Code of Massachusetts Regulations
121 CMR - OFFICE FOR REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS
Title 121 CMR 2.000 - Massachusetts Refugee Resettlement Program
Section 2.530 - Non-countable Income

(a) All income of any member of the filing unit:

(b) The cash value (face amount) of Food Stamps and the cash value of USDA-donated Food Stamps or surplus commodities;

(c) Payments under the Nutrition Program for the Elderly (Title VII of the Older Americans Act of 1965);

(d) The value of assistance received under the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 and the National School Lunch Act;

(e) Home produce for consumption by members of the filing unit and their families;

(f) Expense allowances and weekly incentive payments of up to $30 from the Division of Employment and Training and expense allowances authorized under MRRP, including the MRRP Early Employment Incentive;

(g) Training or work related expenses approved by ORI;

(h) Incentive payments of $30 per week or less received under a vocational rehabilitation program of the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission;

(i) Reimbursement payments for education and/or training-related expenses received from participation in programs administered by other agencies and organizations that are non-duplicative of Refugee Cash Assistance payments and are provided for specific goods or services. Such reimbursement payments include, but are not limited to, transportation allowances, childcare costs, and the costs of books, supplies, or uniforms;

(j) Any grant, including but not limited to scholarships, the terms of which preclude its use for current maintenance;

(k) Any grant or loan to an undergraduate student for educational purposes made or insured under any program administered by the United States Commissioner of Education;

(l) Irregular or infrequent income, such as gifts, that cannot be reasonably projected over time and are less than $30 per refugee in any quarter;

(m) Contributions from people not legally responsible for the support of a member of the assistance unit that are restricted for a specific purpose and provide for a portion of the needs specified in 121 CMR 2.560, or provide for needs not included in 121 CMR 2.560.

A contribution from a nonlegally responsible person that meets the entire cost of one or more of the needs specified in 121 CMR 2.560 is countable income and is deducted using the standard values in 121 CMR 2.560.

(n) Payments to, or reimbursement given to volunteers serving as foster grandparents, senior health aides, or senior companions, or serving in the Service Corps of Retired Executives, or in VISTA, or in any other program established under the Domestic Service Act of 1973;

(o) Highway relocation assistance payments, Urban Renewal Assistance payments, disaster relief payments used for relocation, and payments from private agencies used for relocation.

(p) Housing subsidies received under any Massachusetts or Federal housing program including utility allowances paid under such programs;

(q) A loan verified by a written document, signed by the borrower, that expresses the borrower's intent to repay;

(r) All earned income of a child younger than 14 years old, and all earned income of a dependent child younger than 19 years old who is a full time student;

(s) Foster Parent Payments made by any public or licensed private non-profit Child Welfare Agency;

(t) Payments from the Home Energy Assistance Program;

(u) Assistance from other social service agencies or organizations that does not duplicate assistance received under MRRP;

(v) MRRP payments resulting from a correction of an underpayment or a fair hearing decision;

(w) Refunds from a utility company, landlord or other vendor that were originally from MRRP benefits, fuel assistance, or other non-countable income funds;

(x) Any portion of a Workers' Compensation, property damage, personal injury, Compensation to Victims of Violent Crimes Act, or death settlement or award that is spent for the purpose for which it was originally earmarked and is not compensation for lost wages;

(y) Up to the first $50 in current child support received on the family's behalf and paid to the family in any month;

(z) Earned income tax credits whether received as advance payments of earned income tax credits or as part or all of an income tax refund;

(aa) Money received from a loan secured by the equity in the home of an individual who is 60 years of age or older (so-called "reverse mortgage"); and

(bb) Payments under TAFDC or Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled and Children (EAEDC).