440-2        WHEN INCOME IS COUNTED

Generally, we count income at the earliest of the following points:

• when it is received; or
• when it is credited to an individual's account; or
• when it is set aside for their use.

Occasionally, a regular periodic payment is received in a month other than the month of normal receipt.  As long as there is no intent to interrupt the regular payment schedule, consider the funds to be income in the normal month of receipt.

• When a payor advance dates a check because the regular payment date falls on a weekend or holiday, there is no intent to change the normal delivery date.  Whenever such an advance dated check is received, consider it income to the recipient in the month of normal receipt.

• When an individual's money goes to a bank by direct deposit, the funds may be posted to the account before or after the month they are payable. Whenever this occurs, treat the electronically transferred funds as income in the month of normal receipt.  For public assistance benefits, we consider the month of intended use to be the month of normal receipt.

When income is counted in a month other than the month that evidence in the file shows the income was actually received, document the reason in the case note.

Retroactive benefits, whether paid in one lump sum or by installment, are counted as unearned income in the month payment is received.

Exception:

Retroactive SSISupplemental Security Income and SSASocial Security Administration Retirement, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (RSDI) benefits are not counted as income in the month of receipt.  See APA MS 441-2(Q)

Income must be evaluated as a resource in the month following the month of normal receipt.

Example:

A company sends out its retirement pension checks so that they arrive on the first day of each month.  However, because January 1 is a holiday, the checks are delivered on December 30.  The client brings in his pension check on December 31 as evidence of his income, and explains that he also received a pension check on December 1.

The caseworker determines that the amount of the December 30 check is income for the normal month of receipt, which is January.  The check is counted as income for January rather than December because of these unusual circumstances.