9122 Food Stamp Households Subject to Simplified Reporting - Food stamp households, excluding those required to change report per 9121, are subject to Simplified Reporting.
9122.1 Reporting Requirements - Between the date of certification and the completion of the interim report form (or at the time of the next review whichever is first), simplified reporting households are only required to report the following two changes:
Changes in the amount of gross monthly income (earned and unearned) that results in the household's gross monthly income exceeding 130% of the monthly poverty income guidelines for their household size. (130% of monthly poverty is the Food Stamp Program's gross income limit.); and
Households containing ABAWDs meeting the ABAWD 20 hour per week work requirement of 2520 (1), must report any changes in work hours that brings the ABAWD individual below 20 hours per week, averaged monthly.
NOTE: Earned and unearned income includes lump sums that are otherwise exempt as income.
Example: Household starts drawing UC. In the month the UC started, the household also received a lump sum UC check. The weekly UC alone is not over the 130% reporting threshold but the weekly UC and the lump sum UC added together is over the 130% reporting threshold and thus are required to be reported.
These changes must be reported within the first 10 calendar days of the month following the month in which the change occurred.
From the time of certification as a simplified reporter until the time of the interim report (or end of the review period if certified for 6 months), households are NOT required to report any other changes in household circumstances except those listed above, and failure to report other changes does not result in an under or overpayment of food stamp benefits, unless the agency fails to take required action on the change per 9122.7 or 9122.8.
9122.2 Review Periods for Simplified Reporting Households - Simplified reporting households shall be certified for no more than 12 months or no less than 6 months. Households as described in 9122.4, shall be certified for 6 months. Households certified for longer than 6 months are required to complete and submit an interim report during the time the household is certified as a simplified reporter. The IR due date is based on the review due date. Refer to the IR Set Up Schedule (T-7) in the Appendix. Eligibility and benefits for the second six month period (or remainder of the review period if less than 6 months are left) are based on information provided on the interim report.
9122.3 Eligibility and Benefit Amounts - Eligibility and benefit amount for simplified reporting households are determined prospectively using the provisions of 7110.
9122.4 Households That Cannot be Required to Submit an Interim Report - The following simplified reporting households cannot be required to submit an interim report, thus they may NOT be certified for longer than 6 months:
Households comprised of migrant and seasonal farm workers (as defined in the Appendix);
Households containing an ABAWD as defined in 2527 (1) [also see 9372 (2)].
Even though only certified for 6 months, these households are still considered simplified reporters from the date of certification until the next review.
9122.5 Determining the 130% Income Reporting Threshold - All households certified as a simplified reporter must be sent a notice informing them of their reporting requirements. This notice must include the 130% income reporting threshold for the household's size. When determining the gross income limit to include in the notice, staff shall use the gross income limit that corresponds to the number of persons in the household including persons coded DI and DF. This number shall be determined at the time the application or review is processed, based on the most current information.
Example: Household A applies on January 15th. The application is approved on February 5th. A child left the home at the end of January. Household size is 5 for January, and 4 for February and ongoing. The 130% reporting limit for this household is the amount for a household of 4.
Once this limit is determined for the household, it shall remain the same until the time the interim report is processed, even if persons enter or leave the household.
See Appendix, Item F-11 for the 130% Income Reporting Threshold Chart.
9122.6 Interim Report - Simplified reporting households certified for longer than 6 months are required to submit an interim report during the time the household is certified as an simplified reporting household. The IR due date is based on the review due date. Refer to the IR Set Up Schedule (T-7) in the Appendix. Eligibility and benefits for the time period after the IR due month are based on the information reported on the interim report.
NOTE: Households with self-employment income shall not be rebudgeted at the time of processing the IR unless the individual has experienced a substantial increase or decrease in self-employment earnings. See 7122 (2) and (3).
The interim report will gather information about the household's earned and unearned income, deductions (except medical expenses), household composition, resources, residence and other circumstances.
An interim report is considered complete if:
It is signed and dated by the head of the household, an authorized representative, or a responsible member of the household;
All yes/no questions are answered;
All other questions are answered as appropriate; and
It is accompanied by verification of earned income, if any.
