section-12 STANDARDS AND DEDUCTIONS

Section 12: Standard and Deductions A. Income Eligibility Standards 1. The monthly gross income eligibility standard is 130% of the annual federal income poverty level divided by 12. 2. The monthly net income eligibility standard is 100% of the annual federal income poverty level divided by 12. 3. The monthly gross income eligibility standard for expanded categorically eligible households that include an elderly/disabled member or have dependent care expenses is 200% of the annual federal income poverty level divided by 12. NOTE: Households that include an aged and/or disabled household member may be eligible for SNAP with income above 200% of the federal poverty level but, must pass the 100% Net Income Test and the Resource Test set forth in current SNAP Standards and Deductions. Periodically, as mandated by USDA, the monthly income eligibility standards will be adjusted to reflect the federal income poverty levels as provided in the Community Services Block Grant Act. The applicable income eligibility standards (or limits) are automatically used by the Welfare Management System Automated Budgeting and Eligibility Logic (WMS ABEL), to correspond with the effective FROM date of the budgeting period. The adjustments to these standards are normally announced to Districts through a General Information System (GIS) message in August of each year, with the effective date of the adjustment being October 1st to coincide with the start of the Federal fiscal year. NOTE: The SNAP STANDARDS are also available by accessing the desk guide section of either Centraport or the Employment and Income Support Programs (EISP) intranet page. Prior years’ standards may be viewed by accessing one of the previous years’ GIS messages available through Centraport or the EISP intranet page. Reference: 387.10 Income Standards ABEL Transmittal 08-3 Information #4: “FS Categorical Eligibility Expansion for Dependent Care Expense Households” ABEL Transmittal 07-3 Information #5 “Food Stamps Categorical Eligibility Expansion” B. Thrifty Food Plan The Thrifty Food Plan is the diet required to feed a family of four persons consisting of a man and a woman 20 through 50, a child 6 through 8, and a child 9 through 11 years of age, determined in accordance with the Secretary's calculations. The cost of such diet shall be the basis for uniform allotments for all households regardless of their actual composition. In order to develop maximum SNAP allotments, the Secretary shall make household size and other adjustments in the Thrifty Food Plan taking into account economies of scale and other adjustments as required by law. NOTE: The SNAP STANDARDS are also available by accessing the desk guide section of either Centraport or the Employment and Income Support Programs (EISP) intranet page. Prior years’ standards may be viewed by accessing one of the previous years’ GIS messages available through Centraport or the EISP intranet page. Reference: 387.1 Definitions C. Income Deductions A. Standard Deduction USDA will specify a permissible, standard, monthly household deduction. In order to keep allowable deductions realistic and up-to-date, cost of living adjustments must be made to certain mandated deductions. The adjustments will be made as mandated by USDA. NOTE: The SNAP STANDARDS are also available by accessing the desk guide section of either Centraport or the Employment and Income Support Programs (EISP) intranet page. Prior years’ standards may be viewed by accessing one of the previous years’ GIS messages available through Centraport or the EISP intranet page. B. Earned Income Deduction The Earned Income Deduction is twenty percent of gross earnings as defined in SNAP SB Section 13. If a household fails to report earned income in a timely manner, the earned income deduction would not be applied when determining an overpayment. NOTE: Districts should keep in mind that the majority of SNAP households are subject to Simplified Reporting rules, and do not have to report changes in income or deductions during the certification period if total monthly gross income remains less than 130% of poverty (see SNAP SB section 14). Reference: 97 ADM-4 Clarifications of Various Food Stamp Welfare Reform Provisions 96 LCM-83 Food Stamp Impact of New Federal Welfare Law 08 ADM-9 Farm Bill Reauthorization Provisions of Food Stamp Program for 2008 D. Medical Deductions 1. Eligibility Criteria Any household that has at least one member who is elderly or disabled, as defined in SNAP SB Section 5, is eligible for a deduction of medical expenses in excess of $35 per month (per household) which are not reimbursed by third party insurers or under Title XVIII (Medicare) or XIX (Medicaid). Other household members, spouses or other persons receiving benefits as a dependent of the SSI or disability recipient cannot claim their medical costs. Persons receiving emergency SSI benefits based on presumptive eligibility shall be allowed this deduction. NOTE: Households receiving SNAP while pending SSI, if determined eligible for SSI, are entitled to a SNAP uncapped shelter deduction and/or excess medical deduction, retroactive to the SNAP application date or SSI eligibility date, whichever is later. Benefits will be restored according to SNAP SB Section 11. NOTE: Per the Food Stamp Reauthorization Act of 2002, districts will not reduce medical deductions between recertification. Increases that are reported and verified must continue to be processed between certifications. 