Page 36

ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

Section Two: Income Intake, Operations & Policy Manual Program Year 2026 36 SECTION TWO: INCOME This Section contains: ✓ Income Definition and Determining Income Eligibility ✓ Income and Income Exclusion Chart ✓ Proof of Income ✓ What Is Not Income ✓ Private Disability Insurance and Gross Income ✓ Social Security Retirement Calculator Income Definition and Determining Income Eligibility To be eligible for assistance, a household’s gross income (total household income from all sources before any deductions) must be within the income guidelines provided by OHCS for each program year (See Section Five). Eligibility for LIHEAP/OEAP is based on the following: • All household income before any deductions (gross income). • Number of household members. Households must provide documentation of their gross income for the eligibility period determined by their local agency (in compliance with the timelines expressed in this manual). Declaration of household income (DHI) forms must be used for the households or household members claiming zero income (local agencies may require that applicants and/or households claiming zero income to submit additional information). Please Note: • Income that exchanges hands within a household is not counted.

Example: Bill lives with Mary and pays her cash for rent; the money he gives her would not be counted as income for Mary. • If the name listed on the income documents differs from the legal name(s), the reason must be documented in the comment section. All income documents must have the client’s name on them, or be linked to a specific client in some form (SSN#, etc.)

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Page 36

Official source

ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

Section Two: Income Intake, Operations & Policy Manual Program Year 2026 36 SECTION TWO: INCOME This Section contains: ✓ Income Definition and Determining Income Eligibility ✓ Income and Income Exclusion Chart ✓ Proof of Income ✓ What Is Not Income ✓ Private Disability Insurance and Gross Income ✓ Social Security Retirement Calculator Income Definition and Determining Income Eligibility To be eligible for assistance, a household’s gross income (total household income from all sources before any deductions) must be within the income guidelines provided by OHCS for each program year (See Section Five). Eligibility for LIHEAP/OEAP is based on the following: • All household income before any deductions (gross income). • Number of household members. Households must provide documentation of their gross income for the eligibility period determined by their local agency (in compliance with the timelines expressed in this manual). Declaration of household income (DHI) forms must be used for the households or household members claiming zero income (local agencies may require that applicants and/or households claiming zero income to submit additional information). Please Note: • Income that exchanges hands within a household is not counted.

Example: Bill lives with Mary and pays her cash for rent; the money he gives her would not be counted as income for Mary. • If the name listed on the income documents differs from the legal name(s), the reason must be documented in the comment section. All income documents must have the client’s name on them, or be linked to a specific client in some form (SSN#, etc.)