Code of Massachusetts Regulations › 106 CMR - DEPARTMENT OF TRANSITIONAL ASSISTANCE › Title 106 CMR 361.000 - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): application process › Section 361.610 - Verification Requirements at Initial Certification

Current through Register 1525, July 5, 2024
(A)
Gross Countable
			 Income
. The amount of the household's gross countable monthly
			 income, as defined in
			 106 CMR 363.200:
Income
, shall be verified before initial certification. The
			 verification requirements of
			 106 CMR
			 365.800:
Expedited Service
,
			 shall be followed for households entitled to expedited service. If all attempts
			 to verify the gross countable income are unsuccessful because a third party has
			 failed to cooperate, the Department shall determine the household's gross
			 countable monthly income based on the best available information.
Noncountable income shall be verified only if the information
				provided by the household is questionable as described in
				106 CMR
				361.620.
(B)
Noncitizen
			 Status
. Any household member identified as a noncitizen on the
			 application shall verify his or her noncitizen status before initial
			 certification in accordance with
			 106
			 CMR 362.200:
Citizens, Noncitizens,
			 Canadian-born or Mexican-born Indians
.
(C)
Utility Costs for Certain
			 Homeless Households
. Households in which all members are homeless
			 individuals and reside in someone else's home (
see
106 CMR 360.020:
Definitions
) must verify actual shelter and/or utility
			 expenses greater than $143 per month to be eligible for the shelter deduction
			 and the applicable Standard Utility Allowance.
(D)
Medical
			 Expenses
. The amount of allowable medical expenses, including the
			 amount of reimbursement (
e.g
., by a third-party insurer),
			 shall be verified prior to initial certification if their use would result in a
			 deduction. Other factors related to the medical expenses, such as the type of
			 service provided or the eligibility of the person incurring the cost, shall be
			 verified only if the information provided by the household is questionable
			 (
see
106 CMR
			 361.620 ).
(E)
Liquid Assets
.
			 The current value of the household's countable liquid assets, (
see
106 CMR 363.100:
Assets
), shall be verified prior to certification.
(F)
Social Security
			 Numbers
. The Social Security number (SSN) or the application for
			 an SSN shall be verified in accordance with
			 106 CMR 362.500(A) or
			 (B) prior to initial certification.
When a household member does not furnish an SSN which can be
				verified in accordance with
				106 CMR
				362.500(A), and does not
				have Good Cause for not providing an SSN, as specified in
				106 CMR
				362.500(C), the household
				member is ineligible and shall be considered a disqualified nonhousehold member
				in accordance with
				106 CMR
				365.520:
Disqualified Non-household
				Members
.
(G)
Identity
. The identity of the applicant and any
			 authorized representative applying on behalf of the household shall be verified
			 prior to initial certification. Identity may be verified through documentary
			 evidence that is readily available to the applicant or representative. Examples
			 of acceptable documentary evidence which the applicant may provide include, but
			 are not limited to, a driver's license; a work or school ID; an ID for health
			 benefits or for another assistance or social service program; a voter
			 registration card; wage stubs or a birth certificate. Any documents which
			 reasonably establish identity must be accepted, and no requirement for a
			 specific type of document may be imposed. In the absence of documentary
			 evidence, identity shall be verified by collateral contact in accordance with
			 106 CMR
			 361.640.
(H)
Residency
.
			 Residency shall be verified before initial certification except in unusual
			 cases (such as homeless households, certain migrant farm-worker households, or
			 households that have just arrived in the state) where verification of residency
			 cannot reasonably be accomplished. To the extent possible, documents used to
			 verify rent or mortgage payments, utilities or identity shall be used to verify
			 residency. If such documentation does not verify residency, the Department
			 shall use any documents, collateral contact, or home visits (
see
106 CMR
			 361.640 ) that reasonably establish the
			 applicant's residency. No requirement for a specific type of verification may
			 be imposed, and no durational or fixed residency requirement shall be
			 established. An otherwise eligible household shall not be required to reside in
			 a permanent dwelling or have a fixed mailing address as a condition of
			 eligibility. The worker shall not limit verifications to a specific document
			 and must assist the household in obtaining verification, when necessary, as
			 discussed in
			 106 CMR
			 361.650.
(I)
Disability
. The
			 disability of a household member, as it relates to household composition, shall
			 be verified before initial certification in accordance with
			 106 CMR
			 361.210.
(J)
Legal Obligation and Actual
			 Child Support Payments
. The household's legal obligation to pay
			 child support, the amount of the obligation and the monthly amount of child
			 support the household actually pays shall be verified before initial
			 certification. The household is responsible for providing verification of the
			 legal obligation, the obligated amount, and the amount paid. The Department
			 shall accept any document that verifies the household's legal obligation to pay
			 child support, such as a court or administrative order, or legally enforceable
			 separation agreement.
The Department shall accept documentation verifying a
				household's actual payment of child support including, but not limited to,
				canceled checks, wage withholding statements, verification of withholding from
				unemployment compensation or statements from the custodial parent regarding
				direct payments or third party payments the noncustodial parent pays or expects
				to pay on behalf of the custodial parent. Documents that are accepted as
				verification of the household's legal obligation to pay child support shall not
				be accepted as verification of the household's actual monthly child support
				payments.
In addition to requiring verification from the household, the
				Department shall be responsible for obtaining verification of the household's
				child support payments if the payments are made to the State's Title IV-D
				agency, the Department of Revenue (DOR). The Department shall use the
				information in determining the household's entitlement to a deduction in the
				new certification period. The household shall be given an opportunity to
				resolve any discrepancy between household verification and the Title IV-D
				agency records.
(K)
Additional Verification Requirements
.
(1) All other eligibility factors, financial
			 or nonfinancial, shall be verified before the initial certification when the
			 information provided by the applicant is questionable and affects the
			 household's eligibility or benefit level. Other eligibility factors include
			 loans, household composition, citizenship, student eligibility, circumstances
			 relative to work registration, and certain deductible expenses.
(2) All other eligibility factors, financial
			 or nonfinancial, may be verified before the initial certification when the
			 Department elects to mandate verification of additional information. Such
			 verifications must be required statewide or throughout a project area but shall
			 not be imposed on a selective case-by-case basis on particular
			 households.