DISQUALIFIED/EXCLUDED MEMBER'S INCOME SR 97-08, 03/97 (FSM-A)

When the member is disqualified or excluded for program violation, the income of the disqualified member is considered to be available to the remaining eligible assistance group members.

Treatment: Unearned Income

See exceptions below.

Exceptions:

• Treat a disqualified member’s earned income as unearned income to the household. Compute the income as available to the household only after subtracting the earned income disregard.

• If a member was disqualified for failure to declare citizenship/alien status, failure to comply with SSN requirements, or ineligible alien status, consider only a prorated share of their income as available to the household.

The disqualified member is included in the prorating; their needs are factored in and subtracted.

Example

A family of four applied for food stamps. The father earns $100 per week. He refused to give his social security number, insisting it was an invasion of privacy. Consequently, he is excluded from the case. His income is prorated: $25 is allotted to each of the four family members, including himself.

• If a member was disqualified for an intentional program violation or failure to comply with work registration requirements, do not prorate their income.

The excluded member’s needs are not considered; do not subtract their share. All of their income is considered available to the household.