2. Allowable Medical Costs The following are allowable medical costs: a. Health and hospitalization insurance policy premiums. Not deductible are the costs of health and accident policies, such as those payable in lump sum settlements for death or dismemberment, or income maintenance policies, such as those that continue mortgage or loan payments while the beneficiary is disabled. NOTE: Health insurance premiums for family coverage that includes a disabled or aged household member paid for by someone other than the disabled or aged household member may be included as a medical deduction. The medical expense would be the single rate for the plan, if it can be identified, or prorated among the household members. b. Medicare premiums paid by the SNAP recipient and related to coverage under Title XVIII of the Social Security Act. This includes any cost sharing or spend-down expenses incurred by Medicaid recipients. For information on Medicare premiums paid by Medicaid see #2 under Determining Deductions. c. Prescription drugs when prescribed by a licensed practitioner authorized under State Law and other over-the-counter medication (including insulin) when approved by a licensed practitioner or other qualified health professional. In addition, costs of medical supplies, sickroom equipment (including rental), or other prescribed equipment are deductible; including the cost of delivery charges by mail order pharmacies to deliver such medications and equipment. d. Hospitalization or outpatient treatment, nursing care (including nursing care in the community), and nursing home care, including payments by the household for an individual who was a household member immediately prior to entering a hospital or nursing home facility recognized by the State; e. Medical and dental care, including psychotherapy and rehabilitation services, provided by a licensed practitioner authorized by State Law or other qualified health professional; f. Dentures, hearing aids, and prosthetics; g. Securing and maintaining a seeing eye, hearing, or service animal, including the cost of food and veterinarian bills. In 1990, FNS issued an indexed policy memo to broaden the definition to include all service animals, not just seeing eye or hearing dogs. Therefore, costs associated with any animal specially trained to serve the needs of elderly or disabled program participants are allowable for purposes of the excess medical deduction. An animal must be specially trained to assist the SNAP recipient in order for its associated maintenance costs (from veterinary bills to food and other expenses) to be allowable deductions. If the animal has not been specially trained, it is not a service animal, and its expenses are not deductible. NOTE: Grants of Assistance for Guide Dogs are a reimbursement and are excluded as income. When they are excluded as income, they cannot be allowed as a deduction. However, if the SNAP client can verify that the cost of maintaining the guide dog exceeds the grant, the amount over and above the grant can be added to the client's medical deductions. h. Eyeglasses prescribed by a physician skilled in eye disease or by an optometrist; i. Reasonable cost of transportation and lodging to obtain medical treatment or services. Districts are encouraged to use the mileage rate at which county employees are reimbursed for their employment-related travel, which some counties set at the federal rate for employee reimbursement. Districts must use at least the mileage rate allowed toward a medical deduction for federal income tax purposes. This amount can be found at: https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/standard-mileage-rates j. Maintaining an attendant, homemaker, home health aide, or dependent care services for housekeeping necessary due to age, infirmity or illness. In addition, an amount equal to the one-person benefit allotment shall be considered a medical expense if the household furnishes the majority of the attendant's meals. The allotment for this meal-related deduction shall be in effect at the time of initial certification. It is only required to update the allotment amount