452-1        PAYMENT CALCULATIONS

After an applicant or recipient is determined prospectively eligible for assistance, the APAAdult Public Assistance payment is calculated for the benefit month. The benefit month is the month for which assistance is provided, regardless of when it is paid. For example, APAAdult Public Assistance benefits paid to meet the needs of an individual or couple for the month of April are considered to be for the benefit month of April, even if they are paid in the month of May. To be eligible for assistance, the individual or couple must be eligible for at least a $1.00 APAAdult Public Assistance payment.

Monthly maximum payment standards are used to calculate APAAdult Public Assistance and SSISupplemental Security Income benefit amounts. The APAAdult Public Assistance and SSISupplemental Security Income payment standards are shown in Addendum 1.

Note:

DPADivision of Public Assistance must calculate the countable income rather than using the amount calculated by SSASocial Security Administration.

452-1 A.    APA PAYMENTS

APAAdult Public Assistance payments are calculated using the APAAdult Public Assistance countable income received or expected to be received in the benefit month.

Example 1:  (based on 2026 payment standards)

Olivia, an unmarried APAAdult Public Assistance recipient in an independent living arrangement, expects to receive monthly SSASocial Security Administration income of $1077 in the month of October. After the $20 income exclusion is allowed, Olivia's expected net countable income is $1057. The October APAAdult Public Assistance payment is based on the net countable Social Security income expected to be received in October.

$1,356   APA Payment Standard for an Individual, Living Independently
- 1,057    Net Countable SSASocial Security Administration Income
$ 299     APA Payment

Example 2:  (based on 2026 payment standards)

Leo, an unmarried APAAdult Public Assistance recipient in an independent living arrangement receives an SSISupplemental Security Income payment of $994.  

$1,356   APA individual, independent living standard
-    994   APA net countable income (SSISupplemental Security Income individual, "A" living arrangement standard)
= $362  APAAdult Public Assistance payment

Example 3:  (based on 2026 payment standards)

Charlotte, an unmarried APAAdult Public Assistance recipient in an independent living arrangement receives an SSISupplemental Security Income payment of $957.  

$1,356   APA individual, independent living standard
-    957   APA net countable income (SSISupplemental Security Income individual, "A" living arrangement standard)
= $399   APAAdult Public Assistance payment

Example 4:  (based on 2026 payment standards)

A married couple who are both eligible for APAAdult Public Assistance reside in an independent living arrangement.  Each member of the couple receives monthly SSISupplemental Security Income payments. The husband receives $746 and the wife receives $745 totaling $1,491.  

$2,019   APA couple, both eligible, independent living standard
- 1,491   APA net countable income ( SSI "A' living arrangement standard for an eligible couple)
= $528  APAAdult Public Assistance payment

Example 5:  (based on 2026 payment standards, using allowable earned income exclusions)

Amanda, an unmarried APAAdult Public Assistance recipient in an independent living arrangement receives an SSISupplemental Security Income payment of $777 and $605 of gross monthly wages.

($605-$20 = $585 - $65 = $520/2=$260 countable wages + $777 SSISupplemental Security Income = $1037 countable income)

$1,356   APA individual, independent living standard
- 1,037   APA net countable income (SSISupplemental Security Income individual, "A" living arrangement standard)
= $319  APAAdult Public Assistance payment

Example 6: (based on 2026 payment standards, using the ineligible child allocation and allowable earned income exclusions)

Emma, a married APAAdult Public Assistance recipient in an independent living arrangement, receives an SSISupplemental Security Income payment of $499 and Benjamin, her husband, makes $2,144 gross monthly wages. They have one child, Kai.  

($2,144 - $497 = $1647-$20 - $65 = $1562/2= $781 countable wages + $499 SSI = $1,280)

$1,515 APAAdult Public Assistance couple one eligible, independent living standard
-$1.280 APAAdult Public Assistance net countable income (SSISupplemental Security Income "A" living arrangement standard for a couple one eligible)
=  $235 APAAdult Public Assistance payment

452-1 B.     APAAdult Public Assistance PROCESSING INSTRUCTIONS

Refer to EIS Procedure 2019-1 for detailed APAAdult Public Assistance processing instructions.

452-1 C.   INTERIM ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS

Interim Assistance payments are always based on the income received or expected to be received in the benefit month. The amount of the Interim Assistance payment is $280 to each individual, except for payments to institutionalized individuals. Institutionalized individuals receive an Interim Assistance payment equal to the APAAdult Public Assistance personal needs allowance of $200, less any other countable income.

If both members of a couple are eligible for Interim Assistance, each member of the couple will receive $280, but eligibility will be based on the appropriate couple, both eligible standard.

If one member of a couple is eligible for Interim Assistance and the other member is eligible for regular APAAdult Public Assistance, each member of the couple is budgeted as an individual until Interim Assistance ends. However, the resource limit for a couple applies in these situations.