Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 17, September 10, 2024
A. Verification
Requirements at Application
1. Expedited
Service Requirements
Only verification of the identity of the head of household is
required. When an authorized representative applies on behalf of a household,
the identity of both the authorized representative and the head of household
shall be verified. No requirement for a specific document may be imposed.
Client declaration of Social Security Number(s) (SSNS) and residency shall be
accepted. Client declaration of other household circumstances shall be accepted
when determining eligibility for expedited service, and verification of any
client-declared information shall be postponed and verified prior to
certification.
2. The
following information shall be verified prior to certification:
a. Identity of the head of
household;
b. Household's gross
nonexempt income;
c. Information
available through IEVS, including SSNs for all household members;
d. Non-citizen status of persons identified
as non-citizens on the application;
e. Residency, except for homeless households,
or households newly arrived in the state or county for whom third-party
verification cannot reasonably be obtained.
3. The household shall be given a reasonable
opportunity to submit verification of certain expenses to receive expense
deductions and exclusions.
If a deductible expense must be verified and obtaining
verification may delay the household's certification, the local office shall
advise the household that the household's eligibility and benefit level will be
determined without providing a deduction or exclusion for the claimed but
unverified expense.
If the expense cannot be verified within thirty (30) calendar
days of the date of application, the local office shall determine the
household's eligibility and benefit level without providing a deduction or
exclusion for the unverified expense. These expenses are:
a. Allowable medical expenses less
reimbursement;
b. Legally obligated
child support payments;
c. Dependet
care expenses; and,
d. Shelter
expenses, if questionable and verification has been
requested.
4. For
households eligible under basic or expanded categorical eligibility rules,
verification of resources, gross and net income, SSN information, sponsored
non-citizen information, and residency beyond that gathered by the Public
Assistance (PA) program that confers eligibility shall not be required unless
these eligibility factors are not already collected and verified by the other
PA program, are considered questionable, or are unavailable to SNAP. The local
office shall verify that each member receives benefits or services from the
program that confers basic or expanded categorical eligibility.
5. For households subject to an asset test,
the household's written declaration of resources that declares more than the
resource limit is an acceptable form of verification.
B. Verification Requirements at
Recertification
1. Eligibility factors not
verified by the Income and Eligibility Verification System (IEVS) should be
verified at recertification only if they are incomplete, inaccurate,
questionable, inconsistent, or outdated and would affect a household's
eligibility or benefit level. Unchanged information shall not be verified
unless the information is outdated.
2. A change in total monthly income of fifty
($50) or more for each member must be verified at recertification. If the
source of income has not changed and if the amount is unchanged or has changed
by fifty dollars ($50) or less, verification is not required unless the
information is unclear, questionable, or outdated.
3. At recertification, all households shall
verify the following information if the source has changed, or the amount has
changed by more than twenty-five dollars ($25) since the last time they were
verified:
a. Dependent care expenses;
and
b. Allowable medical expenses;
and
c. Legally obligated child
support.
4. A reported
SSN not verified at initial certification and newly obtained SSNs shall be
verified through the IEVS or State On-Line Query Internet (SOLQ-I).
5. For households subject to an asset test,
the household's written declaration of resources that declares more than the
resource limit is an acceptable form of verification.
6. If there has been a change in a deductible
expense that must be verified and obtaining verification delays the household's
redetermination processing, the local office shall advise the household that
the household's eligibility and benefit level will be determined without
providing a deduction for the claimed but unverified
expense.
C. Verification
Requirements at Periodic Report
1. The
household shall verify the following changes in circumstances at the time of
periodic report:
a. A change of more than
$100 in the amount of unearned income.
b. A change in the source of income,
including starting a job.
c.
Acquisition of a licensed vehicle that is not fully excludable, if resource
limits apply.
d. A change in liquid
resources, unless excluded, if resource limits apply.
e. Changes in the legal obligation to pay
child support.
f. If a member of
the household won substantial lottery or gambling winnings.
g. Allowable medical expenses to receive an
increase in the allowed expense or add a medical expense.
2. Previously reported medical and shelter
expenses used to establish the twenty-four (24) month certification should
continue through the end of twenty-four (24) month certification period unless:
a. An increase in medical expenses is
verified, or
b. An increase in
shelter expenses is reported.