at the next scheduled recertification; however, at its option, the agency may do so earlier. When attendant care costs qualify under both the medical deduction and the dependent care deduction, the cost shall be treated as a medical expense. NOTE: The cost of special diets is not allowed as a medical deduction. NOTE: Dependent care costs which qualify as a medical expense must be claimed as such and cannot be claimed as a Dependent Care Deduction. Only the portion of the medical/Dependent Care expense above $35 will be allowed as a deduction. The $35 cannot then be allowed as a Dependent Care Deduction. a. Payments made on a loan when the loan is used to pay a one-time-only medical expense. Loan expenses, such as interest, are not allowable as part of the medical expense. Medical expenses are an exception to the policy that allowable expenses can only be deducted when they are due. b. Past-due medical bills that have not previously been allowed as medical deductions can be allowed at next certification or recertification. 1. At certification, unpaid medical bills can be considered when determining a household’s monthly medical deduction for the certification period. 2. The household can voluntarily report medical expenses that come due during the certification period and have them considered in determining the monthly medical deduction for the remainder of the certification period, but it cannot be required to do so. 3. The household may also report at recertification the medical expenses that occurred during its certification and have them considered in determining the monthly medical deduction for the new certification period. E. Determining Deductions 1. Medical Expenses Only that portion of an allowable medical expense which is not reimbursed by third party insurers or under Titles XVIII or XIX of the Social Security Act shall be counted as part of the household's medical expenses. Entitled households shall have the non-reimbursable portion deducted in the month that the reimbursement is received or can otherwise be verified. 2. Medicaid/Medicare Expenses A SNAP recipient who is elderly or disabled and who has MA pay his or her own Medicare premiums, deductibles and co-insurance cannot claim these costs toward a SNAP excess medical expense deduction. i. Districts must establish internal procedures to ensure that TA and/or SNAP staff are notified when a SNAP recipient's Medicare costs begin to be paid by MA. Upon receipt of this report, TA or SNAP staff should make a notation to remove these expenses from the recipient's SNAP medical deduction computation at the next recertification. ii. Any on-going MA payments (deductibles and co-insurance) for a SNAP recipient's Medicare expenses are excluded, as reimbursements, when determining SNAP eligibility and benefit amounts. Retroactive MA reimbursements are excluded, for SNAP, as lump sums. 3. Averaging Expenses Households who report one-time-only expenses during their certification period may elect to have a one-time deduction or to have the expense averaged over the remaining months of their certification period. Averaging would begin the month the change would become effective. For households certified for 24 months that have one-time medical expenses, the State agency must use the following procedure. In averaging any one-time medical expense incurred by a household during the first 12 months, the State agency must give the household the option of deducting the expense for one month, averaging the expense over the remainder of the first 12 months of the certification period, or averaging the expense over the remaining months in the certification period. One-time expenses reported after the 12th month of the certification period will be deducted in one month or averaged over the remaining months in the certification period, at the household's option. The eligibility worker should help the client in choosing the option which is most beneficial. For example, if the one-time medical expense is the only expense and averaging would bring it to less than$35 per month, it would be more advantageous to the client if they took a one-time deduction. i. The method of budgeting a medical expense may be changed in the middle of a certification period if the action does not cause a medical expense to be allowed as a deduction more than once and does not reduce the medical expense deduction already budgeted. Example: A household incurs an expense of $1800 and chooses to have it averaged over the 6-month certification period of January through June. Four months later, the household asks that the remaining balance of $600 be allowed in May. The worker may make the budgeting change. ii. In Medicaid spend down cases, the spend-down amount may be averaged over the months it is intended to cover or, if the household has a history of meeting the spend-down in the first month, it may all be allowed in one month. A MA case has a six-month spend-down period. The case is re- approved for MA in January with a spend-down of $300. The household has a history of meeting that amount. Example: The $300 spend-down may be averaged over the six-month SNAP certification period beginning in January or, if the household has a history of meeting the spend-down in the first month, it may all be allowed in January. 