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VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES INCOME

10/24 VOLUME V, PART XI, PAGE 6

9. Money Withdrawn from Trust Funds or Improper IDA Withdrawals

Money withdrawn or dividends that are or that the household could receive from trust funds do not count as a resource under Part IX.E.12. Trust withdrawals will count as income in the month received unless they are otherwise exempt. Dividends that the household has the option of either receiving as income or reinvesting in the trust will count as income in the month they become available to the household unless they are otherwise exempt.

Withdrawals from an individual development account (IDA) will not count as income if the withdrawal is for pursuing post-secondary education, purchasing a home, starting a business or as an approved household emergency. All other withdrawals from the IDA will count as unearned income in the month of the withdrawal.

10. Income Available to Sponsored Aliens (7 CFR 273.9(b)(4); 7 CFR 273.11(h)(2)(iv))

For households that contain sponsored aliens (as defined in Part XII.C.), unearned income will also include that amount of the monthly income of an alien's sponsor and the sponsor's spouse (if living with the sponsor) deemed to be that of the alien according to the procedures in Part XII.C.3 and 5. Income deeming applies unless the sponsored alien is otherwise exempt from this provision as allowed in Part XII.C.1.

Actual money paid to the alien by the sponsor or the sponsor's spouse does not count as income to the alien unless the amount paid exceeds the amount attributed to the sponsor. See Part XII.C.4. The amount paid that exceeds the amount attributed will count as income to the alien in addition to the amount attributed to the alien.

11. Funds Deposited into Joint Accounts

Funds deposited into a joint bank account by a nonhousehold member count as income to the household, to the extent the deposited funds are intended for household use. The BPS must use this policy only when deposited funds are intended for household use.

In situations where a SNAP household member's name is on a joint account with a nonhousehold member and the funds deposited by the nonhousehold member are clearly not intended for the household member's use, no income to the household will be counted. The BPS must evaluate the account balance as a resource to the household as allowed by Part IX. C.1.

The BPS must verify the household member's statement concerning the amount of money available as income. If all the money deposited into the joint account is intended for the household's use, then verification of the amount deposited would suffice. When this is not the case however, it will be necessary to verify the amount through the nonhousehold member.

If the statements of the household and nonhousehold member differ regarding the amount of money intended for the household's use, the BPS must resolve the discrepancy and document the case record.

TRANSMITTAL #35