5156-5        RESOURCES OF STEPPARENTS

The resources of a person who legally marries the natural or adoptive parent of a child are not considered available to the child, even if the child and his stepparent live in the same house or the stepparent has assumed the responsibilities of a natural parent, or he has claimed the child as a deduction or exemption for income tax purposes.

If the stepparent is the spouse of the natural parent, and if both are living together, all of their separate resources are considered available to each other.  (Jointly held liquid resources are discussed separately in sections 5152-2 and 5152-4E.)  If a household is over resource because of the separate resources of the stepparent, the children’s eligibility must be redetermined leaving out the stepparent and excluding the stepparent's separate resources.

Family Medicaid recognizes a financial obligation for support from spouse-to-spouse and parent-to-child only.  If a child is initially found ineligible for Family Medicaid solely because of stepparent deeming, the child's eligibility for Family Medicaid must be redetermined excluding the need, income, and resources of the stepparent.  Only income actually contributed to the child by a stepparent is considered.