4. Conversion of Deductions The income conversion procedure, stated in SNAP SB Section 13, shall also apply to expenses billed on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. 5. Change Reporting Requirements Households are not required to report changes in their medical expenses during their certification period. Additionally, if a household does report and verify a decrease in medical expenses, the excess medical deduction should not be reduced between recertifications. All reported and verified increases in deductible expenses must continue to be processed between recertifications and all changes in deductions must be processed at recertification. 6. Renegotiated Agreement Medical expenses may be allowed as a deduction in accordance with a renegotiated repayment agreement. Example: A household made an agreement in January to pay $100 a month for 10 months. The household made timely payments for January and February. Due to a change in circumstances, the household was unable to make payments in March and April. In May, the household renegotiated the payments with the same provider to pay the balance of $800 in equal amounts of $80 over the next 10 months. The renegotiated amount may be allowed as a deduction, as long as no amount of the expense is allowed twice. Assume the worker continued to allow the $100 deduction during March and April. In May the worker would consider a remaining balance of $600 rather than $800 and allow an $80 a month deduction until the $600 is paid. i. A medical expense would continue to be allowed as a deduction if the balance is paid earlier than specified in the initial agreement. Example: A household made an agreement in January to pay $100 a month for 10 months. The household makes regular payments. In June, the household receives extra money and decides to pay the remaining balance of $500. The worker must cease the deduction at the next recertification. 7. Reasonable Estimates Households eligible for the excess medical deduction must be allowed at certification to give a reasonable estimate of the medical expenses they expect to incur during the certification period. To receive the medical expense deduction, households are required to report and verify all medical expenses at the time of certification and recertification. The household's monthly medical deduction for its certification period is based on the information reported by the household. a. This includes any anticipated changes that can be reasonably anticipated based on available information about the member's medical condition, public or private medical insurance coverage and reimbursements, and the current verified medical expenses incurred by the member. b. If the household reports a medical expense at certification or recertification but cannot verify the expense at that time, and if the amount of the expense cannot be reasonably anticipated based on the available information, the expense is considered at the time the amount of the expense is verified. The following should be considered when dealing with medical deductions for the purpose of SNAP eligibility: Households are not required to report any changes in medical expenses during the certification period. (1) Households may choose to report any changes in medical expenses during the certification period. If the household voluntarily reports a change in medical expenses, the local district must take appropriate action to increase benefits, if verification is obtained. If the change decreases benefits, the reduction must not be made during the certification period. A change reported medical expense resulting in a decrease must be made at recertification even if it is not verified (see SNAP Section 6). (2) When a change in medical expenses is reported from a source other than the SNAP household, the local district must take the action to increase benefits, only if the action can be taken without contacting the household for further information or verification. The household must be informed about the changes in the SNAP benefit in accordance with the notice requirements in SNAP Section 7. (3) Those changes learned from a source other than the household which are not verified upon receipt and therefore necessitate contact with the household for verification purposes, are not acted upon until the household voluntarily reports or is