97. What is the Interim Report and when do I need to do one?

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SNAP Advocacy Guide

By

Massachusetts Law Reform Institute

Reviewed

January 2024

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Some households on Simplified Reporting (see Simplified Reporting and when you must report changes to DTA) have to do an Interim Report in order to continue receiving SNAP. Only three groups of households on Simplified Reporting must do an Interim Report:

Have no income on record with DTA (and are not homeless)
Have income on record that is within $200 of the gross income limit for their household size (see Gross Income Chart in Appendix B).
Used to have to follow EDSAP rules (see the reporting rules for older adults and persons with disabilities without earned income (EDSAP)) but who started working or had someone join or leave their SNAP household so DTA moved the case to regular Simplified Reporting.

Example

Alexa is certified for 12 months, from January through December and gets her SNAP benefits the 1st day of each month. When she was approved she had no income and is not homeless. DTA requires Alexa to complete an Interim Report. If she doesn’t, her SNAP will end after 6 months. DTA mails Alexa her Interim Report on May 15th, 45 days before July 1. She needs to finish the Interim Report process before July 1 to keep her SNAP without interruption.

The changes you are required to tell DTA about on the Interim Report are:

If your household’s income (earned or unearned) changed up or down by more than $125 per month,
You or anyone in your household started or stopped a job,
You moved and what your new shelter costs are,
Your household members have changed (e.g. someone moved in or out or you had a baby), or
You are no longer legally required to pay out child support. See the child support exclusion.

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How to complete your Interim Report

Do your Interim Report:

Online on DTA Connect. See getting information about your SNAP case online or with your smartphone.
Call DTA at 877-382-2363 to do it over the phone.
Fax or mail the report to DTA. See sending DTA your documents.
Bring it to a local DTA office.

You do not need an interview as part of the Interim Report. If DTA reviews your Interim Report and determines they need additional proofs they will send you a Verification Checklist.

If you do your Interim Report and get DTA any proofs they need on or before the deadline, DTA should continue your SNAP without interruption.

Troubleshooting

Late Interim Report form or missing proofs: If you are late returning required poofs or doing the Interim Report, your SNAP may be delayed. If you get the proofs to DTAS within 30 days of when your case closed, DTA should reopen your SNAP back to the date DTA received your proofs. The benefits may be prorated if the delay was your fault.

Interim Report not submitted: If you do not do the Interim Report by the deadline your SNAP benefits will stop. DTA must send you a termination notice if they are closing your SNAP case for this reason, or if you are missing proofs. You have a right to get aid pending if you appeal within 10 days of the notice.

30 Days: If less than 30 days have passed from when DTA tells you your case is closing, you can do the Interim Report instead of doing a new application. If it’s been more than 30 days, file a new SNAP application.

Advocate if case was wrongly closed: If you did everything DTA asked but your SNAP still closed, contact a DTA Office Supervisor, the Ombuds or file an appeal. See filing an appeal to get a fair hearing.

Note

Under federal rules DTA is required to send you a notice if they are stopping your SNAP at the point of Interim Report¹. You have a right to appeal if you think DTA should not have denied you (for example because you sent in verifications that were requested). You also have a right to get aid pending if you appeal within 10 days of the date of the notice. See what are your rights if DTA denies, cuts or stops your SNAP.

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