5160-1        DETERMINING THE HOUSEHOLD’S MONTHLY INCOME

A household’s eligibility is determined by estimating the income the household already received and can reasonably expect to receive.  Income is estimated by making a reasonable guess based on the information available from the household and source of income.  The caseworker reviews the income received in the past and current months from the available information and considers, with input from the household and source of the income, what income is likely to be received during the remainder of the current month and in the subsequent month.

Income is not counted if the amount of the income cannot be estimated or it cannot be reasonably anticipated when the income will be received.  This type of income may come from sources such as bingo or pull-tabs, or may be earned or unearned income that is unpredictable and cannot reasonably be anticipated to recur.

To determine the household’s estimated monthly income, the caseworker must know:

• Which household members receive income?
   

• What is the source of the income?
   

• What is the amount of each payment?
   

• How often the payments are received - monthly, twice a month, every two weeks, once a week?
   

• When the payments are received and, if payments have not yet begun, when is the first payment expected?

The estimated income amount used will be considered correct if:

• It is reasonable;
   

• It is based on all available information;
   

• The caseworker applied correct policy; and
   

• The estimate is documented.

Once the caseworker estimates a household’s monthly income, adjustments to the income estimate are made when a change is reported that affects the amount of income the individual expects to receive.

In most cases, the caseworker will estimate the monthly income by calculating an average payment based on recent payments and multiplying this average by the number of payments expected in the month.