recertified by the local district. (4) When a change in medical expenses that would increase benefits is voluntarily reported on the Periodic Report and the household provides no proof of the change, then the household must meet the verification requirements outlined in SNAP Section 6. The household is advised of the additional verification requirement and that failure to provide the verification will result in medical deductions remaining at the current allotment. (5) Medical expense changes reported on the Periodic Report that would decrease benefits are not acted on until the next recertification. The household must meet the normal verification requirements at recertification as outlined in SNAP Section 6. Any medical expense changes that go unreported on the Periodic Report do not result in over/under payments to SNAP cases. References: 05 ADM-14 Food Stamp Budgeting: VISTA Payments and Medical Mileage Expenses 387.12 Income Deductions 387.14 Determination of Food Stamp Eligibility 02 ADM-7 Food Stamp Program Reauthorization Changes 06 INF-19 Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan and End of the Medicare- Approved Prescription Drug Discount Card Program Deduction 03 INF-43 Food Stamp Deductions for Medical Expenses 94 INF-58 FS: Medical Deductions Clarification 94 INF-23 Food Stamps: Deduction for Recurring Medical Expenses GIS 11 TA/DC001 Reminder on the Budgeting of Restored FS benefits for Households with Individuals who Have Received a Retroactive Determination of SSI Eligibility 11/23/15 USDA Policy Memo- Deductible Excess Medical Expenses F. Dependent Care Deductions Dependent Care deductions are payments for the actual costs for the care of a child or other dependents (including an incapacitated adult) when necessary for a household member to accept or continue employment, seek employment in compliance with the job search criteria (or an equivalent effort by those not subject to job search), or attend training or pursue education which is preparatory to employment. Examples of Dependent Care are (but not limited to) day care center, pre-school, babysitter, adult day care facility, before and after school programs and camps. The Dependent Care deduction is uncapped. The full out-of-pocket amount paid for Dependent Care is the actual amount to be included as a deduction in the SNAP budget. NOTE: Only actual unreimbursed costs for dependent care itself can be allowed. Dependent care costs may include activity fees and the cost of transportation to and from dependent care facilities. NOTE: Sometimes, dependent care deductions may need to be prorated. If a SNAP household includes an individual who would be disqualified for failure to obtain or provide a Social Security Number (SSN) or who is an ineligible non-citizen, and who is also an ineligible student (as described in SNAP SB Section 5), the SSN-disqualified/illegal non-citizen budgeting rules take precedence. NOTE: According to these rules, the ineligible individual's income is pro- rated as described in SNAP SB Section 13; deductions for shelter costs and dependent care expenses are pro-rated (SNAP SB section 11); and the individual's resources are counted in their entirety (SNAP SB Section 17). NOTE: Per the Food Stamp Reauthorization Act of 2002, districts will not reduce dependent care deductions between recertifications. Increases that are reported and verified must continue to be processed between certifications. References: 387.12(d) Income Deductions 02 ADM-7 Food Stamp Program Reauthorization Changes 08 ADM-09 Farm Bill Reauthorization Provisions of Food Stamp Program for 2008 09 ADM-06 Expansion of Categorical Eligibility for Food Stamps for Households with Out-of pocket Dependent Care Expenses G. Shelter Deductions 1. Definition The Excess Shelter Deduction is the monthly shelter expenses in excess of 50 percent of the household's income after all other deductions have been allowed. The excess shelter deduction shall not exceed the maximum limit specified by USDA, unless the household contains a member who is elderly or disabled as defined in SNAP SB Section 5. Households with an elderly or disabled member shall receive the uncapped excess shelter allowance. Households receiving SNAP while pending SSI, if determined eligible for SSI, are entitled to receive a SNAP uncapped excess shelter deduction and/or excess medical deduction, retroactive to the SNAP application date or SSI eligibility date, whichever is later. Benefits will be restored according to SNAP SB Section 11. The maximum excess shelter deduction will be adjusted periodically by USDA to reflect changes in the shelter (exclusive of home ownership costs), fuel and utility components of the urban Consumer Price Index. Visit the OTDA GIS webpage to find the current SNAP Standards. NOTE: The SNAP Standards are also