NOTE: Items on the IR may be answered "none" or "not applicable" or left blank if the consumer has nothing to report or determines the question does not apply to their situation. If the consumer does not answer a question at all (i.e., leaves it blank) contact with the consumer to clarify and get a response may be necessary depending on the circumstances of the case. Staff should use prudent person judgment on a case-by-case basis to determine if additional information is needed. This contact may done over the phone with client response documented in the case file. The IR does not have to be returned for the consumer to write in the appropriate response, or "none'/"not applicable".
The interim report (X843) is mailed on the 25th day of the month prior to the month the IR is due. The household must complete the form and return it by the 5th day of the IR due month.
For example, a simplified reporting household is approved in August and certified for 12 months. The interim report is sent the 20th of December and is due the 5th of January. Information on the form is used to determined food stamp benefits for February through July.
NOTE: An application (food stamp or combined application with FS sections completed) can be accepted in lieu of an IR if it is received in the month the IR is due, or the following month. If an application in lieu of an IR is used to reinstate benefits, an interview is not required, and all verification rules applicable to IR processing instead of application processing apply. Benefits are also not prorated.
Processing Information Reported on the Interim Report - The agency must act on information reported by the household on the interim report. Adequate notice, as defined in 1432, is required for a change in benefits which results from information reported on the interim report, even if additional information or verification is requested in order to process the change.
Review Interim Report - Upon receipt of an interim report, the worker shall review the report; determine if any additional information is needed; contact the household as needed to obtain further information or verification (giving the household at least 10 days to provide information); and determine eligibility and benefits for the remainder of the review period.
Verification Required - The following information must be verified at the time of processing an interim report:
Earned income.
Changes reported on the interim report that would result in an increase in benefits. These changes must be verified prior to the issuance of additional benefits according to the verification rules followed at the time of initial approval. However, changes in an actual utility expense(s) (if not entitled to the SUA or LUA), or gross unearned income (exception for child support/alimony income) which have changed by $50 or less since the last time each was verified need not be reverified unless questionable.
Note: Child support and alimony income must be reaveraged or prospected (as appropriate) at the time of the IR per 7124.
Changes reported that would result in a decrease in benefits shall be verified, if required, at the time of the next review.
Other reported information can be verified if questionable. Use the provisions of 1310, and 1320 and subsections.
Action Required if Verification Not Provided - If verification of earned income is not provided, benefits shall be terminated. If the household fails to provide sufficient information or verification regarding shelter, dependent care, medical or child support expenses, benefits shall not be terminated, rather benefits will be determined without including the deduction. If this occurs, the household must be notified that a deduction or deductions were not allowed since verification was not provided, and that benefits will be redetermined if the verification is subsequently provided.
If the household does not verify other items for which verification is required (including information deemed questionable), the agency shall act on the reported change if benefits would decrease, and not act on the reported change if benefits would increase. If verification is later provided, increased benefits shall be provided the month following the month in which the verification is received.
With the exception of verification of earned income, the agency may pend a household's case (instead of terminating eligibility) if information necessary to determine continued eligibility is being requested from the household. This might occur as a result of information reported on the interim report which requires further
investigation/information/verification. Only adequate notice is required in these instances.
Notification - The household must be provided adequate notice of the food stamp benefit amount when the IR has been processed. KAECSES Notice F706, FS IR Review Complete, shall be used. This notice includes the 130% reporting threshold and reminds households of their reporting requirements.
Action on Other Programs - Changes reported on the interim report for food stamp purposes shall also be acted upon, as appropriate, for cash, medical and child care benefits. Timely and adequate notice is required for any reduction or termination of benefits for these programs.
Termination of Benefits - Failure to return a complete interim report in the month in which it is due, results in ineligibility for food stamp benefits only. If the interim report is submitted the month after it was due, benefits are to be reinstated if otherwise eligible. In such instances, a new application would not be required for reinstatement purposes and benefits would not be prorated.
