Your SNAP/food stamp monthly benefit is based on how much income you and the worker are "reasonably certain" you will receive for the period you are on benefits (your certification period). 106 C.M.R. § 364.310.
If you have earned income, DTA will ask you for proof of your income from the four-week period prior to your application (or two weeks, if you are paid bi-weekly). If you cannot get this information from your employer, or you are missing a wage stub, tell your worker. Your worker may be able to help you get the information by calling the employer with your permission ("collateral contact") or by using The Work Number, a payroll service used by many employers. See What proofs (verifications) do I need?
Terminated source of income
If you are no longer working at your old job when you apply for SNAP/food stamp benefits, the income from the terminated source (a lost job or cash benefits or child support payments that have stopped) should not be counted in calculating your benefits. DTA should calculate your financial eligibility prospectively, which means looking at what your anticipated income will be in the coming months. 106 C.M.R. § 364.310. The only time income from a terminated source counts is in the month of application for expedited service, for example, where you receive a final paycheck after you apply for benefits but within the month of application. 106 C.M.R. § 365.840.
Anticipated income
Income from a new job, Unemployment Insurance or other income source should also not be counted until you are certain when you will get paid and how much. 106 C.M.R. §§ 364.310, 364.320. This is especially important if you are eligible for semi-annual reporting and it is not clear either when or how much income you will receive. See What is semi-annual reporting? If you do not anticipate receipt of the income in the first 30 days of your certification period, it should not count until the next semi-annual reporting period (or unless your total household income exceeds the gross income test during the six-month period).
Calculating your monthly income
DTA calculates your monthly income by multiplying the average weekly income by 4.333 to get a monthly amount (or 2.167 for bi-weekly amounts). 106 C.M.R. § 364.340.
Example
Judy received gross pay of $152, $125, $145, and $150 for the past four weeks. The average of these weeks is $143 per week. DTA then multiplies this average amount of $143 by 4.333 to get a monthly gross income of $619.62.
Additional Policy Guidance on Counting Income
Additional Policy Guidance on Counting Income
- Income from annual contract (i.e. school employees) should be averaged over a 12 month period. DTA Transitions (Sept. 2010)
- Anticipated UI should not be counted if status of UI claim not known by 29th day after date of application. DTA Transitions (Apr. 2004)
- Only income which DTA is "reasonably certain" the household will receive within the month of application or within the first 30 days of the semi-annual reporting period can be counted. UI benefits not actually received within first 30 days of semi-annual reporting period should not be counted for the entire 6-month USR period. See BEACON User's Guide, Ch. IV-C, p. 23, Q.7.
Produced by Patricia Baker, Laura Gallant, Deborah Harris, Rochelle Hahn Massachusetts Law Reform Institute Last updated January 2011
