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VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES INTRODUCTION 10/24 VOLUME V, PART I, PAGE 7

When the applicant does not voluntarily provide the information, the BPS must code the data based on observation. If a telephone interview is conducted or the BPS is unable to determine the racial or ethnic categories, the BPS must leave the field blank. VDSS must report the racial and ethnic data annually to USDA.

G. RETENTION OF RECORDS (7 CFR 272.1(f))

SNAP documents must be maintained for a minimum of three years from the month of the last benefit issuance or benefit determination of ineligibility. Some records require a longer retention period. The retention period is dependent on the record type and activity related to the record. Annual systematic purging of material unrelated to legal, fiscal, administrative, or program administration is recommended.

1. Certification records must be retained for a minimum of three years from the month of origin of each record. Certification records may include any material that documents the basis for an allotment, the determination of eligibility, or the establishment of a claim. Records needed to support claims collection activity or long-term eligibility determinations or disqualifications must be kept longer than three years. Certification records may also include the authorization and issuance of a vault EBT card or authorization for crediting the card replacement fee back to an EBT account.

a. Records related to claims must be kept for three years after a claim is repaid or is administratively closed.

b. Records that support investigation of a suspected Intentional Program Violation must be kept until the case has been resolved if the investigation was initiated during the normal three-year retention period for certification actions.

c. Records about Intentional Program Violation disqualifications must be kept for the life of the individual or until FNS notifies through the disqualified recipient system that the record is no longer needed.

d. Records to document work registration, voluntary quit, or work reduction violations must be retained for the life of the individual who caused the violation or until the person reaches age 60, whichever occurs first.

2. Issuance or administrative records must be retained for a three-year period. The three- year period may be from the month the federal obligation is paid, from the period of final resolution of the issuance billing process or three years from the creation of the record. These records include EBT records.

3. Administrative cost records must be maintained for three years from the date the annual financial status report. These records include fiscal and statistical records, supporting documents, negotiated contracts and any other document related to administrative costs. These records must be retained beyond three years if a claim, litigation or audit is initiated before the end of the three-year period. In these instances, the records must be retained until the claim, litigation, or audit has been resolved.

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