75. What deductions are allowed against my income?

The following deductions are allowed for all households depending on living situation and expenses:

• 20 percent of gross earned income¹.
  Legally obligated child support paid to children outside the home does not count as income – but if it’s paid out of earnings, it is included in the calculation of the 20% earned income deduction. See child support exclusion.
• Self-employment business expenses². See counting self-employment income.
• A standard deduction based on household size³:

• A childcare or disabled adult care deduction if you are working, looking for work, or in school or training⁴. See the childcare/dependent care deduction describing the range of allowable expenses.
• A shelter deduction capped at $672/month for households that do not include an elderly or disabled member. For households with an elderly or disabled member, the shelter deduction is un-capped⁵. See the shelter deduction.
• A homeless shelter deduction of $180/month if homeless with no shelter costs⁶. See the homeless deduction.

The result is your monthly net income. Your benefits are based on this amount. An additional medical expense deduction is available to elder and disabled households. See medical expenses you can claim if you are elderly or disabled.