available by accessing the desk guide section of either Centraport or the Employment and Income Support Programs (EISP) intranet page. Prior years’ standards may be viewed by accessing one of the previous years’ GIS messages available through Centraport or the EISP intranet page. NOTE: If a SNAP household includes an individual who would be disqualified for failure to obtain or provide a Social Security Number (SSN), an ineligible ABAWD or who is an ineligible non-citizen, and who is also an ineligible student (as described in SNAP Section 5), the SSN- disqualified/ineligible ABAWD/illegal non-citizen budgeting rules take precedence. The ineligible individual's income is prorated as described in SNAP SB Section 13; deductions for shelter costs and dependent care expenses are prorated (SNAP SB section 12); and the individual's resources are counted in their entirety (SNAP SB Section 17). 2. Shelter Costs Shelter expenses shall include only the following: A. Recurring charges. These include: (1) Rent NOTE: HUD rent payments made directly to a landlord by HUD are excluded as SNAP income. When such payments are made directly to a landlord, they are also not allowed as a SNAP shelter cost. The household's out-of-pocket rent expense is allowable as a SNAP shelter cost. This includes Welfare-to-Work vouchers. (2) Mortgage, including the mortgage cost of a home in Foreclosure, see GIS 14 TA/DC018, SNAP Budgeting Shelter Expense of Mortgage Costs when in Foreclosure or (3) Other recurring charges leading to the ownership of the shelter, e.g., loan repayments for the purchase of a mobile home, including interest on such payments, (4) Loan repayments where the home is the security or collateral for the loan, e.g., second mortgages or home equity loans. NOTE: Penalty fees for being late in making payments on utilities, mortgages and/or property taxes are not to be included as a shelter cost and are not allowable as deductions for SNAP purposes. (5) Property taxes, assessments, and insurance on the structure itself, NOTE: Insurance costs for insuring furniture or personal belongings are not included. To estimate what portion of a homeowner's policy premium is attributable to insurance on the structure, a standard figure of 55% of the total premium may be used when the actual cost cannot be determined. i. The District will use the standard utility allowances (SUA) established by the State to cover the cost of heating and cooking fuel, cooling and electricity, water, sewage, garbage and trash collection, basic fee for telephone and fees charged by utility provider for initial installation. NOTE: One-time deposits shall not be included as shelter costs. ii. Costs of a home temporarily NOT occupied. The shelter costs of a home which the household does not occupy because of distant employment, illness, or abandonment caused by a natural disaster or casualty. To include the costs of a vacated home in the household's shelter costs, the household must: (1) Intend to reoccupy the home; (2) The current occupant of the home, if any, is not permitted to claim the shelter costs for SNAP purposes; and (3) The home must not be leased or rented during the household's absence. iii. Charges for repair of the home which was substantially damaged or destroyed due to a natural disaster such as fire or flood, excluding those repair costs that are subject to reimbursement by private or public relief agencies, insurance, or any other source. iv. Car payments and car insurance can be budgeted as a shelter cost for a homeless household who is living in their car. 3. TA Shelter Allowance Being Withheld The following are SNAP budgeting procedures for a household whose TA shelter allowance is withheld pending a landlord's correction of building code deficiencies. i. For a TA household whose TA shelter allowance is restricted (whether voluntarily or due to past money mismanagement), but the District withholds the restricted shelter payments from the landlord until the landlord makes required repairs: (1) The TA shelter allowance is excluded as inaccessible income; and (2) The SNAP shelter expense is the amount, if any, by which the actual rent exceeds the (withheld) TA shelter maximum. In other words, the household is still allowed as a SNAP shelter cost their portion of the rental expense which exceeds the maximum TA shelter allowance and which the household owes the landlord, from non-excluded income. Example: The Miller household's rent is $400 per month. Their maximum TA shelter allowance, $384, is restricted and is currently withheld by the District pending the landlord's completion of required repairs. Consequently, the $384 TA shelter allowance is subtracted from the countable TA income in the SNAP budget. Only the $16 monthly excess shelter (which the Millers normally pay out of their TA pre-add