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West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual Chapter 4

West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual Page 65 Chapter 4 Income

When a client fails to report household expenses that would normally result in a deduction, the AG loses their entitlement to that deduction. They have a right to the expense, once it is reported and verified, if required by policy. See Section 10.4. In addition, any SNAP AG may choose to have fluctuating expenses averaged, except for educational expenses. Expenses are averaged by dividing the expenses over the number of months they are intended to cover. When expenses are prorated, they are prorated over the certification period, or the remainder of the certification period, as appropriate. Expenses regularly billed as a single monthly payment, and that are used as a deduction, are used in the month the expense is intended to cover. An expense does not have to be paid to be a deduction. 4.4.2.B Allowable Disregards and Deductions The following are the only allowable disregards and deductions for the SNAP. They apply to the income of the AG members and any individual sanctioned/penalized due to enumeration, Intentional Program Violation (IPV), failure to comply with a work requirement, or disqualified by law. See Deeming in Section 4.4.4.H. 4.4.2.B.1 Earned Income Disregard Twenty percent (20%) of gross countable earned income, including gross profit from self- employment, is disregarded. This disregard is applied to the combined earnings of all members of the AG and to those persons whose income is counted or deemed. It is intended to cover those expenses incidental to employment or training, such as transportation, meals away from home, special clothing, and payroll deductions. 4.4.2.B.2 Standard Deduction A Standard Deduction is applied to the total non-excluded income counted for the AG, after application of the Earned Income Disregard. The amount of the Standard Deduction is found in Appendix B.