ParaRegs-Food-Stamps-Budgeting
|
285 Reported
changes (When effective) 286 Nonmonthly
reporting households |
|
Code |
Effective |
ParaReg Text |
|
REVISED 8/04 |
The household's (under MR/RB) and change
reporting and QR/PB household's (under QR/PB) monthly allotment shall be
determined from the Coupon Allotment Tables (Handbook §63-1101) on the basis
of the household's size and net income. For a household of ___ persons with
net income of $___, the monthly allotment is $___. (§63-503.324) |
|
|
280-2 |
|
A household's benefit level for the
initial month of certification or the first month for which the household is
certified for FS participation "following any period during which the
household was not certified for participation" will be based on the date
of application. (§63-503.13) Handbook §63-1101.4 sets forth the tables for
computing this proration. For a household applying on the ___ of a __-day
month with a full month entitlement of $ ___, the prorated amount is $ ___.
After determining the prorated allotment, the county shall round the product
down to the nearer lower whole dollar. If the computation results in an
allotment of less than $10, then no issuance shall be made. (§63-503.132) |
|
280-3B |
|
The following regulations set forth
the state requirements when the household's recertification is delayed, and
the household is not at fault. "(1) If a household's application for
recertification is delayed beyond the first of the month of what would have
been its new certification period through the fault of the CWD, the
household's benefits for the new certification period shall be prorated based
on the date of the new application, and the CWD shall provide restored
benefits to the household back to the date the household's certification
period should have begun had the CWD not erred and the household been able to
apply timely. "(2) When a household's eligibility is not
determined by the end of its current certification period due to the time
period allowed for submitting any missing verification, the household shall
receive an opportunity to participate, if eligible, within five working days
after the household submits the missing verification and benefits shall not
be prorated. HANDBOOK BEGINS HERE "Example: A household completed the interview and
application process before the end of its current certification period in
April. However, verification still
must be provided within 10 days of the completed application process. The 10-day period for submitting verification
extends into the month following the current certification period, or on May
5th. The household submits the
verification on May 4th within the allowable 10-day period. The CWD must provide a full month of
benefits for May and by the 9th day in May due to the five-day limit for
providing an opportunity for the household to participate in the program. HANDBOOK ENDS HERE" (§63-504.61(e) effective June 1, 2001) |
|
280-3C |
|
The following federal regulation
sets forth the federal requirements when there is a delay in processing at
the end of a certification period: "(e) Delayed processing. "(1) If an eligible household files an
application before the end of the certification period but the
recertification process cannot be completed within 30 days after the date of
application because of State agency fault, the State agency must continue to
process the case and provide a full month's allotment for the first month of
the new certification period. The
State agency shall determine cause for any delay in processing a
recertification application in accordance with the provisions of
§273.3(h)(1). "(2) If a household files an application
before the end of the certification period, but fails to take a required
action, the State agency may deny the case at that time, at the end of the
certification period, or at the end of 30 days. Notwithstanding the State's right to issue
a denial prior to the end of the certification period, the household has 30
days after the end of the certification period to complete the process and
have its application be treated as an application for recertification. If the household takes the required action
before the end of the certification period, the State agency must reopen the
case and provide a full month's benefits for the initial month of the new
certification period. If the household
takes the required action after the end of the certification period but
within 30 days after the end of the certification period, the State agency
shall reopen the case and provide benefits retroactive to the date the
household takes the required action.
The State agency shall determine cause for any delay in processing a
recertification application in accordance with the provisions of
§273.3(h)(1). "(3) If a household files an application
within 30 days after the end of the certification period, the application
shall be considered an application for recertification; however, benefits must be prorated in
accordance with §273.10(a). If a
household's application for recertification is delayed beyond the first of
the month of what would have been its new certification period through the
fault of the State agency, the household's benefits for the new certification
period shall be prorated based on the date of the new application, and the
State agency shall provide restored benefits to the household back to the
date the household's certification period should have begun had the State
agency not erred and the household been able to apply timely." (7 Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR) §273.14(e), effective January 20, 2001, and to be
implemented no later than June 1, 2001) |
|
280-4 |
REVISED 8/04 |
In determining the household's level of
benefits for the issuance month, the county shall count as income only that
amount actually received by the household in the budget month, except as
provided below. (§63-503.232(c) prior to the implementation of QR/PB in the
county) An exception to the general rule is that the county shall budget
stable earned and unearned income which is received on a regular basis as a
single monthly payment for the month such income is intended to cover.
