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Department
of Human Services Families
First Online Policy Manual Treatment of Income |
Revised: |
21.17 |
CALCULATING INCOME AND BENEFITS |
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A Families First budget is the tool used to
determine whether an assistance unit is in need according to state standards
currently in use, and to determine the amount of payment an eligible
assistance unit is entitled to receive. The eligibility and case management system calculates the Gross Income
Test budget; Net Income Budget; and the final grant budget. The Families First budget sets out the gross income limits, the
consolidated standard for the number of people in the assistance unit, the
gross and/or net income available to the assistance unit, any deficit between
the net income and the consolidated need standard, and the grant amount for
which the assistance unit is eligible. The Consolidated Standard of Need is:
·
The basis
for determining the gross income standard. ·
To determine
eligibility for the $250 earned income disregards at the point of
application. The Families First payment does not meet 100% of need as defined by
the consolidated need standard. A
standard payment amount is set for each family size based on available state
and federal funds. Income available to
the assistance unit (after all appropriate disregards and deductions have
been applied) is subtracted from the consolidated need standard to determine
the deficit. Payment is the deficit or
the standard payment amount for the assistance unit size, whichever is
less. If an assistance unit’s available income
equals or exceeds the assistance unit’s consolidated need, the assistance
unit is not eligible for a Families First grant. If there is a deficit of $1.00 to $9.99, no
payment can be made, but the assistance unit is deemed to be a Families First
AU for other purposes, including Medicaid coverage, as long as all other
points of eligibility continue to be met.
If the deficit is $10.00 or more and other eligibility requirements are
met, payment will be made. |
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