section-iv WHAT INCOME IS COUNTED

All income available to the family is counted in determining their eligibility for Work First Cash Assistance, unless otherwise noted. However, income is counted in various ways. The first chart lists possible sources of income, whether they are counted, how they are counted, and possible sources of verification. The second chart lists possible sources of educational assistance and whether the income is counted. Refer to XV below for additional information on educational assistance that is countable. Since it is not possible to list all types of income in these charts, the case manager may encounter income that is not listed here. If so, use prudent judgement and document the decision on how to count the income. The sources of verification 6 listed are possible sources. There may be other acceptable means to verify the income, including the family’s statement in some instances. The type of income must be verified to determine if it is countable. Source of Income Counted? Income Type Verifications - A - Active Corps Executives (ACE) No Adoption Assistance No Adult Developmental Activities Program (ADAP) Payments No Agent Orange Payments No Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act Payments No Alien's sponsor's income No Alimony/spousal support Yes Unearned 1. 230-EOM Report 2. Contribution Form DSS-8176 3. Contact the Clerk of Court 4. Contact the spouse AmeriCorps stipend (living allowance) No AmeriCorps childcare assistance No Annuities Yes Unearned 1. Current check or stub 2. Contact the source - B - Baby-sitting Yes Earned If self-employed, see Self-employment verification If wages, see wages verification 7 Basic Allowance for Quarters (BAQ [military]) Yes Earned 1. Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) 2. Wage stubs 3. Wage Verification Form DSS-8113 Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS [military]) Yes Earned 1. Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) 2. Wage stubs 3. Wage Verification Form DSS-8113 Bingo winnings Yes Unearned 1. Copy of check 2. Copy of award letter 3. Tax forms 4. Contact the source Black Lung Benefits Yes Unearned 1. Current check 2. Award letter 3. Contact the Social Security District Office 4. Contact the U.S. Dept. Of Labor, Black Lung District Office Boarders Yes Earned 1. Tax records 2. Business records 3. Bills/receipts 4. Records from banks, suppliers, or other knowledgeable sources Bonus pay (regularly or paid once a year) Yes Earned 1. Wage check or stub 2. Wage Verification Form DSS-8113 Contact the employer Brown Lung Benefits Yes Unearned 1. Current check 2. Current award letter 3. Contact the Industrial Commission Campaign contributions No 8 Capital gains from business Yes Earned 1. Tax records 2. Business records 3. Bills/receipts 4. Records from banks, suppliers, or other knowledgeable sources Career Sea Pay (military) Yes Earned 1. Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) Census Worker (Permanent) Yes Earned 1. Wage stub or check 2. Wage Verification Form 3. Contact the employer Census Worker (Temporary) No Child support (all types) (For additional information on how to count child support, see XIII. below.) Yes Unearned 1. Contribution Form DSS-8176 2. Contact the Clerk of Court 3. Contact the absent parent 4. ACTS Inquiry Clothing Maintenance Allowance (CMA [military]) Yes Earned 1. Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) 2. Wage stubs 3. Wage Verification Form DSS-8113 College Work Study Program administered under Title IV of the Higher Education Act or the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) No College Work Study Program not administered under Title IV of the Higher Education Act or the Bureau of Indian Affairs Yes Earned (Deduct expenses. See XV. below.) 1. Award letter 2. Contact the educational institution Commissions Yes Earned If self-employed, see Self-employment verification If wages, see wage verification form Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funds No Contributions (For additional information on how to count contributions, see XIII.) Yes Unearned 1. Contribution Form DSS-8176 from contributor 2. Contact the contributor 9 Cosmetology Yes Earned If self-employed, see Self-employment verification If wages, see wage verification Court ordered restitution Yes Unearned 1. Current check or stub 2. Contact the Clerk of Court 3. Legal documents 4. Contact attorney CP&L (Project Share) Payments No Crisis Intervention Program (CIP) Payments No - D - Disability payments that are provided through a private insurer and the individual is no longer employed Yes Unearned 1. Award letter 2. Check 3. Contact the insurance company Disability payments that are totally employer funded and the individual remains employed Yes Earned 1. Wage stubs 2. Wage Verification Form DSS-8113) 3. Contact the employer Disaster Assistance No Dividends Yes Unearned 1. Current dividend check 2. Dividend statement 3. Contact the stockbroker or brokerage firm 4. Contact the company paying the dividends - E - Earned Income Tax Credit (federal and/or state) No 10 Educational assistance (All Types) (See the chart on types of educational assistance that begins immediately after this chart.) Depends On the Source If counted, Unearned 1. Award letter 2. Campus based budget form 3. Student Income Verification Form 4. Contact the school 5. Contact the provider 6. Bills/receipts Energy Assistance No Experimental Housing Allowance Program (EHAP) Payments No - F - Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance (FSSA [military]) Yes Earned 1. Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) 2. Wage stubs 3. Wage Verification Form DSS-8113 Farm income (If self-employment, see VIII. Below for additional information on how to count self-employment income.) Yes Earned 1. Tax records 2. Business records 3. Bills/receipts 4. Records from banks, suppliers, or other knowledgeable sources Federal Emergency Management Act (FEMA) Payments No Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA) Benefits Yes Unearned 1. Copy of check or stub 2. Award letter 3. Tax forms Food and clothing contributions No Food assistance No Food Stamps No Foster Care No Foster Care supplements over the State maximum payment No Foster-Grandparents No - G - 11 Gambling Yes Unearned 1. Copy of check 2. Copy of award letter 3. Tax forms 4. Contact the source Gaming Proceeds, per capita proceeds to members of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation semi-annually, usually in June and December (prorate over the six-month period between payments) Yes (Payments to minors go into a trust and are not counted.) Unearned 1. Obtain a copy of the check. 2. Obtain a copy of the award letter. 3. Contact the source at: Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians P. O. Box 455 Cherokee, NC 28719 (704) 497-3705 General Assistance (GA) Payments No Gifts (monetary) that are for specific verifiable special occasions. No - H - Houlton Band of Macisett Indian Payments No Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Payments No Housing Improvement Grants No - I - In-kind income or contributions No Income Tax Refund (Federal and State) No Independent Living Initiatives of Title IV-E of the Social Security Act (payments or services provided) No Indian Tribe Payments under P. L. 97.458 & 98.64 No 12 Inheritance Yes Unearned 1. Copy of the will 2. Contact the executor or administrator of the estate 3. Contact the Clerk of Court 4. Contact the probate lawyer Insurance settlements (except for lump sums) Yes Unearned 1. Settlement check 2. Contact the lawyer who handled the settlement 3. Contact the insurance company Interest income (if paid to the family) Yes Unearned 1. Current account statement 2. Request for Financial Information Form (DSS-3431) - J - Job Corps (See WIOA) Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) See Workforce Investment Act, below. No Jump Pay (Military) Yes Earned 1. Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) 2. Wage stubs 3. Wage Verification DSS-8113 Jury Duty payments Yes Earned 1. Check or stub 2. Contact the Clerk of Court - L - Leave Rations (military) Yes Earned 1. Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) 2. Wage stubs 3. Wage Verification Form DSS-8113 Loans (if repayment plan shows when the loan will be repaid) No 13 Longevity Pay Yes Earned 1. Check or stub 2. Contact the employer Lottery winnings – if paid other than as a lump sum Yes Unearned 1. Check 2. Award letter 3. Tax forms 4. Contact the source Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) Payments No Lump-sum payments (For additional information on how to count lump-sum payments, see XV. below.) Yes, for Apps., count in month of receipt Unearned 1. Check 2. Letter from provider 3. Signed statements 4. Bill of sale - M - Migrant income Yes Earned 1. Check stub or DSS-8113 2. Contact the Employment Service; Farm Labor Bureau; Rural Manpower Development; Farmer's Cooperative Service; Grower's Association; Migrant Service Organizations; county agent; or the individual growers and crew chiefs. 