Households receiving such income shall not have their monthly income varied
merely because mailing or payment cycles may cause two payments to be
received in one month and none in the next month. (Subsection (c)(2) prior to
the implementation of QR/PB in the county) |
|
280-5 |
ADDED 8/04 |
Generally, benefits are frozen for the three months of the quarter. Circumstances under which benefits may be adjusted during the quarter are: When a voluntary recipient mid-quarter report results in increased benefits; When a mandatory recipient mid-quarter report results in a decrease or discontinuance of benefits; When an individual or household requests discontinuance; or When a county-initiated action results in decreased benefits. (§63-508.14) |
|
REVISED 8/04 |
Under MR/RB, the applications of
households which were certified for FS Program participation in one county or
state and which move to another county or this state and apply for benefits
without at least a one-month break in certification, shall be treated as
initial applications, except they shall continue to be retrospectively
budgeted. Households which have requested and are entitled to expedited
service shall have their benefits available in accordance with §63-301.531.
Households which were subject to retrospective budgeting in the previous
county or state shall continue to be retrospectively budgeted, unless the
household is now excluded from retrospective budgeting because it is a migrant
farmworker household, or all household members are elderly or disabled and
have no earned income, or all members are homeless individuals or live on
Indian reservations. (§63-503.71 renumbered to §63-503.911 and became
inoperative with the implementation of QR/PB in the county.) |
|
|
281-1A |
REVISED 11/05 |
Under QR/PB, the applications of change reporting households which were certified for FS Program participation in one county and which move to another county and apply for benefits shall be treated as initial applications, Households which have requested and are entitled to expedited service shall have their benefits available in accordance with §63-301.531(b). (§63-503.91(QR)) effective August 5, 2005) For households that are subject to QR/PB and move out of state, benefits shall be terminated mid-quarter. (§63-503.911(a) effective July 1, 2004) For QR/PB households that move out of county, the county shall continue to follow existing rules which require the recipient to be discontinued in the initial county and require the recipient to reapply in the new county except when the case is a CalWORKs case involving an inter-county transfer. In the case of a CalWORKs ICT, the initial county will continue to provide benefits until the end of the month in which the CalWORKs case transferred. (§63-503.911(b) effective July 1, 2004) |
|
281-2 |
REVISED 8/04 |
Under MR/RB, except in beginning months,
a household's FS entitlement is based on retrospective budgeting which means
that income from a given month is used two months later in computing the entitlement.
(§§63-503.23 and 63-102(r)(11) prior to the implementation of QR/PB in the
county) |
|
281-3 |
REVISED 8/04 |
The following households are
excluded from monthly reporting and retrospective budgeting prior to QR/PB
and from quarterly reporting with the implementation of QR/PB in the county: .211 "Migrant farmworker" households
(§63-102(m)) .212 "Seasonal farmworker"
households (§63-102(s)) .213 Households with no earned income, and in
which all adult members are "elderly or disabled" (§63-102(e)) .214 Households in which all members are
"homeless" (§63-102(h)(1)) .215 Households residing on Indian
reservations. (§63-505.21) |
|
281-4 |
|
All AFDC (now CalWORKs), GA/GR, RCA and
ECA payments for the issuance month shall be anticipated with reasonable
certainty in computing the FS entitlement. Such grants are prospectively
rather than retrospectively budgeted. (§63-503.232(c)(5)) |
|
281-7 |
REVISED 8/04 |
Welfare and Institutions Code §§11452 and 11453 provide for an increase in the AFDC Minimum Basic Standard of Adequate Care (MBSAC). The Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) increased the MBSAC by 2.6% effective July 1, 1997. (Note that as of January 1, 1998 there is no longer an AFDC program, nor do the statutes provide for an automatic COLA.) For monthly reporting households subject to retrospective budgeting, if the county sends a COLA supplemental payment in the month of July for that month, but did not have time to prospectively budget the supplemental payment, the county shall retrospectively budget it in September. (§63-503.232(c)(5)(A) prior to the implementation of QR/PB in the county) If the July supplement is sent after
July 31 (e.g., in August), it is considered a nonrecurring lump sum payment
for FS purposes and is counted as a resource in the month it is sent.
