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VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES INCOME

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r. Payments through the Department of Veteran Affairs to children of Vietnam veterans who are born with congenital spina bifida and payments to children of female Vietnam veterans who are born with certain birth defects (P.L. 104-204 and P.L. 106- 419).

s. Money contributed to Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) accounts or money distributed from such accounts for disability-related expenses are excluded as income. ABLE accounts are set up for persons determined to be disabled before age 26.

12. Government Subsidies for Housing and Energy/Utility Payments

Payments or allowances made for housing, energy assistance or utility payments under any federal, state or local government program will not count. This includes payments received from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (Virginia Energy Assistance Program), HUD and FmHA utility payments.

13. Shared Shelter Arrangements

In some situations, SNAP households may share shelter expenses with others. Money may exchange hands between the units to facilitate bill paying. This exchange of money for the purposes of bill paying in a shared shelter arrangement is not considered income to the person receiving it. Each household is entitled to its share of the shelter expenses.

Allow the household to describe/define the arrangements. Allow each household to claim its portion of the shelter costs if the arrangement is for the purpose of splitting living costs as opposed to a rental arrangement where one household elects to charge another household for shelter costs.

Note: This policy does not replace the roomer/boarder and rental property situations.

14. Funds Deposited in an Individual Development Account (IDA) or HUD Escrow Account

Money deposited in an IDA on behalf of a household member will not count as income nor money deposited in an escrow account established by HUD.

15. VIEW Supportive Services Payments

Payments made directly or indirectly to household members for supportive services through VIEW will not count as income. This exclusion does not include VIEW Transitional Payments.

16. Educational Benefits

Money received for educational purposes. These payments include, among others, scholarships, grants, educational loans, veteran’s educational benefits, and work-study.

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