3. Use records that show: each day's income and hours worked, and signature of the grower or crew chief. Military Allotments Yes Unearned 1. Current check or stub 2. Award letter 3. Contact commanding officers of military payment information centers (Attach a letter authorizing the release of the information.) Military Allotments received as child support. (For additional information on how to count military allotments received as child support, see XII. below.) Yes Unearned 1. Current check or stub 2. Award letter 3. Contact commanding officers of military payment information centers (Attach a letter authorizing the release of the information.) 14 Military Pay Yes Earned 1. Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) 2. Wage stubs 3. Wage Verification Form DSS-8113 Monthly disbursements from a trust fund Yes Unearned 1. Contact the administrator/executor of the fund 2. Contact the lawyer - N - National School Lunch Act No Notary Public fees received Yes Earned 1. Tax records 2. Business records 3. Bills/receipts 4. Records from banks, suppliers, or other knowledgeable sources Nutrition Program for the Elderly, Of the Older Americans Act Of 1965 No - O - On-the-Job-Training (OJT) Payments Yes Earned 1. Wage stub or check 2. Contact the source - P - Paid Work Experience (Generally through Welfare-to-Work) Yes Earned 1. Wage stub or check 2. Contact the source Passamaquoddy Indian Tribe Payments No Pay advances Yes Earned 1. Wage stub or check 2. Wage Verification Form DSS-8113 3. Contact the employer Pell Grants No 1. Award letter 2. Contact educational institution Penobscot Nation Indian Payments No 15 Pensions Yes Unearned 1. Pension check or stub 2. Award letter 3. Contact the organization providing the benefits 4. Tax records Private unemployment benefits Yes Unearned 1. Check or stub 2. Award letter 3. Contact the company paying the benefits Public Service Employment (PSE) Yes Earned 1. Wage stubs 2. Wage Verification Form DSS-8113 Contact the employer - R - Radiation Exposure Compensation Act Payments No Railroad Retirement Yes Unearned 1. Railroad Retirement check 2. Award letter 3. Contact a representative of the Railroad Retirement Board (See listing in RMDS.) Reimbursements (for out-of- pocket expenses other than normal living expenses such as rent, mortgage, personal clothing, or food eaten at home.) No Relocation payments No Rental income (treat as self- employment income, see IX. below) Yes Earned 1. Tax records 2. Business records 3. Bills/receipts 4. Records from banks, suppliers, or other knowledgeable sources 16 Representative payment (payment received by one individual on behalf of another individual) – Income is available for the family. Yes See specific income type See specific type of income for verifications Representative payment (payment received by one individual on behalf of another individual) – Income is not available for the family. No Restitution under the Civil Liberties Act Of 1988 No Retirement benefits Yes Unearned 1. Retirement check 2. Award letter 3. Contact the company or business paying the benefits Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) No Reverse mortgages No Roomers Yes Earned 1. Tax records 2. Business records 3. Bills/receipts 4. Records from banks, suppliers, or other knowledgeable sources - S - Sale of blood or plasma (Considered self-employment) Yes Earned 1. Tax records 2. Business records 3. Bills/receipts 4. Records from banks, suppliers, or other knowledgeable sources Scholarships (For additional information on how to count scholarships, see XIV. below.) Yes Unearned 1. Award letter 2. Contact the source 17 Sea Duty Pay (military) Yes Earned 1. Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) 2. Wage stubs 3. Completed Wage Verification Form DSS-8113 Seasonal employment Yes Earned If self-employed, see Self-employment verification. If wages, see wage verification Section 8 (HUD) No Self-employment (For additional information on counting self-employment, see IX. below.) Yes Earned 1. Tax records 2. Business records 3. Bills/receipts 4. Records from banks, suppliers, or other knowledgeable sources Selling recyclables Yes Earned 1. Tax records 2. Business records 3. Bills/receipts 4. Records from banks, suppliers, or other knowledgeable sources Senior Companions Payment Program (Title II) No Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), Title V Separate Rations (military) No Yes Earned 1. Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) 2. Wage stubs 3. Completed wage verification Form DSS-8113 Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) Payments No 18 Severance Pay Yes Unearned 1. Wage stub or check 2. Wage Verification Form DSS-8113 3. Contact the employer Shared expenses No Shelter, utilities, and household furnishings made available at no cost No Sick pay Yes Earned 1. Wage stub or check 2. Wage Verification Form DSS-8113 3. Contact the employer Social Security Benefits - Count the net social security benefit amount that appears on the BENDEX record. NOTE: When the payment is being reduced due to federal offset to repay a federal debt, offset information will not appear on BENDEX, but may appear on an individual’s award letter. Use the BENDEX record as verification of the correct net benefit amount. (If a Medicare premium is being deducted, add the premium amount to the net benefit amount. Count this total as unearned income.) Yes Unearned 1. BENDEX Inquiry 2. Third Party Query (TPQY) 3. BENDEX Data Exchange Report 4. Current Social Security check 5. Current award letter Spousal support Yes Unearned 1. 230-EOM Report 2. Contribution Form DSS-8176 3. Contact the Clerk of Court 4. Contact the spouse Sponsor Income No 19 State Earned Income Tax Credit (SEITC) No SSI (Supplemental Security Income) No Stipends for students Yes Unearned 1. Check or stub 2. Award letter 3. Contact the educational institution Surplus Commodities No - T - Tax intercept payments (support) (For more information on child support, see XII. below.) Yes Unearned 1. ACTS Inquiry 2. Contribution Form DSS-8176 3. Contact the Clerk of Court 4. Contact the spouse Telamon Payments Yes Earned 1. Check or stub 2. Contact the Telamon Office 3. Wage Verification Form DSS-8113 Tips Yes Earned 1. Wage stubs 2. Wage Verification Form DSS-8113 Work First Family Assistance Report 4. Contact the employer 5. Client's records Trade Readjustment Benefits Yes Unearned 1. Current check 2. Current award letter 3. Contact the local Employment Security Commission (ESC) Office Travel reimbursement paid from an employer to an employee for travel expenses while working for the employer No - U - 20 Uber/Lyft/Door dash or any similar ride share business. (Self- Employment) Unemployment Insurance Benefits (UIB) Unlicensed Kinship Placements Payments for Caretakers in Child Only Cases. (This payment is considered unearned income to the case head.) Unlicensed Kinship Placement Payments in Adult included/Work First Benefit cases. (For example: Case including biological children and relative placement) Yes Yes No Yes Earned Unearned Unearned 1099 MISC Form 1. ESC/UIB Inquiry 2. Current UIB check 3. Current award letter 1. Letter from Children's Services staff outlining amount received. Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Act Of 1970 No - V - Vacation Pay Yes Earned 1. Wage check or stub 2. Completed Wage Verification Form (DSS-8113) 3. Contact the employer Variable Housing Allowance (VHA) [military] Yes Earned 1. Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) 2. Wage stubs 3. Wage Verification Form DSS-8113 Vendor payments No Veteran's Administration Educational Assistance Program/ G.I. Bill (only what is used for educational purposes) No 21 Veterans Administration (VA) Benefits Yes Unearned 1. Contact the VA Regional Office Claims Division at 1-800-827-1000 2. Current VA benefit check 3. Current award letter 4. Contact the local VA service office Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Incentive Payments (if a training program is in effect. No Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) No - W - Wages Yes Earned 1. Wage stubs 2. Wage Verification Form DSS-8113 3. Work First Family Assistance Report 4. Contact the employer Witness pay Yes Unearned 1. Check or stub 2. Contact the Clerk of Court Workforce Investment Opportunity Act (Formerly, JTPA) paid to an adult Yes Earned 1. Check, or stub, or DSS-8113 2. Contact WIOA Workforce Investment Opportunity Act (WIOA) (Formerly, JTPA and WIA) paid to a child, No Work First Employment Services payments made to someone other than the participant but made on the participant’s behalf (Example, childcare payments made to the participant's sister who is also receiving Work First Cash Assistance – Count the childcare as income for the sister.) Yes Earned If self-employed, see Self-employment verification. If wages, see wage verification 22 Work Release (For