(§63-502.2(j)) This provision applies to both retrospectively and
prospectively budgeted households. (All-County Letter No. 97-32, May 6, 1997) |
|
281-8 |
|
"Prospective eligibility"
means the determination of a household's eligibility for an issuance month
based on an estimate of a household's income, circumstances and composition
which will exist in that issuance month. (§63-102(p)(11)) |
|
281-11 |
|
Under MR/RB, "Retrospective
budgeting" is defined as the computation of a household's FS allotment
for an issuance month based on actual income and circumstances which existed
in the budget month. (§63-102(r)(11), as renumbered effective August 10,
2001) |
|
281-11A |
|
"Budget month" in a
retrospective budgeting system means the month from which income and other
circumstances (except household composition) of the household are used to
calculate the household's allotment for the corresponding issuance month.
(§63-102(b)(2)) |
|
281-11B |
REVISED 8/04 |
"Issuance month" in a monthly reporting and retrospective budgeting system means the month for which an FS allotment is issued. In prospective budgeting, the budget month and issuance month are the same. In retrospective budgeting, the issuance month is the second month after the budget month. (§63-102(i)(9), as renumbered effective March 1, 2002 and renumbered to §63-102(i)(10) effective July 1, 2004. This section is inoperative when QR/PB becomes operative in a county) Issuance month" in a QR/PB system
means any month during a quarter for which a food stamp allotment is issued.
(§63-102(i)(10)) |
|
281-12 |
|
Federal regulations provide that income
deductions which are billed in, or averaged from, the budget month are used
in determining the benefit level in the issuance month. (7 Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) §273.21(j)(1)(vii)(C)) |
|
281-13 |
REVISED 8/04 |
Under MR/RB, for purposes of determining
the household's eligibility and level of benefits during the beginning
months, the county shall take into account the actual income already received
by the household during the month of application and any anticipated income
the county and the household are reasonably certain will be received during
the remaining beginning months. (§63-503.212(a) prior to the implementation
of QR/PB in the county) |
|
281-14 |
|
"Prospective budgeting" means
the computation of a household's FS allotment for an issuance month based on
an estimate of income and circumstances which will exist in that month.
