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Aged, Blind and Disabled Manual Section: Financial Eligibility Requirements Policy Manual Number: 110.030 Chapter: ABD Unearned Income

March 18, 2019 Division of TennCare 13

Social Security Survivor or Retirement Benefit Countable.

Social Security Retirement Benefits are received once an individual reaches the full retirement age of 65 and has enough Social Security Credits.

Social Security Survivor’s Benefits are received by a surviving spouse, dependent child or parent who received more than half of his support from the deceased wage earner.

Social Services Excluded.

A social service is any service (other than medical) which is intended to assist a handicapped or socially disadvantaged individual to function in society on a level comparable to that of an individual who does not have such a handicap or disadvantage.

Cash received in conjunction with a social service is not income if it is for medical or social services already received or is restricted to the future purchase of a medical or social service. Social service programs include programs authorized under:

• Title XX of the Social Security Act; • Title IV-B of the Act (Child Welfare); • Title V of the Act (Maternal and Child Health and Crippled Children’s Services); and • The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 including vocational rehabilitation services to handicapped individuals.

Food or shelter provided by a nongovernmental social services program is unearned income unless otherwise excluded (e.g., the food is provided during a medical confinement).

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Excluded.

SSI is excluded unearned income.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Allotment Excluded.

In Tennessee, the TANF program is known as Families First.