63281 Determination of Eligibility
Table of Contents
Section
Beginning Date of Aid BDA 2811
Determination of Initial Eligibility 2812
Verification of Income to Determine Initial Eligibility 2813
Determination of Continuing Eligibility 2814
Recertification 2815
Resource Eligibility 2816
632811 Beginning Dateof Aid BDA
The beginning date of aid BDA is the first month for which the household is eligible for benefits All CalFresh households will be assigned a reporting cycle upon initial application The SemiAnnual Reporting SAR cycle is based on the BDA
The recertification month must be aligned with the SAR cycle
For Public Assistance CalFresh PACF cases ensure that the CalFresh and CalWORKs cycle and recertification redetermination are aligned For example If a CalFresh applicant is currently receiving CalWORKs the CalFresh reporting cycle must be aligned with the existing CalWORKs reporting cycle when benefits are approved 632725
A SemiAnnual Eligibility Report SAR 7 will be processed once a year in the sixth month after the BDA or recertification month
Refer to 63272 and CPG 44270B
632812 A households eligibility will be determined for the month of application Determination of
by considering the households circumstances as of the date of the
Initial Eligibility
interview Refer to 632511 for exceptions
For Nonassistance CalFresh NACF households
o With no elderly or disabled household members determine the reasonably anticipated gross monthly income for the certification period and compare it to the gross income eligibility standards 130 of the Federal Poverty Level FPL for the household size to determine if the household is financial eligible and the net income eligibility standards 100 of the FPL for the household
632813 Verification of Income to Determine Initial Eligibility
size to determine if the household is eligible for benefits Refer to 63221
o With an elderly or disabled member determine the reasonably anticipated net monthly income for the certification period and compare it to the net income eligibility standards 100 of the FPL for the household size to determine if the household is financial eligible passes the 100 net income test Refer to
63221 Income Tests and Gross Income
6325434 Calculating Net Income and
63120713 Modified Categorical Eligibility MCE
For Public Assistance CalFresh PACF cases if the companion CalWORKs case is determined financially eligible the CalFresh household is considered categorically eligible and no applicant test is necessary for CalFresh purposes
Benefits will be prorated for the initial month of aid
To determine initial eligibility and benefit amount for the certification period request income information based on the guidelines below
Income received during the past 30 days will be used as an indicator of the income that is and will be available to the household during the certification period if this income is expected to continue However past income will not be used to determine benefits for the certification period if changes in income have occurred and income from the previous month is not indicative of what the household expects to receive during the certification period In this case the worker will take into account income that the household reportsestimates as being reasonably anticipated for the certification period
If income fluctuates to the extent that a 30day period alone cannot provide an accurate indication of anticipated income the worker and the household may use a longer period of income history if it will provide a more accurate indication of anticipated fluctuations in future income
Similarly if the households income fluctuates seasonally it may be appropriate to use the most recent season comparable to the certification period rather than the last 30 days as one indicator of anticipated income
NOTE Exercise particular caution in using income from a past season as an indicator of income for the certification period In many cases of seasonally fluctuating income the income also fluctuates from one season in one year to the same season in the next year
Do not use past income as an indicator of anticipated income when changes in income have occurred or can be anticipated during the certification period
INCOME ONLY IN MONTH RECEIVED
Income anticipated during the certification period will be counted as income only in the month it is expected to be received unless the income is averaged refer to 6328212
Whenever an applicant has stable income and does not expect any changes for the certification period the worker will use either
The exact monthly figure that can be anticipated for each month of the certification period or
Convert the income to a monthly amount by multiplying weekly amounts by 433 and biweekly amounts by 2167 when the income is received on a weekly or biweekly basis
Refer to
63282 Income Eligibility and Benefit Amount Calculation
63250 Month of Application
NOTE Lumpsum payments will be counted as a resource starting in
the month received and will not be counted as income
Refer to 6322411
NEW HOUSEHOLD MEMBER REPORTED AFTER APPLICATION
If a new household member Then the new household member will be added to the case if otherwise eligible
Is reported after the Effective the month of application if the
date of application but case has not been approved
in the same month The following month if the case has already been approved
Comes into the home in the month following the month of application and the case has not been approved Effective the first of the month following the month of application
Comes into the home subsequent to the application month and after the case has been approved The first of the following month
Refer to 632849 Household Composition Changes Reported MidPeriod
632814 Determination of Continuing Eligibility
Based on the information provided on the SAR 7 or at recertification determine continuing eligibility as it relates to all eligibility factors including but not limited to income and household composition using prospective budgeting rules as described in 63282
A ELIGIBILITY STAUS REPORT SAR 7
Use the information on the SAR 7 to determine continuing eligibility and future benefit amounts The SAR 7 will provide eligibility information for the SAR Data Month any changes affecting the households eligibility since the last recertification and any changes in income and expenses the recipient reasonably anticipates will occur for the remaining months of the certification period
Refer to 63274 and 63275
B RECERTIFICATION
Use the information on the recertification form to determine eligibility and benefit for the upcoming certification period