(§63-102(p)(10)) |
|
281-15 |
REVISED 8/04 |
Under MR/RB, for changes that could not
be or were not anticipated, by the household or the county which result in a
one-month period of ineligibility, the county shall suspend the household for
the issuance month corresponding to the budget month in which the change
occurred. (§63-504.372 prior to the implementation of QR/PB in the county) |
|
REVISED 8/04 |
Generally, discontinued
income is defined as any income that a household received in a budget
month from a source that no longer provides income to the household. (§63-503.232(d)
prior to the implementation of QR/PB in the county) Discontinued income which was included
in the household's prospective budget shall be disregarded when the beginning
month becomes the budget month. (§63-503.232(d)(1)prior to the implementation
of QR/PB in the county) |
|
|
282-2A |
REVISED 8/04 |
After the beginning months, households
which receive AFDC (now CalWORKs), GA/GR, RCA or ECA payments in the issuance
month and have income in the corresponding budget month shall have this
income disregarded if:(1) the income has been discontinued; (2) the household
reported the termination of the income; 3) he county has sufficient time to
process the change and affect the allotment in the issuance month
corresponding to the budget month in which the income stopped; and (4) the
AFDC (now CalWORKs), GA/GR, RCA or ECA payments are increased as a result of
the termination of the income. (§63-503.232(d)(2), prior to the
implementation of QR/PB in the county) |
|
282-3 |
|
Federal regulations provide that when
the FS household receives a Public Assistance (PA) grant, the state agency
shall disregard income received from a terminated source which results in an
increase in the PA grant, provided the household has reported the termination
of the income either in the monthly report for the budget month or in some
other manner which the state agency has determined gives the agency
sufficient time to process the change and affect the allotment in the
issuance month. (7 Code of Federal Regulations §273.21(j)(1)(vii)(B)(2)) |
|
REVISED 8/04 |
A GA/GR payment received in the current month
covering a period which begins in the current month and ends in the next
month, is counted as income in the current month. (§63-503.232(c)(3) prior to
the implementation of QR/PB in the county) |
|
|
REVISED 8/04 |
Under MR/RB, for changes which result in
an increase in the household's benefits due to the addition of a new
household member, the county shall make the change effective the first of the
month following the month in which the change is reported. To complete this
determination, the county shall have the option of requiring the household to
complete the CA 8 or to contact the household to obtain the necessary
information for the new member and update the last application. The county
shall prospectively budget the new member's income and specific deductions in
combination with the existing household's retrospectively budgeted income and
deductions during the first two months the new member is added to the
household. (§63-504.353 prior to the implementation of QR/PB in the county) |
|
|
284-2 |
REVISED 8/04 |
Under MR/RB, if the reported change
results in an increase or decrease in a household's benefits due to the
addition of a new household member, the county shall make a determination of
the new household member's eligibility within 30 days of the date the change
was reported. (§63-504.353 prior to the implementation of QR/PB in the county) |
|
284-3 |
ADDED 2/04 |
Increases in benefits due to decreased income
are effective the first of the month in which the change is reported. Increases due to the addition of a new
household member are effective the first of the month following the report of
the change. (All-County Letter No. 03-18,
April 29, 2003, pp.42) |
|
284-3A |
ADDED 2/04 |
For both CalWORKs and food stamps, if the
person moving into the home has income that once considered would result in
the assistance unit/household being financially ineligible for aid, the
county shall not take any action to change the assistance unit/household’s
benefits in the current quarter. The
new person would not be entitled to receive Medi-Cal. (All-County Letter No.
03-18, April 29, 2003, pp.54-55) |
|
284-3B |
ADDED 8/04 |
Recipients may voluntarily report changes in household composition at any time during the quarter. If the change results in increased benefits, action shall be taken to add the person the first of the month following the month in which the change was reported, after all verification has been provided. If the addition of a new person does not result in increased benefits, no action shall be taken to change the household's benefits until the following quarter. (§63-509(f) |
|
284-3C |
ADDED 8/04 |
In any circumstance where a new household member has income, only that member's income is averaged over the remaining months of the quarter. The new household member's income is averaged and then added to the existing household's averaged income to determine if benefits are to be increased or would result in a decrease mid-quarter. (§63-509(f)(2)) |
|
284-3D |
REVISED 11/05 |
If the addition of a new person in the household would result in a decrease in benefits or ineligibility of the household, the county shall take no action mid-quarter. The county shall issue a notice of action advising the household that the voluntary report did not increase household benefits and that the household must report the new household member on the next QR 7. Only voluntarily reported income exceeding 130% of the FPL of a NAFS household excluding the mid-quarter report of a new household member and his/her income shall render the household ineligible. (§§63-509(f)(3) and(4)) |
|
REVISED 8/04 |
Under MR/RB, the income and specific
deductions of a member leaving the FS household shall be disregarded when
determining the household's eligibility and benefit level for the month
following the month in which the change was reported. The remaining household
members' benefit level shall continue to be retrospectively budgeted.
