information is information about a household’s circumstances from which the eligibility staff member cannot readily determine the effect on the household’s continued eligibility for SNAP or in certain cases the effect on the benefit amount. Unclear information is information that is not verified, or information that is verified but the eligibility staff member needs additional information to act on the change appropriately. For example, if a household reports and verifies that a new member has joined the household but does not provide any information regarding the new member’s income, the eligibility staff member would need to contact the household before the eligibility staff member could act to add the individual to the household and change the benefit level. If the information is verified upon receipt but the eligibility staff member needs additional information to act on the change appropriately, then the information would be considered unclear. An example of this would be if the eligibility staff member received verified upon receipt information, such as a client statement that another person joined a household but did not know how the household’s total monthly income may have changed. The eligibility staff member would need further information and verification from the household to make the appropriate changes in benefit allotment, if necessary, to the case. Eligibility staff must follow up on unclear information if the information: 1. Is fewer than 60 days old relative to the current month of participation, and 2. Was required to have been reported based on the reporting system to which the household was assigned.

Procedures for responding to unclear information are applicable to ALL households, not just those subject to Simplified Reporting. If the unclear information received is fewer than 60 days old relative to the current month of participation and indicates there has been a change in household circumstances that the household should have reported according to the household’s assigned reporting system, the eligibility staff member must send a pend notice. If the unclear information indicates that there was a change in household circumstances, but not a change the household was obligated to report, the eligibility staff member will follow up on the information with the household at its next certification action or required periodic report. This eliminates the potential for