The application for recertification form will provide eligibility information any changes affecting the households eligibility since the submission of the last SAR 7 and any changes in income and expenses the recipient reasonably anticipates will occur in the upcoming certification period Refer to 632814 and 63304
C INFORMATION REPORTED MIDPERIOD
If a household makes a voluntary or mandatory midperiod report the information from that report will be considered part of the case record regardless of whether it resulted in a midperiod benefit change
If the midperiod report is verified record the information in Case Comments and either act on the change if permitted under midperiod changes or will hold action on the change until the next semiannual period If the change is held for the next SAR 7 or recertification the worker will send the No Change Notice of Action NOA CF 3774 SAR and enter the information in the Maintain Held Change Notes page in CalWIN for future follow up This change does not need to be verified again unless there has been a subsequent change or it is information that needs to be verified every reporting period eg income Refer to 63283 and 63284
If the report was not verified and does not affect the benefits midperiod send the NoChange NOA CF 3774 reminding the
household to list the change on the next SAR 7 or annual recertification form as appropriate and specify the verification that will be required Enter the information in the Maintain Held Change Notes page in CalWIN for follow up with the next SAR 7 or recertification whichever comes first
At the next SAR 7 or recertification ensure that information reported on the SAR 7 or recertification form is consistent with what was reported midperiod and will proceed as follows
If the information reported on the SAR 7 or recertification form is consistent with information provided in the voluntary or mandatory midperiod report and the worker has the verification no further action will be required
If the information on the SAR 7 or recertification form is not consistent with unverified information provided midperiod take action immediately to resolve the discrepancy and determine what the current household situation is First attempt to contact the recipient to resolve the discrepancy Only if unable to contact the recipient or obtain resolution from such contact consider the SAR 7 or recertification to be incomplete Refer to 63274 and 63304
D COUNTYINITIATED ACTION
When certain eligibility information becomes known reevaluate CalFresh eligibility midperiod and take timely action as appropriate Refer to 63285
632815 A SAR 7 will not be required at recertification Use only the Recertification
recertification form to determine continuing eligibility and benefit amount for the next certification period using reasonably anticipated income and prospective budgeting regulations
Refer to 632822 and 3
To determine eligibility and benefit amount for the upcoming certification period request income information based on the guidelines below
Income received during the past 30 days will be used as an indicator of the income that is and will be available to the household during the certification period if this income is expected to continue However past income will not be used to determine benefits for the certification period if changes in income have occurred and income from the previous month is not indicative of what the household expects to receive during the certification period
If income fluctuates to the extent that a 30day period alone
cannot provide an accurate indication of anticipated income use a longer period of income history if it will provide a more accurate indication of anticipated fluctuations in future income
To ensure households only have two reporting requirements each year one eligibility report SAR 7 and one recertification align the CalFresh recertification with the SAR cycle 63272
Reminder Issue an approval or denial notice at recertification Timely 10day notice is not required to decrease benefits at recertification
Refer to 63304
632816 Resource Eligibility
Resource eligibility for households that are not MCE 631208 will be evaluated every six months when the household submits the SAR 7 and at recertification Use the information reported on the SAR 7 and recertification forms to determine continuing eligibility for the certification period or remaining months of the certification period
CalFresh SAR households are not required to report any resource changes midperiod Do not take action on any voluntary reported changes in property that will result in a decrease of benefits
The household remains eligible for the entire certification period unless a change is reported on the SAR 7 The case will be discontinued at the end of the SAR Submit Month with timely notice if the household exceeds the resource limit based on property reported on the SAR 7 However if the household provides verification that their resources are within the resource limit prior to the effective date of discontinuance the discontinuance will be rescinded
Example 1
Scenario The certification period is January through December The household submits the May SAR 7 on June 5th The worker determines that the recipient is property eligible in the SAR Data Month and for the remaining months of the certification period On July 20th the household receives and reports a onetime cash gift of 4100 and deposits it in the households bank account
Outcome This is considered a midperiod voluntary report The household is not required to report the cash gift and bank account until recertification which is due in December The worker will Send a No Change NOA informing the household that the voluntary report of the cash gift will not take effect and that the household is responsible for reporting the cash gift on the next SAR 7 and Enter the information in the Maintain Held Change Notes page in CalWIN for future follow up
Example 2
Scenario The household reports on the February SAR 7 the receipt of a cash gift of 4100 which puts the household over the maximum allowable resources limit The household is not MCE because one household member is a disqualified drug felon
Outcome The worker discontinues benefits at the end of the SAR Submit Month March with timely notice Later in March the household notifies and provides verification that the balance in the account is below the resource limit The worker rescinds the discontinuance if all combined property is below the maximum allowable resource limits and if otherwise eligible