(§63-504.356 prior to the implementation of QR/PB in the county) |
|
|
285-2 |
REVISED 8/04 |
Under MR/RB, if an FS household reports a change outside of the CA 7 (now CW 7 or SAWS 7), the county shall evaluate the effect of the change on the household's eligibility and benefit level. (§63-504.357 prior to the implementation of QR/PB in the county) Under MR/RB, except for the addition of
a household member, if the change affects the benefit level, the county shall
note the information in the case file, reflect the change in the
corresponding issuance month, and notify the household. (§63-504.357(b) prior
to the implementation of QR/PB in the county) |
|
285-3 |
ADDED 2/04 |
Increases in benefits due to decreased income
are effective the first of the month in which the change is reported. Increases due to the addition of a new
household member are effective the first of the month following the report of
the change. (All-County Letter No.
03-18, April 29, 2003, pp.42) |
|
285-4 |
REVISED 11/05 |
Under QR/PB, a recipient is required to report the following changes to the county within 10 calendar days of the date the change becomes known to the household: For PAFS and NAFS households, address changes and accompanying shelter cost changes. For NAFS households, any reduction in the number of hours worked to less than 20 per week or 80 per month for ABAWDs. Persons who are satisfying the ABAWD work requirement through a combination of education/training and employment of less than 20 hours per week are not subject to the mid-quarter requirement when hours of employment are reduced. The household may report the change to the county verbally, in writing or in person. (§63-509(b)(1)(A)) |
|
285-5 |
REVISED 11/05 |
Under QR/PB, when the food stamp household also receives CalWORKs, the household must also report mid-quarter changes in fleeing felon/disqualifying drug felon/parole or probation status, and income in excess of the IRT. (§63-509(b)(1)(B)) The county must delete the individual from the PAFS household when that person's fleeing felon/disqualifying drug felon/parole or probation violation was reported at the end of the month after 10-day notice can be provided. (§63-509(c)(1)) If the county discontinues CalWORKs
as a result of the CalWORKs AU report of income in excess of the IRT, the
county must determine if the household's food stamp benefits would increase
or decrease. Households whose CalWORKs
benefits are discontinued shall be determined eligible for Transitional Food
Stamps (TFS). (§63-509(c)(4)) |
|
285-6 |
REVISED 11/05 |
Under QR/PB, recipients may report changes in income and circumstances any time during the quarter either in writing, verbally or in person. The county shall act only on those voluntary reports that result in an increase in benefits except when a non-assistance household voluntarily reports income in excess of IRT. Action to increase benefits shall be effective in the month in which the change in income actually occurs or is reported, whichever is later, and after all verification has been received. If the change occurred prior to the date of the report, the county must increase benefits based on the date of the report after verification is received. If the change occurs in future months, the increase in benefits is based on the date the change is expected to occur after verification is received. Verification shall be requested immediately when the recipient reports a decrease in income or a new household member is reported in the household, or for other changes that would require verification when benefits are increased. Action to increase benefits shall not take place until verification is received. The recipient shall be allowed 10 days to provide the requested verification. (§63-509(d)) |
|
285-6A |
REVISED 11/05 |
After a recipient voluntarily
reports a change in circumstances, the county must issue the recipient a
"No Change Notice of Action" when benefits cannot be
increased. The “No Change NOA” must be
sent within 30 days of the reported change.
The notice of action must remind the recipient to re-report the change
on the next QR 7. (§63-509(d)(7)) |
|
285-6B |
ADDED 8/04 |
To determine if the voluntarily
reported change results in increased benefits mid-quarter, the county must
recalculate benefits for the current and remaining months of the quarter
using the new income that the household reasonably expects to receive. If the anticipated income is different in
the remaining months and the recipient knows with reasonable certainty what
the amount would be for each month, the new income shall be averaged for the
current and remaining months of the quarter.
