Alabama Administrative Code › Title 660 - ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES › Chapter 660-4-7 - SIMPLIFIED REPORTING AND PROSPECTIVE BUDGETING › Section 660-4-7-.06 - Information And Verification For Six-Month Reporting

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 9, June 28, 2024
(1) Address Change: Failure by the household
			 to answer the address change question constitutes an incomplete report. A
			 household is required to report a change of address. If the household has
			 moved, the new mailing address is required.
A household should complete the additional information in this
				section of the form if the household has moved. If the household reports a move
				and does not provide verification of shelter costs, no shelter costs should be
				included in the food assistance budget effective the following month. Failure
				to verify shelter costs does not constitute an incomplete report subject to
				termination for failure to provide verification.
If the household addresses the questions regarding utility
				expenses, allow the appropriate utility deduction. Verification is not required
				for the SUA, BUA or telephone standard.
(2) Change in Shelter Household Did Not Move:
			 When the household reports an increase in shelter expenses on the six-month
			 report and verification has not been received, the caseworker must request
			 verification and allow the household 10 days to provide the requested
			 verification. The household should be informed that benefits cannot be
			 increased until verification is provided. If the verification is not provided
			 within 10 days, action must not be taken to increase benefits or close the food
			 assistance case for failure to provide verification. Do not make a change in
			 the shelter costs. Document the reason the reported change was not processed.
			 No further action is required until recertification unless the household
			 subsequently provides the verification prior to the end of the certification
			 period. In this case, the change may be made if it will cause an increase in
			 benefits. When the household reports a decrease in shelter costs on the
			 six-month report (with or without verification) which results in a decrease in
			 the food assistance benefits, the reported change must be made to decrease the
			 shelter costs effective the following month.
(3) Earned Income: Failure by the household
			 to address the earned income questions constitutes an incomplete report.
			 Countable earned income received in the report month must be reported and
			 verified if earned income has changed by more than $100.00. If the household
			 reports "yes", the earned income has changed by more than $100.00, the
			 household must provide verification of this change. If the household does not
			 send verification and verification cannot be obtained through another source
			 such as The Work Number or through the employer, the report must be considered
			 incomplete and returned to the household with a Notice of Incomplete Six-Month
			 Report form. If the household states or verifies a change in earned income of
			 less than $100.00, this change must be processed with or without verification.
If the household answers "yes", a member has had a change in
				earnings (including earnings from self-employment) because he/she started or
				stopped a job or changed jobs, the household must provide verification of this
				reported change. If the household does not provide verification, the report
				must be considered incomplete and returned to the household with a Notice of
				Incomplete Six-Month Report Form. If the county office discovers that a member
				of the household has quit a job or voluntarily reduced work hours, any
				information needed to determine whether the quit was with or without good cause
				should be addressed outside of the six-month report form.
If the household answers "no" to the earned income questions,
				the caseworker must not make any changes to the earned income amounts currently
				being budgeted for the household. The gross earned income amounts will remain
				the same for the last six-months of the 12-month certification period.
(4) Unearned Income: Failure by
			 the household to address the unearned income question constitutes an incomplete
			 report.
Countable unearned income received in the report month must be
				reported and verified if the unearned income has changed by more than $100.00.
				If the household reports "yes", the unearned income has changed by more than
				$100.00, the household must provide verification of this change. If the
				household does not send verification and verification cannot be obtained
				through another source such as IEVS, the report must be considered incomplete
				and returned to the household with a Notice of Incomplete Six-Month Report
				Form. Unearned income information which can be verified through IEVS shall be
				used and the change made for the following month. If the household states or
				verifies a change in unearned income of less than $100.00, this change must be
				processed with or without verification. In those cases that involve the receipt
				of child support income, it is not necessary to check the child support systems
				(ALECS & ALACOURT) if the household states "no" that the unearned income
				has not changed by more than $100.00 unless the household had reported a change
				in the child support income that could not be processed until six-month
				report.
If the household answers "no" to the unearned income question,
				the caseworker must not make any changes to the unearned income amounts
				currently being budgeted for the household with the exception of verified upon
				receipt information that should be processed by the caseworker. The unearned
				income amounts will remain the same for the last six-months of the 12-month
				certification period if there is no verified upon receipt information that the
				caseworker is required to process.
If the household answers "no" to the unearned income question,
				the caseworker must not make any changes to the unearned income amounts
				currently being budgeted for the household with the exception of verified upon
				receipt information that should be processed by the caseworker. The unearned
				income amounts will remain the same for the last six-months of the 12-month
				certification period if there is no verified upon receipt information that the
				caseworker is required to process.
(5) Child Support Payments/Deductions:
			 Failure by the household to address the legally obligated child support
			 questions does not constitute an incomplete report subject to termination. If
			 the household does not answer these questions, remove the currently budgeted
			 child support deduction from the food assistance budget.
The household must report and verify changes in the amount of
				legally obligated child support and when the obligation to pay child support
				ends if the household is receiving a deduction for child support payments. The
				household must report and verify if any other household member has a
				court-ordered child support obligation in order for this member to receive a
				child support deduction. If the household answers "yes", and does not send
				verification, a child support deduction must not be allowed in the food
				assistance budget for the last six-months of the 12-month certification period
				for households that were already receiving the deduction or for new
				court-ordered payments.
If the household answers "no", the child support deduction
				currently being budgeted will remain in the food assistance budget.
(6) Household Composition: Failure
			 by the household to address the household composition question constitutes an
			 incomplete report.
The household must report information about household members
				who have moved into or out of the household. The household must report income
				for those new members that have income and provide verification of their
				income. If the household answers "yes" and does not complete the information
				section concerning those members or the does not send verification of their
				income, the report must be considered incomplete and returned to the household
				with a Notice of Incomplete Six-Month Report Form. If verification of income
				can be obtained through another source such as IEVS, The Work Number, the
				employer, or other State verification systems, the form must not be
				returned.
If the household answers "no" to this question, the caseworker
				must not make any changes in household composition.
The household must complete and sign the six-month report.
				Failure to date the six-month report form does not constitute an incomplete
				report. If the household fails to sign the report or submits the report before
				the last day of the report month the form must be considered incomplete.
If the household reports information/verification considered
				questionable, the caseworker must determine the most appropriate way to resolve
				the issue and take appropriate action based on the individual case
				situation.
Author:
Amy Plunkett
Statutory Authority:
7 C.F.R.
				  273.12.