Once the $30 and 1/3 disregard has been applied for four consecutive months, the individual is eligible for a continuance of the $30 earned income disregard for the following eight months. The eight-month period begins with the month following the fourth consecutive month in which the $30 and 1/3 disregard is applied. It ends with the eighth consecutive month regardless of whether the $30 disregard is actually applied to the person’s earned income.
The eight month period runs:
Whether the claimant continues to have earned income against which to apply the $30 disregard, andEven when the claimant loses eligibility for assistance.
If a claimant loses eligibility and reapplies during the eight-month period, an Eligibility Based on Need Budget is not required and the $30 disregard is applied on the Net Income Limit Test budget. The $30 disregard is never applied in 185% of need (gross income) limit determination.
A recipient can regain eligibility for the $30 plus 1/3 disregard and the eight-month continuance of the $30 disregard if the family or claimant is off MAF/MC+ (Non-CHIP) for 12 consecutive months. Follow instructions for determining 12 months off in $30 plus 1/3 disregard. The policy applies even when all or part of the eight-month period of continuance of the $30 disregard occurred during the 12 consecutive months off.
Example:A claimant uses the fourth consecutive month of the $30 plus 1/3 disregard in April and is eligible for the $30 disregard for May through December. The claimant loses eligibility in June. Effective July 1 they case is changed to TMA. If they remain off assistance (TMA is considered off assistance) from July through June of next year, they regain eligibility for the $30 plus 1/3 disregard and the eight-month continuance of the $30 disregard.
Adverse action notice is required if removing the $30 disregard adversely affects eligibility.
Families losing eligibility for MAF solely because the $30 disregard is no longer applied must be evaluated for TMA.