(§63-509(e)(1)) |
|
285-6C |
ADDED 8/04 |
Household changes that occur in the
QR Submit Month and are reported on the QR 7 will be considered voluntary
reports. (§63-509(e)(2) Handbook) |
|
285-6D |
ADDED 11/05 |
As a result of reported or
anticipated changes in the QR household, the allotment for the month of
application may differ from the allotment in subsequent months. The household’s allotment may vary within
the quarter to reflect changes reported during the QR Payment Quarter.
Averaging techniques are used to determine income in a quarter. The county
shall establish the household’s certification period in accordance with §63-504.1 (§63-503.151(QR)) |
|
285-6E |
ADDED 11/05 |
If a non-assistance food stamp
(NAFS) household voluntarily reports income in excess of 130% of the federal
Poverty Level (FPL), the household shall be discontinued mid-quarter. Only voluntarily reported income exceeding
130% of the FPL for the NAFS excluding a mid-quarter report of a new
household member and his/her income shall render the NAFS household ineligible. (§63-509(d)(7)(C)) |
|
REVISED 8/04 |
The following households (HHs) shall
be excluded from monthly reporting and retrospective budgeting prior to QR/PB
and from quarterly reporting with the implementation of QR/PB in the county: 1. Migrant farmworker HHs, as defined in
§63-102m., now (m). 2. Seasonal farmworker HHs, as defined
in §63-102s., now (s). 3. HHs in which all adult members are
elderly or disabled, as defined in §63-102e., now (e), and have no earned
income. 4. HHs in which all members are homeless
individuals, as defined in §63-102h.(1), now (h)(1). (§63-505.21) |
|
|
286-2 |
REVISED 4/04 |
Change reporting households (HHs)
are required to report only the following changes: 1. Changes in the sources of income,
including starting or stopping a job or changing jobs, if the change is
accompanied by a change in income. In
addition, changes in the amount of earned monthly income of more than $100
per month, since the last time the household’s allotment was calculated. Such
earned income households can be certified for no more than six months 2. Changes in unearned income in excess
of $50 monthly. Changes in public
assistance or general assistance are not required to be reported. 3. Changes
in HH composition. 4. Changes
in residence and resulting shelter expense changes. 5. The
acquisition of a licensed vehicle not fully excluded under §63-501. 6. Liquid
resources, when they exceed the maximum resource standard. 7. A change in the amount of child
support payments made to a non-HH member, and/or a change in the legal
obligation to pay child support. 8. A reduction in work effort to less than 20 hours per week or averaged monthly 80 hours per month. (§63-505.51 revised effective November 1,
2003) |
|
286-3 |
|
In general, when a change reporting household (HH) reports a change which will increase its allotment, the county shall make the change no later than the first allotment issued 10 days after the date the change was reported to the county. (§63-504.422(a)) When the increased benefits are due to the
addition of a new HH member who is not a member of another certified HH, or
are due to a decrease of $50 or more in the HH's gross monthly income, the
county shall make the change effective not later than the month following the
reported change. (§63-504.422(b)) |
|
ADDED 12/04 |
The following households are
excluded from monthly reporting and retrospective budgeting prior to QR/PB
and from quarterly reporting with the implementation of QR/PB in the
county: .211 "Migrant farmworker" households
(§63-102(m)) .212 "Seasonal farmworker"
households (§63-102(s)) .213 Households with no earned income, and in
which all adult members are "elderly or disabled" (§63-102(e)) .214 Households in which all members are
"homeless" (§63-102(h)(1)) .215 Households residing on Indian
reservations. (§63-505.21) |
|
|
288-2 |
ADDED 2/04 |
The county will use information on the QR 7
to determine continuing eligibility and future benefit amounts based on all
eligibility factors. Based on
information provided on the QR 7, the county will determine continuing
eligibility as it relates to property, income deprivation (CalWORKs only),
and household composition using prospective budgeting rules. (All-County
Letter No. 03-18, April 29, 2003, p.16) |
|
288-2A |