allowance) is allowed as a SNAP shelter expense. This expense is allowed because it is incurred regardless of whether the household withholds it from the landlord or not. When the building repairs are completed and the District pays the previously withheld shelter allowances to the landlord, this payment is excluded income for SNAP purposes as a lump sum payment. ii. For a TA household whose TA shelter allowance is not restricted (i.e., the household continues to receive the shelter allowance directly), the household may choose to withhold rent payment from their landlord. However, because they continue to receive the TA shelter allowance, this continues to be counted as SNAP income. This household is also entitled to a SNAP shelter expense equal to the total shelter cost which they continue to incur, regardless of whether they withhold rent payments from their landlord. Example: The Greens' rent is $400 per month. Their TA grant includes a $384 shelter allowance (unrestricted). Their SNAP budget includes the $384 TA shelter allowance as countable income and includes the $400 shelter expense. If the Greens subsequently withhold rent payments from their landlord, their SNAP budget will not be affected. 4. Homeless Shelter Deduction A standard estimate of shelter expenses must be used when determining the amount of SNAP benefits for homeless households which do not reside in a homeless shelter or receive free shelter for the entire month. a. The homeless shelter deduction is set forth in the annual SNAP Standards and Deductions. b. A homeless household must incur or anticipate incurring an expense, no matter how small, to be entitled to this deduction. Almost every such homeless household incurs some shelter or shelter related expenses. Therefore, the worker may assume costs are being incurred and is not required to document in the case record why a standard homeless shelter deduction is being allowed. However, if based on statements from the household or information from other sources, the worker determines the household is not incurring any expenses, it must be documented in the case record why the deduction is not being allowed. c. Actual expenses must be used as the shelter deduction for homeless households which verify incurred expenses which exceed the standard deduction. 5. Shelter Deduction When Rental Costs Are Paid In Advance The SNAP shelter deduction is given when an allowable shelter expense becomes due. When a household occupies a residence that has a monthly rent structure, the monthly amount of rent should be taken into consideration each month when the shelter deduction is determined without regard to when the rent is actually paid. Therefore, households electing to pay their rental costs in advance would still be eligible to receive the SNAP shelter deduction for the months that are covered by the advance payment. References: 7 CFR 273.9 387.12 Income Deductions 14 INF-06 Temporary Assistance Questions and Answers 91 ADM-25 Section 8: Amendment to Department Regulation 352.3(d) and the Effect on Public Assistance Households in Section 8 Rent Subsidy Programs 99 INF-16 HUD Welfare-to-Work Housing Vouchers – Potential Rent Subsidy Assistance For Some Temporary Assistance Families 91 INF-49 Food Stamps Quality Control Alert: Failure to Budget Correct Shelter Costs for Households Reporting Changes in HUD Rent Subsidies 02 INF-31 Temporary Assistance Questions and Answers GIS 14 TA/DC018 SNAP Budgeting Shelter Expense of Mortgage Costs when in Foreclosure GIS 11 TA/DC001 Reminder on the Budgeting of Restored FS benefits for Households with Individuals who Have Received a Retroactive Determination of SSI Eligibility H. Standard Allowances for Heating/Cooling, Utilities and Telephone The Department has established Standard Utility Allowances (SUA) for heating/cooling and utilities for each District's use in budgeting household shelter expenses. In addition, there is a statewide telephone standard allowance. The Department shall review and adjust the SUA annually to determine changes in costs. NOTE: The SNAP Standards are also available by accessing the desk guide section of either Centraport or the Employment and Income Supports Program (EISP) intranet page. Prior years’ standards may be viewed by accessing one of the previous years’ GIS messages available through Centraport or the EISP intranet page. 1. Standard Utilities Allowances (SUA) a. Utilities - Includes all utility costs other than heating/air conditioning. It includes telephone, electricity, cooking fuel, sewage, trash collection, water fees, fuel for heating hot water, and rental fee for a propane tank. It is available to households: (1) Billed separately from rent or mortgage for one or more of these utilities and (2) Which do not incur a cost for heating and/or air conditioning separate