12/14/17
Action Memo
Summary:
This Action Memo provides FCRC staff with information on the 2018 Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) effective January 2018 and instructions on budgeting the COLA for Cash and SNAP.
- The COLA effective January 2018 is 2%.
- The maximum SSI for a single person is increased from $735 to $750.
- The maximum SSI for a couple is increased from $1,103 to $1,125.
- A central COLA budget will occur before December 15, 2017 to effect January 2018 Cash and SNAP benefits.
- Family Community Resource Centers (FCRC) are responsible for manually budgeting the COLA increase for applications approved on or after 11/15/17 and on cash and SNAP cases excluded from automated income updates to RSDI and/or SSI.
January 2018 COLA Increase
The Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) effective January 2018 is 2%. The maximum SSI for a single person is increased from $735 to $750. The maximum SSI for a couple is increased from $1,103 to $1,125.
Central Budget of COLA
The 2018 SSA and SSI benefit amount will be centrally budgeted for January 2018 for the following programs with clients included in the central budgeting process:
- AABD Cash cases
- SNAP cases;
- TANF cases; and
- RRA Cash cases.
Central budgeting takes place towards the end of every month. The SSI/SSA increase will be centrally budgeted for January 2018 Cash and SNAP benefits.
When a case includes more than one person and the information on BENDEX does not match the information in IES for all persons, central budgeting will occur for those persons in the case with matched information.
FCRC Action
Local office staff are responsible for budgeting the actual amount of the January 2018 SSA and/or SSI income for:
- all new cases put on regular rolls after 11/15/17; and
- persons excluded from automated income updates to RSDI and/or SSI.
The following is the valid exclusion code and does not appear in IES at this time. Please refer to IES Report "SSA-SSI 02 Exclusion Report (Report ID: IL-LB-112-DLY) See WAG 22-14-03-a for BENDEX and WAG 22-14-03-b for SDX.
- 2-SSAPC is working on the case.
Upon receipt of the monthly list of individual incomes not centrally updated by BENDEX/SDX interfaces (Mobius Report 50473651), take the following action:
- determine the reason for the exclusion;
- correctly budget SSA and SSI for the person(s) excluded from automated RSDI/SSI income updates; and
- correct the problem causing the exclusion, when possible.
If the FCRC cannot correct the problem causing the exclusion, complete and submit Discrepancy Referral Form IL444-1925 to the SSA Programs Control Unit. Attach the verification supporting the correct client information or benefit amount.
[signed copy on file]
James T. Dimas
Secretary, Illinois Department of Human Services
Forms referenced:
Form IL444-1925
