605-1 C.      BOARDERS/FOSTER CARE CHILDREN AND ADULTS

1. Boarders

A boarder is an individual to whom a household furnishes meals and lodging in exchange for money.  To be considered a boarder for SNAP purposes, the monthly payment for meals must be at least equal to the maximum SNAP allotment for the size of the boarder household. If the household furnishes two or less meals a day, the amount paid must be at least equal to two-thirds of the maximum SNAP allotment for the size of the boarder household.  Parents and children, spouses, and siblings living together cannot be considered a boarder arrangement for SNAP purposes unless one of the individuals is a foster care child or foster care adult.  Persons paying for room only are not considered boarders, and may be eligible as a separate SNAP household.  Persons not meeting the definition of a boarder should be treated as defined under the SNAP household concept at MS 602-1A.

Boarders who are not included in the household are treated as non-household members.  The income and resources of non-household members are not considered available to the household.  See MS 605-2C. The boarder payment for lodging and meals is treated as self-employment income to a SNAP household if the boarder is not included as part of the SNAP household.  An amount equal to the maximum SNAP allotment for the boarder household size represents the allowable costs of doing business for the SNAP household.  If the boarder is included as part of the household, the boarder payment is an exchange of money between household members, and as such, is not considered income to the household.

Boarders are not eligible for SNAP as a separate household.  Boarders may be eligible as part of the household providing the board if the household requests the boarder to be included and the boarder meets all other eligibility criteria.

2. Foster Care Children and Adults   

Foster care children/adults are considered non-household members, unless the host household requests that the foster child/adult be included as a member of the SNAP household.  

1. The foster care payment is considered income to the foster care child/adult even if the payment is made directly to the household.  If the foster care child/adult is not included in the household, the foster care payment will not be included in the SNAP budget.  If the foster care child/adult is included in the SNAP household, the foster care payment will be included as income in the SNAP budget.

2. Guardianship payments may be referred to as Kinship Care and subsidized guardianships.  The household has a choice to include the child as a member of the SNAP household.  If the child is included in the SNAP household, the guardianship payment made for that child is counted as unearned income.  If the child is not included, this payment is not counted as income to the household.

3. Subsidized adoption payments are intended to cover expenses incurred due to the special needs of an adopted child.  These payments are countable income for SNAP.  

Note:  

Adopted children and their adoptive parents must be included in the same SNAP household.  See MS 602-1A(2).