7000 - Budgeting of Income and Determination of Financial Eligibility

7100 Budgeting of Income

A prospective (income estimate or conversion) or income average method of budgeting shall be used to determine eligibility and the amount of assistance. All income shall be counted in the calendar month received except when received on a twice a month or monthly basis. In such instances, income shall be viewed as being received by the client on the day that the payment is ordinarily scheduled.

NOTE: For teachers or other school employees, income shall normally be budgeted on a prospective basis as received unless the teacher has opted to receive their yearly contract salary over fewer than 12 months (such as only over 9 months during the school year). In such instances, the total year's income is to be averaged over 12 months so that a monthly amount of income is considered in determining eligibility and amount of assistance.

For food assistance, income from public assistance payments is considered to be income of the primary applicant. Also see 2552 regarding counting TANF payments following a first-time work penalty.

For all food assistance, child care, and cash benefit determinations when the household has countable earned and or unearned income, or has no income but has allowable expenses, documentation of the calculations used must be in the system or documented in the case file.