The agency shall close the food stamp program if the completed interim report is not received. This is done automatically when the interim report is not registered on RERE by the IR Close deadline (listed on the KAECSES code cards. This date is the same as the closure date for no review). A closure notice (X048) is automatically generated to the household and mailed the next work day. The same night the FS are closed, a report is created (CR 131) listing all cases in which the FS program were closed. The report is available the next work day on SAR. The closure notice informs the household that assistance can be reinstated (if there is eligibility) if the interim report is received any time in the month following the month of closure.
Reinstatement of Assistance - If an eligible household files a complete interim report after the case has been closed, but before the end of the report month (month in which the report is due), the agency shall reopen the case without requiring the household to file an application and shall approve benefits no later than 10 days after the household normally receives benefits.
If a household files a complete interim report after the end of the report month but before the end of the month following the month in which it was due, the agency shall reinstate assistance and, if otherwise eligible, approve benefits within 30 days from the date the interim report is received. Benefits for the month shall not be prorated and the household shall not be required to file a new application.
See the NOTE at the beginning of this section regarding accepting an application in lieu of an IR.
When reinstating assistance, changes reported on the interim report form (or application in lieu of an IR) shall be acted upon for the benefit month being reinstated. For example, a case is closed 8/31 for no IR. The IR is returned 9/9 and the household reports that a member has left the home. This change shall be acted upon when determining benefits for the month of September.
A notice of reinstatement must be sent to the household. If a household which has been closed for failure to file a complete interim report does not return the required form by the end of the month following closure, the household shall be required to reapply. A new application is also required if the household fails to provide verification timely and the 10th day to provide verification falls in the second month following case closure. Example: Case closes 5/31 for no IR. IR is returned 6/25. Verification due 7/5 and not returned.
9122.7 Processing Changes Not Required to be Reported or Reported for Cash, Child Care, or Medical - Appropriate action shall be taken on all changes that are reported by the household, or learned of by agency staff outside of the interim reporting process. Timely and adequate notice is required. Changes are processed following the rules found at 9121.1.
9122.8 Processing Reported Changes That Are Required to be Reported
130% Income Reporting Threshold - When a simplified reporting household reports an increase in income which is over the 130% income reporting threshold, staff must determine if the household's gross monthly income exceeds 130% of poverty for the household size at the time the change is being processed. If the household is at or over the 130% original reporting threshold, but remains eligible, no further reporting requirements regarding income are required until the next IR or review is due. Changes resulting in ineligibility shall affect eligibility the first month possible considering timely notice requirements.
Since the gross income test (130% of poverty) does not apply to categorically eligible and/or special households special provisions apply. (A special household is one containing at least one member who is elderly or disabled.) Proceed as follows:
Special Household - If the special household's income exceeds the net income standard, take action to close the food stamp case. (See 7420.)
Categorically Eligible Household - If the Food Stamp Benefit tables (Appendix, Item F-3) indicate a benefit even though the net income is above the net income limit, categorically eligible households are to be given that benefit amount. Action will be required to change benefits to the new amount. (See 2512 and/or contact the KAECSES HelpDesk for procedures.) If no benefit is reflected past the net income limit on the issuance tables, take action to close the food stamp case.
Reduction in the Number of Hours Worked by an ABAWD - If the simplified reporting household contains an ABAWD meeting the work requirement of 2520 (1), the household is required to report if the household member's work hours fall below an average of 20 hours a week, averaged monthly. If this change is reported by the household, process the change as follows:
Becomes Exempt or Has Good Cause - Determine if the household member has become exempt from the ABAWD provisions or has good cause for the reduction in work hours per the NOTE in 2520 (1). If so, document the exemption or that the reduced work hours was temporary. Make appropriate benefit changes.
Not Exempt and Does Not Have Good Cause - If the person is non-exempt and the work hours will stay reduced below 20 hours a week averaged monthly, then determine if the person has already received 3 months of ABAWD benefits while not meeting the work requirement. If not, take no action to remove the person until they have used their three ABAWD months. If benefits will change due to the reduction in income, take action on that change. If the person has already used their three ABAWD months, take action to remove the person at that time.
Timely and adequate notice of adverse action must be provided.