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Page | 209 If the expense cannot be verified within 30 days of the application date, the Specialist must determine the household's eligibility and allotment without deducting the unverified expense. If the household later gives verification, the Specialist must compute its benefits again and increase the allotment, if necessary, according to the time standards for reported changes. If the household would be ineligible unless the expense is allowed, the Specialist must handle the application according to procedures for delays in processing.

When households choose not to verify a deductible expense, it will not be considered a Quality Control error providing that the options were explained to the household and the case narrative was documented to show that the household was allowed the opportunity to provide verification prior to certification but opted to proceed without the use of the expense.

10740 VERIFICATION NOT PROVIDED

If a household does not provide required verification, the Specialist will take the following actions: A. If the household does not verify claimed dependent care costs, the Specialist will not allow the deduction. B. If the household reports a change in child support (legal obligation or amount paid) and does not verify the change, the deduction should no longer be allowed. C. If the household does not verify changes in shelter expenses that occurred as a result of a move, household composition change, or shelter is questionable, at the time of 6 month report or renewal, consider the information incomplete and take the appropriate action. D. If the reported shelter change is not a result of the above criteria, ask for verification, and: 1. Act on the reported change if it will decrease benefits; or 2. Not act on the reported change if it would increase benefits. E. If the household omits information necessary to determine the household's eligibility or to complete the household's level of SNAP benefits, the Specialist will consider the renewal or EA-214 incomplete.

When dependent care or child support payment are reported but not verified and the EA-214 is otherwise complete, the Specialist disallows the deduction when computing the allotment. The Specialist must inform the household of the reason for the disallowance and allow the household ten days to verify the expense in order to receive the deduction.

If the household verifies the expense within the 10 day period, but after cut-off, supplemental benefits are appropriate. Documentation must be completed explaining why the expense was not allowed and identifying how the household was notified of the 10 day period.