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Page | 213 11240 RENEWAL MONTH

All resources are required to be reported on the renewal form for all households requesting SNAP. Care should be taken to review resources that were previously reported and show on ACCESS compared to what is being reported on the renewal form. Any changes in resources need to be thoroughly documented and discussed with the household at the renewal interview.

11300 BUDGETING INCOME

Prospective income budgeting is used to determine eligibility and allotment amounts for SNAP households. Gross and net income tests are used to determine SNAP eligibility. The gross income eligibility standard is 130% of the Federal income poverty level. Households which contain an elderly or disabled member must meet the net income eligibility standard; all other households must meet both the gross and net income standards, unless categorically eligible. If the household is categorically eligible, gross and net income standards do not apply.

When income is budgeted, it is important that benefits specialists discuss the anticipated budgeted income with the household, especially when income fluctuates, or anticipated amounts are not certain. It is also crucial for the benefits specialist to narrate how they arrived at the prospective income figure that will be budgeted.

11310 APPLICATION MONTH

Count all payments received and anticipated to be received in the application month, taking into consideration if it is a full or partial month’s income and if it is new or ongoing income. Prospect income the household and the EABS are reasonably certain will be received during the remainder of the certification period.

Always convert earned income in the application month unless only a partial month’s income is anticipated to be received by the household. The partial month’s income may be due to new employment, terminated employment, or some other reason (e.g. leave without pay). In cases when only a partial month’s income is anticipated in the application month, actual income is then used to budget income for the application month.

Ongoing Employment in Month of Application If the income is from an ongoing source, and the income is representative of what the household anticipates receiving, then income received during the past 30 days will be used to prospect monthly income. Due to changes in income, date started, or other reasons, the Specialist might have to use less or more depending on available information.

Ongoing employment at the time of application must be converted using the conversion standards: A. Income received weekly: multiply by 4.3 B. Income received bi-weekly: multiply by 2.15 C. Income received twice a month: multiply by 2 D. Income received monthly: do not convert as already a monthly amount