WAG 13-02-05
Initial Month of Eligibility
The first month of the approval period is the first fiscal month that a SNAP household is eligible when an initial application is filed.
When determining eligibility for an initial application, consider eligibility factors for the fiscal month of application and the following fiscal month.
- If the SNAP household is ineligible for the month of application and the following fiscal month, deny the application.
- If the SNAP household is ineligible for the month of application but eligible for the following fiscal month, authorize a full month's benefits for the following fiscal month. The following fiscal month is the first month of the approval period.
- If a SNAP household is eligible for the fiscal month of application, but not entitled to benefits due to prorating the initial month's benefits, and is eligible for the following fiscal month, authorize a full month's benefits for the following fiscal month. The fiscal month of application is the first month of the approval period.
Verify Income Prior to Denying the SNAP Application Due to Income Exceeding the Income Standard
- A SNAP application cannot be denied based solely on an unverified statement of household income. A SNAP household's non-exempt income must be verified prior to denying an application due to the income exceeding the income standard. If a household states on the SNAP application or during the interview that its income exceeds the gross monthly income standard for the household size, the Human Services Caseworker (HSC) must pursue verification of income and continue the 30-day application process with the household.
- If the household fails to provide timely verification of income, the SNAP application may be denied for failure to provide verification. If the household provides timely verification that shows its non-exempt income exceeds the gross income limit, then the SNAP application can be denied based on exceeding the gross income limit. This only applies to households that are subject to the gross income limit.
Documentation in ECR and Case Comments
Verifications must be uploaded to the Electronic Case Record (ECR) and the case information must be documented in Case Comments to support eligibility, ineligibility, and benefit level determinations. Documentation should be sufficient in detail to permit a reviewer to determine the reasonableness and accuracy of the determination. A negative action taken on the application is only "valid" if the information in the ECR and the documentation in Case Comments supports the negative action, as well as the reason for the negative action that was presented to the household
Initial Month Benefit Amount
See PM 13-01-02-c for the budgeting of an Initial Prorated Entitlement (IPE).
When determining initial month's benefits, prorate the benefit amount based on both the day in the fiscal month the application was filed and the Net Monthly Income amount for that fiscal month. See WAG 25-03-09 for the Basis of Issuance Tables based on unit size and the Net Monthly Income amount.
See WAG 25-03-08 for the prorated benefit chart for initial month.
Ongoing Eligibility and Benefit Amount
Eligibility does not exist if the gross monthly income (after subtracting the child support deduction) exceeds the Gross Monthly Income Standard for the SNAP household size, except in the following instances:
- SNAP households with a qualifying member who meet the asset test and the Net Monthly Income Standard.
- categorically eligible SNAP households (see PM 05-07-01) when every person in the SNAP household is authorized to receive TANF or SSI, including SSI cases in recoupment or suspension status do not have to meet the Gross Monthly Income Standards
SNAP households, who are not categorically eligible units (see PM 05-07-01) must meet the Net Monthly Income Standard for the household size.
Categorically eligible SNAP households do not have to meet the net monthly income standards, but are ineligible if net income is above the level where benefits are issued.
Compute net monthly income. To determine the benefit amount, find the SNAP household's net monthly income for the household size on the Basis of Issuance Table (see WAG 25-03-09) or use the formula in WAG 25-06-05.
