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Income is unavailable if the individual cannot access it for a calendar month or more. The individual must verify that the income is unavailable. Verified unavailable income must not be included when determining financial eligibility.

Example 1: Michelle was injured in an accident in November 2021. After a lengthy trial, Michelle is awarded $750,000. When Michelle applies for Wisconsin Shares in April 2022, she tells her worker about the settlement. However, the store’s insurance company is not going to pay Michelle until November 2023. Michelle provides the letter that the insurance company sent her as verification, and this income is not counted until November 2023.

Example 2: Jonathan applies for Wisconsin Shares in November. Jonathan’s ex-wife has primary placement of their child, JoEllen, but Jonathan is requesting child care for the days that JoEllen is with him. Jonathan’s employer withholds funds from his paycheck for child support. Jonathan’s gross income, before any deductions or withholdings, is used to determine his eligibility for Wisconsin Shares.

This section last updated 12/1/2022 Section 6.1.1 Application Income Limit The gross income limit for new applicants and Assistance Groups that have closed for more than one (1) calendar month is 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).

These amounts were effective February 1, 2026. FPL amounts are updated annually. The current FPL amounts are published at https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/wishares/apply.

Assistance Group (AG) Size Monthly 200% FPL 2 $3,607 3 $4,553 4 $5,500 5 $6,447 6 $7,393 7 $8,340 8 $9,287 9 $10,233 10 $11,180 Each Additional Person Add $947

This section last updated 7/1/2026