SUBJECT:
NEW INCOME CODE FOR INCREASED MILITARY PAY FOR DEPLOYMENT TO A DESIGNATED COMBAT ZONE
FOOD STAMP MANUAL REVISION
DISCUSSION:
On 12/08/04, the President signed into law a provision which excludes from consideration as income for food stamps additional pay received by military personnel as a result of deployment to a combat zone.
Effective March 15, 2005, a new source code MD (military deployment to combat zone), is created on the Income (FMX0) screen in FAMIS for the additional payment received by a military member deployed to a designated combat zone. Source code MD is excluded from the EU's income for food stamps and Child Care and included as unearned income for Temporary Assistance for the duration of the deployment to the designated combat zone.
This exclusion only applies if the additional pay was not received immediately prior to serving in the combat zone.
Regardless of whether the EU was receiving benefits or how the money is made available to the EU, either by direct deposit to a bank account or through a military allotment, budget only that portion of the deployed individual's military pay to which the EU has access when determining the EU's income. For individuals who provide a regular military allotment to the EU, enter income source code AA (allotment – military or spousal) on the Income (FMX0) screen in FAMIS. Use source code MD (military deployment to combat zone) for any additional pay not received prior to deployment to the combat zone.
To determine if any of the military pay made available to an EU by an absent member in the military deployed to a designated combat zone is additional pay (source code MD), take the following actions:
- See Attachment 1 for a list of the designated combat zones.
- Establish what amount of the military person's pay was actually available to the EU prior to the deployment of this individual to a designated combat zone. If the military person was part of an EU prior to deployment, this amount would be his or her net military pay. If the military person was not part of an EU prior to the military person's deployment to a designated combat zone, this amount is the income the absent military person actually made available to the family prior to deployment to the designated combat zone.
- If the amount is equal to or less than the amount the EU was receiving from the military person prior to deployment to a designated combat zone, enter all of the allotment as source code AA. If a portion of the amount exceeds the amount the EU was receiving prior to the deployment of the military person to a designated combat zone enter it as source code MD.
EXAMPLE: The EU consists of Corporal M, his wife, and one child. His net pay prior to deployment to a designated combat zone is $300.00. Corporal M is going to be deployed to Iraq in two months. In the month prior to his deployment to Iraq, he will be training in the U.S. and he will make $1000 available to his wife. After he is deployed to Iraq his income increases for hazard duty pay and other additional pay. He will make $1200 available to his wife. Enter the $1000 he made available to his wife the month prior to deploying to Iraq as source code AA. Enter the $200 additional pay as source code MD.
EXAMPLE: Sergeant G is deployed to Korea and has been providing $700.00 to his family. On 01/10/05, Sgt. G. receives orders and is deployed to a designated combat zone on 02/02/05. He now provides $1,000 to his family. The $300 additional income is excluded because he started sending the additional income after his deployment to the designated combat zone. Enter $700.00 as income source code AA and $300.00 as source code MD. The $700.00 source code AA is included for Child Care, food stamps, and Temporary Assistance. The $300.00 source code MD is excluded for Child Care and food stamps, and is included for Temporary Assistance.
There are several ways in which to document the deployed person's income and location. The most common ways are:
- the Leave and Earnings (LES) statement sent directly to the EU or mailed to the EU by the deployed person. The LES identifies combat pay if it is being received and can be used to establish deployment to a combat zone and the amount of combat pay;
- the EU can obtain pay information of the deployed person via the web at http://mypay.dfas.mil and can also seek assistance via the local base financial office, and/or
- military orders of the deployed individual to the combat zone.
This policy is retroactive to 10/01/04. Any EU that had an increase in income as a result of the deployment of the service member to a designated combat zone that was counted in their food stamp case as of 10/01/04, is entitled to restoration of lost benefits. Make a determination as to the eligibility of restored benefits at the next recertification or interim change. An EU that was rejected because excludable income was counted, is also entitled to restored benefits.
NECESSARY ACTION:
- Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.
- Enter income for military deployment (MD) on the Income (FMX0) screen.
- At the next recertification or interim change review the case to determine if restored benefits are due to the EU. As appropriate, issue restored benefits.