and apart from rent, or mortgage, and (3) Which have not received a HEAP payment of greater than $20 in the current month or within the previous 12 months. No separate inquiry regarding whether the household incurs a cost for telephone is required. b. Heating/Air Conditioning - Covers heating/air conditioning, utilities and telephone costs. It is available to households who have received a HEAP payment of greater than $20 in the current month or within the previous 12 months, or households billed separately from rent or mortgage on a regular basis for heating, and/or air conditioning their residence. (1) Supplemental Heating Costs - Utility costs for the operation of a space heater, electric blanket, heat lamp, a cooking stove, and the like when used as a supplemental heating source do not qualify a household for the HT/AC SUA. The cost of an electric blower for an oil or gas furnace also does not qualify a household for the HT/AC SUA. (2) Wood For Heating - Households which incur a cost for wood as their primary heat source are entitled to the HT/AC SUA. However, such a cost must be incurred for the wood itself, not for the costs of processing the wood. Therefore, a household which heats primarily by wood which it receives free is not entitled to the HT/AC SUA, even if it incurs costs for such expenses as a power saw, transporting the wood or for a cutting permit. Such charges are also not allowable as SNAP shelter costs separately. (Aug./Sept./Oct. 1985 Consolidated Letter) (3) Cooling Costs - The operation of devices used to air condition (i.e., to filter air and regulate its humidity and temperature) are considered cooling expenses for purposes of the HT/ACSUA. Costs for the operation of a fan are not considered cooling expenses for purposes of the HT/AC SUA. c. Standard Telephone Allowance - This covers the cost of basic service plus tax for one telephone. Households which do not pay for heating and/or air conditioning or utilities separate and apart from rent, and are not eligible for HEAP, may use the SUA for telephone if a cost for a telephone, separate and apart from rent, is incurred. 2. Including A Heating/Air Conditioning SUA In the SNAP Budget a. A heating/air conditioning SUA is automatically generated on ABEL budgets for NYC households residing in their own homes, paying private rent, living permanently in a hotel/motel, living in a commercial rooming house or receiving a rent supplement. b. Workers in districts outside New York City must collect and code into WMS, information regarding shelter type and fuel type. 3. HUD And FMHA Utility Payments HUD and FMHA utility payments are excluded as SNAP income. a. Households that pay their own heat/air conditioning or utilities are entitled to claim such costs as SNAP shelter expenses. b. Households billed separately and regularly by their landlord for actual usage of heat/air conditioning or utilities are entitled to the appropriate standard heating/cooling and/or utility allowance(s). c. Households billed only for excess costs are entitled to claim only the excess costs as a shelter expense. 4. Households Eligible for $21.00 in HEAP A HEAP regular benefit of $21.00 is available for income eligible households that make undesignated payments for heat in the form of rent in certain living arrangement categories. These living arrangements are: a. Government subsidized housing with heat included in rent b. Publicly operated or State-certified private nonprofit residential drug or alcoholic treatment facilities c. Private nonprofit residential drug or alcoholic treatment facilities that are authorized as a SNAP retailer by USDA or are in receipt of a letter from the certifying State agency stating that the facility operates to further the goals of title XIX d. Publicly operated or State-certified private nonprofit enriched housing e. Publicly operated or State-certified private nonprofit residential group living facilities serving no more than 16 residents f. Publicly operated State-certified private nonprofit supervised or supportive living arrangements; and g. State-operated community residences The above living arrangements are now eligible for the full SUA if they have received the $21 HEAP benefit during the current month or previous 12 months. References: 387.12 Income and Deductions 02 ADM-7 Food Stamp Program Reauthorization Changes 92 ADM-47 HEAP and Eligibility for the Food Stamp Standard Utility Allowances (SUA's) 00 INF-18 Clarification of the Relationship between the Standard Utility Allowance (SUA) and Receipt of HEAP GIS 14 TA/DC023 Farm Bill Changes to SNAP Standard Utility Allowance (SUA) Policy – Initial Draft Guidance 91 ADM-25 Section 8: Amendment to Department Regulation 352.3(d) and the Effect on Public Assistance Households in Section 8 Rent Subsidy Programs ABEL Transmittal 08-2