WAG 08-01-07-c
For Social Security education benefits, see PM 08-01-07-b. See PM 22-06-07 for a Social Security death benefit spent on a funeral and/or burial.
For TANF, a disregard is allowed on certain disability payments received by a parent. The disregard applies when the disability payment is based specifically on that parent's disability. From these payments, disregard an amount up to the SSI payment level for one person with no income. This disregard only applies to a parent of a child included in the TANF unit. This disregard applies regardless of whether or not the parent is included in the TANF unit.
This disregard applies to disability benefits from Social Security including SSI, Railroad Retirement, Veterans Administration benefits based on 100% disability, and Black Lung, or a combination of these. The remainder above the SSI payment level is nonexempt.
If there are 2 parents receiving disability income, each parent receives the exemption. If a parent who receives disability is excluded from the TANF unit, budget the remaining nonexempt amount using parent liability policy (see PM 10-04-04).
Only the SSI income is exempt for Medical.
A parent or child who receives SSI is always excluded from the TANF case.
If a parent of a child in a TANF case receives:
- SSA disability and/or blindness benefits; or
- 100% VA disability benefits; or
- Railroad Retirement disability or blindness benefits; or
- Black Lung disability benefits;
compare the amount of disability benefit to the difference in the TANF Payment Levels with the parent included and with the parent excluded.
If the amount of the disability payment is greater than the difference in the TANF Payment Levels, exclude the parent from the TANF case. If the amount of the disability payment is less than or equal to the difference in the TANF Payment Levels, the parent must be included in the TANF case.
Private Pensions/Union Benefits
Nongovernment benefits such as private pensions and union benefits are nonexempt income.
Weekly Federal Additional Compensation Payments for Unemployment Benefits
Weekly Federal Additional Compensation Payments (FAC) for Unemployment Compensation payments authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 are exempt income.
