At application, the CAO must prospectively determine eligibility to participate by following the steps outlined below. 55 Pa. Code § 501.11(a)
At application, the CAO must always determine eligibility to participate prospectively for all households.
1. Determine who lives in the household. 7 CFR § 273.10(a)(1)(i)
2. Prospectively determine the household's income for the application month and the following month. 55 Pa. Code § 501.11(a)
3. Determine the best estimate of income for the remainder of the SAR or certification period.
4. For noncategorically eligible households without an elderly or disabled member, compare the total gross income to the gross limit in Chapter 568, Appendix A.
5. If the gross income exceeds the gross limit:
For the application month only, eligibility begins on the first day of the second month. Send a Notice of Eligibility to the household letting them know that benefits were denied for the month of application, and explain the decision. Show the eligibility date and the benefit amount for ongoing benefits.
For the month after the application month only, determine eligibility for a benefit for the application month only. The household must reapply for any further benefits.
For the month of application and the following month, deny benefits and send a Notice of Ineligibility explaining the decision.
6. If gross income is less than or equal to the gross limit, compute the net income. 7 CFR § 273.10(a)(1)(i)
7. Compare net income to the net limit in Chapter 568, Appendix A for all households except categorically eligible households.
8. If the net income exceeds the net limit:
For the month of application only, eligibility begins the first day of the second month. Send a Notice of Ineligibility to the household showing that benefits were denied for the application month and explaining the decision. Show the eligibility date and benefit amount for ongoing benefits.
For the month of application and the following month, deny benefits and send a Notice of Ineligibility explaining the decision.
Because of changes anticipated at application, a household may be eligible in the month of application but ineligible for the following month. The CAO must authorize benefits for the month of application even if the application process and benefit issuance are completed in a later month. 7 CFR § 273.10(a)(3)
A household may be ineligible in the application month but eligible in the next month. If so, the CAO must deny benefits for the application month but authorize benefits effective the first calendar day of the following month. A new application is not required.
As a result of anticipated changes, the CAO may also determine that the benefit amount for the application month will differ from the benefit amount in later months. 7 CFR § 273.10(a)(4)
If prospectively budgeted income is underestimated or later increases, there is no overissuance if the household reported and verified the income accurately and in time and the CAO acted in time.
If prospectively budgeted income is overestimated or later decreases, there is no underissuance.
To figure out the amount of the benefit, the CAO must use the net income arrived at in Section 568.21 for the issuance month and compare it with the basis-of-issuance tables (see Chapter 568, Appendix B). 7 CFR § 273.10(a)(1)(ii)
For the application month, the CAO must prorate the benefit from the application date. (See Chapter 568, Appendix C.) If the household received SNAP benefits in the month before, see Chapter 576. 55 Pa. Code § 501.9(b)
Reissued March 1, 2012, replacing May 3, 2007