Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024
(a) The
procedures below shall be used to calculate net and gross income and benefit
levels.
(b) To determine a
household's net monthly income, the CWA shall follow steps (b)1 through 9
below. To determine a household's total gross income, the CWA shall add, after
rounding (according to procedures at (c)1 below), each individual's monthly
earned and unearned income(s). This total, minus income exclusions (see
10:87-5.9) , provides the sum
total gross monthly income figure which shall be used to determine the
household's eligibility in accordance with (d)1 or 2 below.
1. Step 1: Add the gross monthly income
earned by all household members minus earned income exclusions (see
10:87-5.9) to determine the
household's total gross earned income. Net losses from the self-employment
income of a farmer shall be offset in accordance with
10:87-7.3(a).
2. Step 2: Multiply the total gross monthly
earned income by 80 percent to determine the net monthly earned
income.
3. Step 3: Add to net
monthly earned income, the total monthly unearned income of all household
members, minus income exclusions (see
10:87-5.9) .
4. Step 4: Subtract the standard deduction
(see 10:87-12.1(a)
).
5. Step 5: If the household is
entitled to an excess medical deduction as provided at
10:87-5.10(a)3,
determine if total medical expenses exceed $ 35.00. If so, subtract the amount
that exceeds $ 35.00.
6. Step 6:
Subtract monthly dependent care expenses, if any, up to the maximum amount
allowed for each dependent for whom the household renders payment.
7. Step 7: If the household is entitled to a
child support deduction as provided at
10:87-5.10(a)5,
subtract the amount.
8. Step 8:
Total the allowable shelter expenses to determine shelter costs. Subtract 50
percent of the household's monthly net income (after all the above deductions
have been subtracted) from the total shelter costs. The remaining amount, if
any, is the excess shelter cost. If there is no excess shelter cost, the net
monthly income has been determined. If there is excess shelter cost, compute
the shelter deduction in Step 9.
9.
Step 9: Subtract the excess shelter cost up to the maximum (unless the
household is entitled to the full amount of its excess shelter expenses) from
the household's monthly net income after all other applicable deductions. The
maximum amount allowed for shelter (for those households subject to a shelter
maximum) is the maximum in
10:87-12.1(b).
Households not subject to a capped shelter expense shall have the full amount
exceeding 50 percent of their net income subtracted. The household's net
monthly income now has been determined.
(c) The CWA shall, when calculating NJ SNAP
gross income and benefit levels, round down those income and deduction amounts
ending in $.01 through $.49 and round-up those ending in $.50 through $.99 to
the nearest dollar. The CWA shall use the rounding procedure for both the work
allowance and shelter cost deductions.
1. The
CWA shall round the following, up and down:
i.
Self-employment income;
ii. Earned
income;
iii. Public Assistance
benefits;
iv. Supplemental Security
Income benefits;
v. Retirement
Survivors Disability Insurance benefits;
vi. Unemployment/workers
compensation;
vii. General
Assistance benefits;
viii. Other
unearned income;
ix. Dependent care
payments;
x. Child support
payments;
xi. Medical expenses;
and
xii. Total shelter
costs.
(d)
Except for migrant, seasonal farm worker and homeless households considered
destitute at
10:87-6.17, the following
eligibility and benefit determinations shall apply:
1. Households which contain an elderly or
disabled member (as defined at
10:87-2.34) shall have the
household's net income, as calculated in (b) above, compared to the monthly
income eligibility standard for the appropriate household size at
10:87-12.3 to determine
eligibility for the month.
2.
Households that do not contain an elderly or disabled member shall have their
gross monthly income compared to the monthly income eligibility standards at
10:87-12.4, for the appropriate
household size and shall have their net monthly income, as calculated in (b)
above, compared to the monthly income eligibility standard for the appropriate
household size at
10:87-12.3 to determine
eligibility for the month.
3. After
eligibility has been determined in accordance with (d)1 or 2 above, the CWA
shall use the household's net monthly NJ SNAP income to determine the amount of
the household's benefits in accordance with
10:87-12.6.
i. If the allotment for an initial month is
less than $ 10.00, or prorated to less than $ 10.00 in accordance with
10:87-6.2(c), no
benefits shall be issued to the household for the initial month.
ii. Except during an initial month, all
eligible one- and two-person households shall receive a minimum monthly
allotment of $ 16.00.