additional information on how to count Work Release, see XIV. below.) Yes Unearned 1. Check or stub 2. DC-190 from the Dept. of Correction 3. Work Release Check List 4. Contact the Dept. of Correction Worker's Compensation provided through a private insurer, or the individual is no longer employed Yes Unearned 1. Award letter 2. Current check 3. Contact the provider or insurance company Worker's Compensation that is totally employer funded and the individual remains employed Yes Earned 1. Check or wage stub 2. Award letter 3. Contact the company where the person is employed or its insurance company 4. Contact the lawyer The following is a list of potential sources of educational assistance and whether they are counted in Work First Cash Assistance. Possible sources of verification for the educational assistance listed below include award letters, contacts with the agency that administers the assistance, and contacts with the educational institution. See XVI. below for additional information regarding countable educational assistance. - B - Basic Educational Opportunity Grants (BEOG and PELL Grants) No Bilingual Materials, Methods, and Techniques Program No Bilingual Vocational Instructor Training Program No Bilingual Vocational Training Program No Blue Ribbon Vocational Education Program No Business and Education Standards Program No - C - Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act No College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) for students whose families are engaged in migrant and seasonal farm work No Community Education Employment Center Program No Cooperative Demonstration Programs No - D - Demonstration Centers for the Training of Dislocated Workers Program No 23 - E - Education Lottery Scholarship (ELS) (Grant) No Educational Programs for Federal Correctional Institutions No - F - Federal Family Education Loan Program (formerly GSL) No - G - Grants Administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs No - H - High School Equivalency Program (HEP) No - I - Income Contingent Loan (Eff. 7/1/87) (Title IV) No Indian Vocational Education Program No Internships for Gifted and Talented Vocational Education Students Program No - M - Materials Development in Telecommunications Program No Model Programs of Regional Training for Skilled Trades (Carl Perkins) No - N - National Center or Center For Research in Vocational Education No National Early Intervention Scholarship and Partnership Program No National Network for Curriculum Coordination in Vocational and Technical Education No National Tech-Prep Education Program No Native Hawaiian Vocational Education Program No - P - PELL Grants No PLUS Loans for Parents No Presidential Access Scholarships (Super PELL Grants) No - R - Source of Income Counted Robert E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement No Robert T. Stafford Student Loans No - S - Scholarships Offered by Civic Groups Yes Scholarships Offered by Institution Yes Sports Scholarships Yes State Student Incentive Grants No 24 State Vocational and Applied Technology Education Program which contains the: • State Program and State Leadership Activities; • Program for Single Parents, Displaced Homemakers, and Single Pregnant Women; Sex Equity Program; • Programs for Criminal Offenders; Secondary School Vocational Education Program; Post secondary and Adult Vocational Education Program; • State Assistance for Vocational Education Support Programs by Community-Based Organizations; Consumer and Homemaking Education Program; Comprehensive Career Guidance and Counseling Program; and • Business-Labor-Education Partnership for Training Program No State-Administered Tech-Prep Education Program No Student Support Services (Title IV) No Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG) No Supplemental Loans for Students (Title IV) No Supplementary State Grants for Facilities and Equipment and Other Program Improvements Activities (Carl Perkins) No - T - Tribally Controlled Post-Secondary Vocational Institutions Program No TRIO Grants (Go to organizations or institutions for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.) No - U - Upward Bound (some stipends go to students) No - V - Vocational Education Dropout Prevention Program No Vocational Education Leadership Development Awards Program No Vocational Education Lighthouse Schools Program No Vocational Education Research Program No Vocational Education Training and Study Grants Program No Vocational Educator Training Fellowships Program No