Current through September 17, 2024
The Department verifies the eligibility information provided
by the applicant.
003.01
REQUIRED INITIAL VERIFICATION. Information listed
below is verified before eligibility can be determined. The exception is that
households eligible for expedited processing may have all verification
postponed for the first issuance except identity of the person making the
application and the household's authorized representative, if applicable.
003.01(A)
REQUIRED
VERIFICATION. The following information must be verified:
(i) Identity of the person making application
and the authorized representative, if applicable;
(ii) Social security numbers or proof of
application for social security number;
(iii) Residency;
(iv) Alien status for household members
applying for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits;
(v) Eligible student status if
claimed;
(vi) Resources if the
total amount of countable resources indicated on the application is $1500 or
more;
(vii) Income; and
(viii) Expenses allowed as a deduction:
(1) Medical expenses and disability if
claimed;
(2) Dependent care costs;
and
(3) Child support
costs.
003.01(B)
ELIGIBILITY FACTORS MAY
REQUIRE VERIFICATION. The following eligibility factors are
verified if questionable:
(i)
Citizenship;
(ii) Work
requirements;
(iii) Household
composition;
(iv) Shelter
costs;
(v) Utility costs;
and
(vi) Countable resources under
$1,500.
003.01(C)
QUESTIONABLE INFORMATION. Information on the
application is questionable if it is inconsistent with:
(i) Statements made by the
applicant;
(ii) Other information
on the current application or a previous application; or
(iii) Any information received by the local
office.
003.01(D)
OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT DISCREPANCIES. If information
from a source of verification contradicts information given by the household,
the household will have an opportunity to resolve the discrepancy before an
eligibility determination is made.
003.02
SOURCES OF
VERIFICATION. Residency or household composition may be verified
through either readily available documentary evidence or a collateral contact.
003.02(A)
DOCUMENTARY
EVIDENCE. Any written confirmation of a household's circumstances
is considered documentary evidence. This evidence may be obtained from the
household or another source.
003.02(B)
COLLATERAL
CONTACT. An alternate source of verification is the collateral
contact. This is confirmation of a household's circumstances by a person
outside the household. A collateral contact is not restricted to any particular
individual; it can be anyone who is expected to provide an accurate
verification of the household's statements. Collateral contacts are designated
by the household, but the household may request assistance from the local
office in making this designation. Verification by a collateral contact may be
given in person or by telephone.
003.02(C)
HOME
VISIT. A visit to the household's home is used for verification
only when the household cannot provide documentary evidence.
003.02(D)
INTERFACES - AUTOMATIC
EXCHANGES. Interfaces are automated exchanges of information
received from the Department of Labor, Social Security Administration, Internal
Revenue Service, and other divisions of the Department. Every pending or active
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program household member whose income and
resources are used to determine eligibility will have their social security
number routinely matched against automated exchanges.
003.03
RESPONSIBILITY FOR
PROVIDING VERIFICATION. The household has the primary
responsibility for providing verification to support income statements and to
resolve questionable information. Verification may be supplied in person,
through the mail, electronically, or through an authorized
representative.
003.04
VERIFICATION AFTER INITIAL CERTIFICATION. The
following applies to verifying information after initial eligibility has been
determined.
003.04(A)
AT
RECERTIFICATION. Changes reported at the time of recertification
are subject to the same verification procedures that apply at initial
certification. At the time of recertification, verification is required for the
following:
(i) Resources if the total amount
of countable resources indicated on the application is $1500 or more;
(ii) Earned income;
(iii) Unearned income if the source or the
amount has changed;
(iv) Medical
expenses, dependent care costs, and child support costs claimed by the
household if the source or amount of the claimed expenses have
changed;
(v) social security
numbers if not previously provided; and
(vi) Questionable
information.
