Certified households are required to report certain changes
within the time frames stated in this section. The changes may be reported
electronically, in person, by phone, by fax or by mail.
(A)
Change Reporting
Requirements
The following rules do not apply to households subject to the
reporting requirements at 106 CMR 366.110(B), (C), (D) and
106 CMR
366.910 below.
(1) The following changes must be reported to
the Department within ten days of the date that the household receives the
first payment of new income:
(a) A change in
the amount of earned income of more than the amount authorized by the United
States Department of Agriculture and posted at
www.mass.gov/dta.
(b) A change in the amount of unearned income
of more than the amount authorized by the United States Department of
Agriculture and posted at
www.mass.gov/dta.
(2) The following changes must be reported
within ten days of the date the change becomes known to the household:
(a) A change in the source of income,
including starting or stopping a job or changing jobs, if the change is
accompanied by a change in income;
(b) A change in household composition, such
as addition or loss of a household member;
(c) Changes in residence and the resulting
change in shelter costs;
(d) A
change in countable assets:
1. For
noncategorically eligible households with a household member aged 60 or older
or disabled, the value of cash on hand, stocks, bonds and money in bank
accounts or savings institutions that reaches or exceeds the asset limit
authorized by the United States Department of Agriculture and posted on
www.mass.gov/dta; and
2. For all other noncategorically eligible
households, the value of cash on hand, stocks, bonds and money in bank accounts
or savings institutions that reaches or exceeds the asset limit authorized by
the United States Department of Agriculture and posted on
www.mass.gov/dta; and
(e) Changes in the legal obligation to pay
child support, including termination of the obligation when a child reaches the
age at which child support is no longer legally
obligated.
(B)
Transitional Benefits Alternative (TBA) Reporting
Requirements. The TBA household is not required to report or
provide verification of any changes in household circumstances until the TBA
period has ended. See
106 CMR
365.190 for a definition of TBA households.
(1) If the TBA household does report a change
during the TBA period, the Department will recalculate the SNAP benefits only:
(a) if the change results in a SNAP benefit
amount that is less than the current TBA amount, and the TBA household has
reported or the Department has learned that a member has moved out of the
household and either has reapplied as a new household or is a new member of
another household. In this instance the Department will pay the decreased
amount.
(b) If the change results
in a SNAP benefit amount that is greater than the current TBA amount. The
Department will:
1. recertify the household;
and
2. pay the increased SNAP
amount.
(2) If
the Department receives an income change from another program, such as TAFDC or
EAEDC, for the TBA household, the Department will recalculate the SNAP
benefits.
(a) If the change results in a SNAP
benefit amount that is less than the current TBA amount, the Department will
continue to pay the current TBA SNAP benefit amount for the remaining TBA
period.
(b) If the change results
in a SNAP benefit amount that is greater than the current TBA amount, the
Department will:
1. recertify the household;
and
2. pay the increased SNAP
amount.
(C)
Simplified Reporting
Requirements
(1) Simplified
Reporting is required for all Non-Public Assistance (NPA) households with the
following exceptions:
(a) the NPA SNAP
household is also a TBA SNAP household;
(b) the NPA SNAP household is a Bay State CAP
household; or
(c) the NPA SNAP
household is an EDSAP household.
(2) Certain Simplified Reporting households
are required to complete and submit an Interim Report six months into a
12-month certification period. If the household does not submit the Interim
Report, the Department will terminate the SNAP benefits. Upon receipt of the
Interim Report the Department will recalculate the SNAP benefits, if
appropriate. The Department will process Interim Reports in accordance with the
following rules:
(a) If a household fails to
file a complete Interim Report (IR) by the specified date on the IR Notice, the
Department will provide the household with a warning notice advising the
household that it has ten days from the date the Department mails the notice to
file a complete report.
(b) If an
eligible household files a complete IR during this 10-day period, the
Department will provide the household with an opportunity to participate no
later than ten days after the household's normal issuance date.
(c) If the Interim Report form is not
returned 30 days after it was sent or it is returned but mandatory
verifications that were requested within that period have not been provided,
the client will be sent an Interim Report Closing Notice.
(d) If the household files a complete and
timely IR that results in the reduction or termination of benefits, the
Department will send an adequate notice. This notice will be sent so that the
household receives it no later than the time the household's benefits are
normally received.
(e) If the
household fails to provide sufficient verification regarding a deductible
expense, the Department will not terminate the household, but will instead
determine the household's SNAP benefit amount without the
deduction.
(3) At any
time during the Simplified Reporting period, the household must report the
following changes no later than ten days following the end of the calendar
month in which the change occurred:
(a) The
household's income rises above the Gross Monthly Categorical Eligibility Income
Standards found at
106 CMR
364.950 or
364.976;
and
(b) For a household that
includes an Able Bodied Adult Without Dependents (ABAWD), when the work hours
of the ABAWD Work Program required person drops below 20 hours per week or 80
hours per month.
(4) The
Simplified Reporting household may report other changes during the
certification period. If these changes are reported during the certification
period outside of the Interim Reporting or Recertification reporting points,
the Department will recalculate the household's SNAP benefit amount and pay the
increased, decreased or unchanged recalculated SNAP benefit amount as follows:
(a) when the household voluntarily requests
that its SNAP case be closed;
(b)
when the Department receives information considered verified upon receipt about
changes in the household's circumstances;
The Department considers information to be verified upon
receipt when the information is not questionable, the provider is the primary
source of the information. Examples of information considered verified upon
receipt include, but are not limited to, certain data matches (e.g., Social
Security Administration matches showing SSA income), changes in household
composition as reported by the household and paystubs from an employer
submitted to the Department;
(c) when a household member has been
identified as a fleeing felon or probation or parole violator per
106 CMR
367.800(D); or
(d) when the change is required as the result
of the Department clarifying unclear information pursuant to 106 CMR
366.115.
(5) If, during
the certification period prior to the submission of the Interim Report or
following the submission of the Interim Report, the Department receives notice
of a TAFDC or EAEDC income change for the Simplified Reporting household, the
Department will recalculate the SNAP benefits and pay the increased, decreased,
or unchanged recalculated SNAP benefit amount.
(6) The Department may clarify unclear
information received in accordance with 106 CMR 366.115 and recalculate the
household's SNAP benefit amount during the certification period. The Department
will recalculate the SNAP benefits and pay the increased, decreased, or
unchanged recalculated SNAP benefit amount.
(7) In (4), (5), and (6) above, the
Department will pay the SNAP benefit amount for the remainder of the
certification period unless the Department subsequently recalculates the SNAP
benefit amount in accordance with (4) through (6) above.
(D)
Elderly/Disabled Simplified
Application Project (EDSAP)
EDSAP reporting households include elderly (age 60 or more) or
disabled (regardless of age) household members. Children (less than 18 years
old) may also be included in EDSAP households, regardless of disability status.
EDSAP households are certified for 36 months and must recertify at the end of
their certification period. EDSAP households are not required to complete an
Interim Report. During the certification period, EDSAP households must report
changes in household composition and whenever any household member begins to
receive earned income.
(E)
Failure to Report Required Changes
If a household does not report a required change and as a
result receives benefits to which it is not entitled, the worker must establish
a claim against the household in accordance with Chapter 367. An individual's
benefits shall not be terminated for not reporting a change unless the
individual is disqualified through the disqualification process in accordance
with Chapter 367.
