(1)
Method of
verifying income. The worker uses documentary evidence as the primary
source of verification per Section 273.2(f) of Title 7 of the Code of Federal
Regulations. Documentary evidence consists of a written confirmation of a
household's circumstances. The household has primary responsibility for
providing documentary evidence. The worker must assist the household when
requested, when the household is willing, but unable to obtain the documentary
evidence.
(A) Documents that verify earned
income include, but are not limited to:
(i)
pay stubs;
(ii) employee W-2
forms;
(iii) wage tax receipts;
(iv) state or federal income tax
returns;
(v) self-employed
bookkeeping credits;
(vi) sales or
expenditure records;
(vii)
employer wage records;
(viii)
statements from an employer;
(ix)
Oklahoma Employment Security Commission statements; or
(x) Oklahoma Tax Commission statements.
(B) Documents that
verify unearned income, include, but are not limited to:
(i) award letters;
(ii) benefit payment checks;
(iii) correspondence on benefits;
(iv) income tax records;
(v) support and alimony payments as evidenced
by court order;
(vi) divorce or
separation papers; or
(vii)
contribution checks.
(C) Alternate income verification sources
include, but are not limited to:
(i) State
Data Exchange (SDX) system screens;
(ii) Beneficiary and Earnings Data Exchange
(BENDEX) system screens;
(iii)
OESC wage and unemployment compensation screens;
(iv) union records;
(v) workers' compensation records;
(vi) information received from the Department
of Veterans Affairs records; or
(vii) tax records.
(2)
Unreported
income. The worker explores the possibility of unreported income when
situations described in this subsection occur.
(A) The household may have unreported income
when:
(i) the applicant or recipient is
employable and does not report earnings;
(ii) the household reports zero
income;
(iii) the household reports
household expenses, paid or unpaid that exceeds the amount of income reported.
Household expenses may include rent or mortgage payments, utility payments, car
payment, or other personal expenses;
(iv) it appears a household member may be
eligible for other benefits, such as Social Security, Supplemental Security
Income (SSI), unemployment compensation, or public assistance; or
(v) other questionable situations
occur.
(B) When the
household states someone is loaning the household money to meet expenses, a
statement signed by both parties indicating the payment is a loan and must be
repaid is sufficient verification. When the household states it receives loans
on a recurrent or regular basis from the same source, the provider of the loan
must sign a notarized affidavit that states the payments are loans that must be
repaid or that payments will be made in accordance with an established
repayment schedule.
